"Wow, how did you guys get up here so fast?"
"It's already over," Paimon said proudly. "We've got the Bloodbranch Coral!"
"That was… way too fast, wasn't it?"
It had been less than two minutes in total, so it was hard to blame Aru for looking so stunned.
Victor Wang explained simply, "As long as your shield is strong enough and your sword's sharp enough, it's not that difficult. In fact, it's a lot less trouble than trying to fight all of them to submission."
Since killing the Vishaps wasn't a requirement, it made more sense to grab the coral and get out as quickly as possible. The faster he moved, the less strain his shield had to bear—though that was also thanks to Lumine's fierce strikes.
"W-Well… that does make sense…"
"But still, wasn't the situation down there way too dangerous?" Paimon exclaimed, recalling the adrenaline rush of a dozen Vishaps pouncing at once. "You people release that many Vishaps—how are the earlier 'brave warriors' supposed to survive that?"
"Actually, we originally planned to release a hundred Vishaps," Aru admitted. "After all, this concerns the future of Sangonomiya. The more, the better. But we were worried that the warriors wouldn't be able to handle them, so we reduced the number to what it is now."
"This is after reducing them? Did you people ever actually consider how strong the warriors are supposed to be?!"
"Of course! Not just anyone can be called a warrior. Only those unmatched within sight would be chosen by Sangonomiya. That's how we tested it before: seven top-tier Jibashiri could handle these Vishaps. Ten top-tier ones would turn the Vishaps into punching bags."
"Jibashiri?"
Aru explained for Paimon, "The Jibashiri were originally warriors who fought against the Deepsea Vishaps. After the creation of the Golden Bridle, they became enforcers—judges of the underworld. To pass their trial, a candidate had to stand in a circle, holding up one of their own feet, while twelve Jibashiri around them stabbed at them with spears. If they survived the night, they were deemed qualified."
"That sounds ridiculous… wait, that's actually real?" Even Lumine's eyes widened in disbelief.
Victor Wang thought to himself, It's true. There was someone named Antei—Visionless—who singlehandedly chased down a group of Khaenri'ahns trying to steal the [Before Sun and Moon]. He even tore the core out of a Ruin Guard and saved the text. And even someone like him was only a Jibashiri candidate.
Aru continued solemnly, "Let's just say those who become Jibashiri are no longer viewed as human by the ordinary folk. So yes, I know that using them as a standard might have been too much to ask of the warriors. There have been… incidents."
"But it's all for the sake of ensuring that Sangonomiya can endure. There's no other choice." His tone shifted as he smiled. "Still, the speed at which you retrieved the coral outmatches even the Jibashiri'. You truly are the chosen warriors."
Before his words could fade, an unfamiliar voice echoed: "You really are quite impressive."
"Eh?"
The missing Enjou had returned to the Golden Bridle. Judging from his tone, he'd been observing for a while. Lumine and Paimon immediately tensed, while Victor Wang instinctively reached for the switch on the Golden Bridle, flipping it to Whitenight mode to hide Aru.
"Heh. I don't intend to destroy anything down here, including this Golden Bridle," Enjou said. "But this place isn't really suited for a fight. Why don't we step outside and talk?"
It wasn't a request. Leaving that one line, Enjou turned and walked toward the outer platform.
Victor Wang and the others had no choice but to follow.
Once outside, Paimon demanded, "Enjou, you're obviously not some clerk—who are you?"
"No, no, I really am a clerk," Enjou replied cheerfully. "I never said I was sent by Sangonomiya, did I? I truly was helping you translate the texts—but I came to the Golden Bridle out of my own curiosity. I am a scholar, and I came here for a particular book… Ah, that book clearly exists in Byakuyakoku, yet I couldn't find it anywhere. Isn't that strange?"
"What's that supposed to mean? Don't tell me you're saying we stole it?"
"Who knows, who knows? As a scholar, I can't just rely on assumptions. I have to see it with my own eyes."
"Ugh, you're impossible! We can't even read those texts—how are we supposed to know what book you're talking about?" Paimon protested indignantly.
"It's quite an extraordinary book," Enjou said with a gleam in his eyes. "It records the Byakuyakoku before the Golden Bridle was built. The people called it the [Before Sun and Moon]. It tells of a time when no Archons yet walked the land, and the entire continent was united under one civilization."
"An age that ancient? But the phrase 'When the gods walked the earth' is already the oldest story the bards ever tell."
"Yes, exactly. That's why I super, ultra, absolutely want to find that book. If we do, the Abyss Order will finally have proof that the Archons—and Celestia—are foreign beings."
Stop talking!
This kind of forbidden topic—especially with Paimon right here—I need to find an excuse to slip away…
Victor Wang averted his eyes in discomfort, praying that if Enjou was safe, then so would he be.
But Enjou went on, relentless: "The only thing I know for certain is that the Great Serpent was executed by Celestia for reading that book. It even planned a national migration, the sealing of the Abyssal Gates, and the invasion of Inazuma—all to hide this truth. To grant its people the right to live as humans, it orchestrated that grand sacrificial ceremony."
Lumine blinked, a little dazed. "That's… a lot of information."
"…That's all you have to say? Don't you hate me right now, hate me enough to punch me in the face?"
"If you really enjoy being punched, we can accommodate that for free."
"Heh heh, then come on!"
Flames ignited in Enjou's eyes, and his whole body erupted into a blazing inferno. When the fire subsided, he had transformed into a fiery Abyss Lector—his form flickering with power.
…
"Kwaa! You guys are so strong! A mere clerk really can't compare to true warriors!"
"So, you attacked us just because you suspected we took your book? The Abyss Order really—" Paimon stopped mid-sentence, realizing Lumine's brother was part of that very group. "—really has awful manners!"
"It's not just about the book," Enjou retorted, laughing. "Didn't you defeat so many of my subordinates here in the Abyss? Those poor Abyss Mages and Hilichurls—emotionally and logically, I have to avenge them!"
"Oh, you want revenge?"
Electric light danced along Lumine's blade as she prepared to strike.
Enjou quickly threw up his hands. "Looks like I've lost this time!"
Only then did Lumine pause.
"But failure is the mother of success," Enjou said smoothly. "I'll learn from this defeat—and so will you. Boy, I've told you everything you needed to know. And girl, you'd best be careful. That little one clinging to you might betray you in the end."
"You—! What kind of nonsense are you trying to pull now?"
"I didn't understand a word of that!" Victor Wang and Paimon shouted almost in unison.
"Never mind. We've chatted long enough—just the right amount of time I needed to stall."
He took a step back as a starlit portal opened behind him, and his body began to sink into it, vanishing rapidly.
"Oh no!" Paimon cried, recognizing the sight. