The story of the Northern region.
Had been spread like wildfire.
And that...
Reached the capital.
*BAM*
"WHAT?!"
It came at the office within the Royal castle.
Where Iris May Welford—Hanamachii Yomi was doing her duty.
"The curse in the Northern Region has been resolved?!" Yomi spoke out, she was the most surprised of all the people within the room.
Standing before her were three of her most loyal subordinates and elite soldiers…
Maria, the tanned and tomboyish girl.
Ako, the girl with the stern and emotionless looks.
Claudia, the blonde mature looking girl, who's also the one who reported to her regarding the curse at the Northern Region.
"Y-yes..." Claudia was flustered, since this was her first time seeing her captain panicking.
Yomi sighed and rubbed her own forehead, 'I had planned to resolve the curse of that land...'
'But...to think it would be resolved in just a few days after I received the report...' Yomi thought of it.
Then another voice came through her mind, 'Oh~ is there anything special about that place?~'
The voice belonged to none other than the holder of the real body Yomi had possessed.
Iris May Welford, who came from the future.
'You do realize that I already explained to you over and over.'
'Yeah~ the world is based on a game and fun stuff for your people~ drama~ story~ and even action~'
'Who knew your world possessed such knowledge to create something called [Otome Game]~' Iris spoke.
'But what I don't get is why are you so fixated about the Northern Region? It is a hopeless land that has been abandoned for many years.' Iris asked.
Yomi looked away, 'The reason is simple...because that place will become the source of future threat.'
'A future threat? Explain.' Iris repeated.
'Yeah, did you remember? The game has a few modes that you can try.' Yomi stated.
'Yes, you did, but you didn't explain it throughly because how busy you are with your training.' Iris replied.
Yomi couldn't retort of thay, 'That's true, ahem, then let me explain it properly.'
'The [Easy Mode], it's a mode where the level of the monster and the difficulty of the story was set to the lowest which is easy for beginners to finish with only a few endings.'
'Because of that, the story's progression has been simplified and you won't get a rare item nor unique event during the game.' Yomi explained.
'Ohhh~ so basically even a child can finish this game?' Iris was fascinated to hear that.
'Exactly.' Yomi replied.
'Secondly, is the [Hard Mode], where the whole level had been set into high level, which gave the player more challenges and gave many unique events and items.'
'You can also get all kinds of different endings and routes.' Yomi spoke.
'Routes?' Iris repeated that part.
'Yeah, I mean [Otome Game] consist many male lead which will become your partner at the end of the game.'
'For example, the female lead which the main character in the game, choose between the [Crown Prince] or his other friend, you might remember it in your past life.' Yomi replied.
'Aahh, indeed that woman had several guys fawning around her including the Crown Prince.' Iris spoke with such hostility.
And Yomi could feel that.
But the hostilities vanish, and she just simply smiled, "But that's all in the past~ the only person who I love currently is Ray~' Iris spoke.
Yomi sighed a bit, relieved after she just triggered her trauma.
'But does that mean we are going for the [Hard Mode] here?~ since this unique event had occured and become a future threat?~' Iris somewhat understood it despite never having experienced it before.
But Yomi shook her head.
'No, based on what I experienced so far, from meeting a Demon in the Allura's Territory, another encounter high level monsters in the World Tree Forest, and even meeting that man....I concluded that we are in a different whole level mode.'
'And which is?' Iris asked.
'The [Hell Mode].' Yomi stated.
Iris could tell the name wasn't all that friendly and could get a gist of it.
'The [Hell Mode] was set on the highest level setting with multiple bad endings and choices.'
'You could feel the bad reality more often in this mode, given only a few options to clear it and it is almost impossible to finish it.' Yomi answered.
'Such mode exists? Isn't it quite the harassment for people to play this mode?' Iris questioned.
'Well, people find it challenging for those who want to try it, most of them are either maniacs or just want intense adrenaline in the game.' Yomi answered.
'Does that mean people in your world enjoy such thrill?? I really don't get it.'
'It is a high-risk and high-reward kind of thing, since you can learn more about new events and get all kinds of new items that doesn't exist in [Hard Mode].'
'Such as this ring.' Yomi spoke while looking towards the ring that she wore on her finger.
'That's why people want to try it and to taste the new thrill and other than romance itself.'
Iris sighed and shook her head, 'I really don't understand your people at all...'
Yomi smiled wryly, 'Neither do I...'
'But how does this [Hell Mode] related to the Northern Region?' Iris asked.
'That's what I am about to explain.'
'In the game, we usually received a quest right, such as that time we defeated [Arachne], we gotten a quest that was given by the system.' Yomi explained.
'And this quest is related to that place?' Iris asked.
'Correct, when you entered the Northern Region you will receieved a quest.'
'A quest that possessed a threat that could endanger the entire world, the same as when the Demon King was revived.' Yomi answered.
'Demon King level kind of threat...' Iris couldn't help to break a sweat after hearing it.
'Yes and this quest almost impossible to defeat it, even I who played the game haven't reached that level yet.' Yomi stated.
'Even you?' Iris asked.
'Yes....the reason is simple, because there were monsters of a higher level of threat that you need to defeat it.'
Iris then remembered what she mentioned a few days ago, 'Do you mean...[The Three Great Evil]?'
'Yes...that is correct.' Yomi answered.
'Hmmm, I've heard that name before...but I never once faced them nor know them that well in the past.'
'But...what kind of monsters are they that make it impossible to defeat it?' Iris asked curiously.
Yomi sighed deeply, 'Well they were the hardest monsters that I ever faced...' and her expression became gloomy.
Which made her three subordinates confused by her sudden change of expression, but Yomi didn't notice at all.
'Seriously? We don't know if we haven't fought it properly.' Iris asked again.
Yomi sighed once more, 'Like I said...they are the hardest monsters in the game, more than the Demon Lord himself.'
'What??? More than the Demon Lord himself? You must be kidding.'
'Kill me if I was kidding, I experienced that hell mode for several time in the game and died more than I can count...' Yomi spoke by her experience.
But of course Iris couldn't understand it.
Then Yomi began to explain it, 'The monsters consist of three, the same as their title.'
'The first one, [Deus Ex Machina, Arrangias], a mechanical golem that could release an anti-magic field while it also can shoot raw magic power laser that can evaporate all kinds of enemy.'
'Not to mention it also have the sturdiest armor which was made from Adamantite.' Yomi explained.
Iris grimaced, 'Seriously...that's the first monster?? It's almost the same as [The Ashura, Styx] that we fought before.'
'Yeah, but I don't think it's the same level as him.'
'We could win because of our compatible element affinity.' Yomi replied.
'That's true, with adamantite as its armor and anti-magic field, not even the legendary [Sword Saint] and the [Witch] could leave a scratch on them.' Iris spoke.
'Even those legends feel like a child's play for them.' Iris commented.
'Well that's not all, the second one is the most troublesome one...'
'Now I don't want to hear it...' Iris felt like her energy was being sucked up from the first information.
'The second one is called as [The Frost Death Emperor, Hamel], the strongest undead capable of using unique magic that could freeze everything and cannot be melted that easily, it can also use Necromancy and combined with his ice magic, he can create unique undead and they are called [Frost Undead].' Yomi explained.
Iris' expression becomes weirder as it went on, 'The strongest undead that is capable of using unique magic, now that thing is on its own level.'
'Even I don't know the outcome if we both fight.' She commented.
'...how about the last one?'
Iris looked away, a bit hesitant to explain it 'The last one...is the final boss, which is the cause of the curse on that land.'
'And what is the name of the monster?' Iris pressed further.
Yomi had this feeling of not wanting to mention it, 'It is...an [Ancient Dragon].'
'Ancient what now??'
'Yeah...the final boss was [The Evil Ancient Dragon, Fafnir].' Yomi stated and not even explaining further what kind of being [Ancient Dragon] was.
Iris gave up on processing her thoughts and she sighed.
'Indestructible being as [Ancient Dragon] was set as the final boss...even the Demon King pales in comparison to that.' Iris commented.
'But, wait...since she mentioned that the curse has been resolved, I guess that's a problem for you?'
'Yeah...I know that, we don't know who and what purpose they have to resolved such curse.' Yomi admitted.
'Well, it makes sense, the only people who know about the existence of those monsters and the future world are me and you.' Iris spoke.
'That's right, but there's a possibility that there's someone out there who's in the same situation as me.' Yomi replied.
'That's…true...I remember a piece of your memory, about the time when you met [The Demon God, Ars].' Iris stated.
'He said, [There are two Irregular beings in this world]...that means we're not the only ones who possess the information.' Yomi spoke.
'So, it is dangerous to let someone we don't know...possess such knowledge and recklessly ruin the world.' Iris spoke.
'Well, no matter how dangerous he is...he won't be able to beat you who is taught by me~' Iris spoke proudly.
Yomi smiled as she felt reassured by her words, 'That's true.'
The atmosphere around her had changed, of course it was an awkward situation for her subordinates who watched her expression change so quickly from time to time.
"I understand, thank you for reporting, Claudia." Yomi finally replied to her report.
"Y-yes!" Claudia stuttered after the long silence she was given by her.
"Is there anything else?" Yomi spoke.
"Pardon?" Claudia replied.
"I mean, is there anything else that I need to know?" Yomi asked once again.
"Yes, regarding the mission you gave me...about the rumor that circulates within the Northern Region."
"It seems you were right...that [person] is still alive." Claudia reported.
Yomi widened her eyes and smiled, her expression softened a bit, "I see..."
Iris smiled, 'That's a relief.'
"Oh, and about that [person], they said that he was the one who resolved the curse." Claudia reported another piece of information.
You could literally hear the sound of glass shattering somewhere in her head.
"WHAT?!"
Claudia flinched when she heard her scream. She expected that her captain would know, but she didn't expect her to respond that way.
The same as Ako and Maria, they have the same expression of being confused seeing her being so flabbergasted.
Iris was also surprised by it, about this [person] they mentioned.
The only person that she knew and had been searching for the past 7 years.
[The Knight of Wrath, Crimson].
Or they would call him, [The Blacksmith, Ray Houston].
******
Her subordinates left her alone after delivering the report, leaving only Yomi at her desk with Iris in her head.
'To think that Ray...is the other [Irregular] that [Demon God] mentioned.' Iris spoke.
Yomi looked up towards the ceiling above her while resting her back on her seat.
"Indeed...I knew he was quite different from the Ray I know in the game."
"But it had been proven...the boy who fought against a [Boss Monster] in the past, was not mere coincidence." Yomi replied.
"There was a report from the House that Ray was traveling out from his village, after he won the fight against the guard there to prove it."
"It was also the same time when the report about [King of Bandits, Banzana] was reported dead and the appearance of a wandering knight, Crimson." Yomi explained.
'Now we can finally concluded that...Crimson and Ray were the same person.' Iris replied.
Yomi closed her eyes, "How can we both miss such obvious things."
'Ray went out to travel and Crimson appeared and spread his fame at the same time, we couldn't possibly link the two of them right away since..'
'…the Ray we knew…is a gentle person and a [Blacksmith] who had a low combat experience.' Iris explained.
"That's true...but, a [Blacksmith] who could fight like that, having multiple weapons and using fire magic, is not something that can be called normal." Yomi spoke as she remembered her fight against him when they reunited 7 years ago.
'That's true, I cannot imagine him saving us from [King of Destruction] by sacrificing himself.' Iris spoke.
"Now I remembered it, he was very gallant, even his body was beaten up to the point when he can pass out."
"He didn't back off at alleven facing such danger alone." Yomi spoke.
'He did very reckless to fight against a newborn dragon.' Iris spoke.
"Yeah, dragon...." Yomi paused for a moment.
Even Iris does the same.
"....."
'.....'
"Does that mean he just win a fight against [Ancient Dragon]!?" The two of them screamed with their heart after they realized such crazy information they just received.
'Is he really the Ray we knew!? He is now beyond our level?!' Iris spoke, 'Now I am embarrassed of saying that I can win it...'
Yomi rubbing her forehead as her headache increased, "Ughhh!! let's stop overthinking too much!"
"At least we know it was him who is the [irregular]."
"So, at least it is much better than having a stranger who become the irregular."
Then Iris realized something upon hearing Yomi's words.
'Stranger...stranger...wait, don't tell me.'
"Hm? What's wrong, Iris?" Yomi replied.
'This is just my speculation...but I think the Ray we met was not the Ray we knew.'
"What...do you mean? I know we are still in the topic whether he is the Ray we knew or not."
'No! That's not it!'
'What I am saying...is that...the person we met, might be...'
'...someone who transmigrated just like you.' Iris stated.
The fact that was so obvious, the strange behavior that didn't match the Ray they knew in the past.
The fact that the person who had this much strength and intelligence couldn't be Ray, the familiar feelings that she had when he saw his back fighting against the danger in front of them.
The only answer, and the only thing that Yomi had been searching for.
The person she yearned to meet.
"No...way…"
'Yes, he is probably that person you have been searching...'
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
"[Kiritsuka Rei]."
******
'.....Where am I?'
A question appeared as he opened his eyes after a long time, and only darkness greeted his vision
'I felt warm...yet, this place is so dark.'
'Am I...dead?'
The man continued to question his existence.
'Didn't I fight against the [King of Destruction]?'
'Wait...what happened next?'
The man began to panic.
'Kiritsuka...'
And a name that he had long forgotten, appeared through his head.
'Who...'
Then a flashback of this young man who fought together with him.
The journey had their ups and downs, yet they managed to breakthrough with everything they got.
'Yes...I remember...'
'I dreamed for too long...'
As the man struggled to break out of his shell in this lone darkness…
'I need to wake up! And help..'
.
.
.
.
.
*CRACK*
"...him!!!" Then finally, he woke up after his long slumber.
The young man's right golden eye suddenly glinted for a moment, which means…
The one who possessed this body currently was…
[Ray Houston].
Ray then looked up, seeing a familiar scene.
"Where....am I?" He asked.
He could feel warmth beside him, a chimney with crackling fireplace and soft bed where he had laid down.
"Ughhh...!!" Then a wave of pain shot out to his entire body.
"W-what happened to my body?!..." Ray asked himself, seeing his whole body was covered in bandages, including his left eye.
"It's painful....but I managed to hold on..." He uttered but he struggled to process what happened.
"Right...Kiritsuka..." He called his name, "Kiritsuka!!" But there's no response to his call.
"Such a loud voice you got there, after waking up for so long." Then a familiar voice was heard on his side.
Ray soon noticed the presence of a woman sitting on a chair while cutting an apple in her hand.
"You are..." Ray then immediately figured out who this woman was.
"[King of Dragons, Ignia]!"
"Ohhh, why are you calling my name again?~ did you forget that you are my disciple?" Ignia spoke as she looked at him.
"Hmm? You are..." then she narrowed her eyes slightly, "Who the hell are you?"
A question which caught Ray off guard, 'Right...in this lifetime, we never met...[My Master] who trained me.'
Ignia looked dissatisfied, "I don't remember having another disciple other than those two."
'I forgot that she can read my mind!!'
But Ignia then remembered, "Ahhh...I see, you are his partner that he has been telling me."
"His partner?..." Ray repeated, "You mean Kiritsuka?!...Hmp!—" he accidentally called his name.
Ignia simply smiled at his reaction, "I see, it seems you have finally awakened, your efforts finally bear fruit, my disciple."
Ray was confused, yet curious at the same time because she kept calling him her disciple, "Ummm...may I ask something? Who is this disciple you talk about?"
"Of course, the one who's still sleeping within you right now, [Kiritsuka Rei]."
"Kiritsuka...is your disciple?" Ray was surprised to hear it. Looked like he had slept for far too long.
Ignia's smile widened, "Hmmm, what I am about to tell you is gonna shock you, are you prepared?~" she said as she had a gist of why he made that kind of expression.
Ray gulped.
"Kiritsuka Rei, your friend here...already wake up 7 years ago." Ignia told him.
"What?..."
"Yeah, 7 years ago, I took him as my disciple and after 7 years...he took a trial which I gave to prove that he is worthy to gain my blessing."
"Which resulted in his body becoming like that." Ignia pointed out with the knife in her hand.
"Wait...I don't get it..."
"You still don't get it? The mess on that body was the result of him fighting a monster beyond his level a few weeks ago."
"Not because of your selfish fight against the [King of Destruction], but against a higher being which you couldn't possibly know." Ignia spoke.
"So, I shall tell you again...you, young man..."
"Have been sleeping for 7 years." Ignia revealed.
Ray widened his eyes, "S-seven years? I have been sleeping that long?! But...I felt like I just slept for a short time."
"Of course, the time within the mind world, or you could say the spirit world, is slower than you think."
"If you said it's a short time, is it probably around 7 hours perhaps?" Ignia guessed.
"Y-yeah..."
"Well, if you think about it, 1 hour equals 1 year, so if it's 7 hours it means that it is 7 years old in reality." Ignia explained.
Ray couldn't comprehend what she was saying, "Does that mean...I missed a lot of things for 7 years, and left him alone all by himself." He muttered, a shadow fell over his face, looking horrified and guilty.
'All this time...I have been sleeping...dreaming about my ideal world...while not knowing what happened to Kiritsuka...'
Ignia could tell what he was thinking just from his expression, "I'm really glad that you felt guilty for leaving a child like him alone in the world he doesn't know about." As she spoke, he looked away.
"But I would be angry if you looked so calm and not caring of what happened to him." Ignia spoke with a hint of anger, as her mouth slowly breath out fire.
"So you should be thankful to my disciple's effort to wake you up, other wise your soul had been crush by me." Her words have a small killing intent, she was definitely serious about it.
But it only enhanced the guilt Ray'$ feeling for the selfish thing he did.
"Then...can you tell me...what happened to him for 7 years and how his body battered up like this?"
Ray was determined to hear the story of the struggling young man who fought to get strong.
Ignia smiled, "This is gonna be long night~"
She started off from how they met, the struggle, and his determination to get strong.
She told him about the training he received, the fight he went through and how much pain his body must bear for all the things he must do.
Ray could only listen, gripping the sheets on the bed as he could feel the pain and his struggle that he had been through.
From fighting against a golem with anti-magic and high physical resistance, a death emperor who's capable of using magic equal to 9th magic circle and unique ice magic.
Until his fight against the ancient evil dragon, who also known as the former hero in the past few centuries and her old comrade.
Ray couldn't help but be in awe upon hearing his story, and still couldn't believe that the young man who he thought was weak and needed his guidance...
Would come so far like that.
After the story ended.
Ray was deep in his thoughts.
At the same time, Ignia finished cutting the apple and placed it on a plate.
"Do not overthink about it, rather than that...shouldn't you be thanking your partner instead?~"
Ignia spoke and Ray noticed what she meant by that.
"Thanking?...I don't think that would be enough, I owed him my life for getting through and surviving in this world all by himself."
"I should be dead, and I accepted my death."
"But Kiritsuka...he never stopped trying and doing his best to wake me up in that silly dream of mine."
"So, as his partner and former mentor...I will be helping him with all my might." Ray spoke.
Ignia smiled again, "Then you should start with recovering that body first, he has been sleeping for 2 weeks now."
"It is an inevitable consequence for using incomplete techniques and trying to increase its difficulty." Ignia then shoved one piece of apple that she cut into his mouth.
"Mph—"
"Now have a good rest, you still have one more trial to finish." Ignia spoke.
"One more...trial?"
"Yes, this one is an exclusive trial that i made for him~"
"It's called...[The Trial of Dragon]~"
To be continued...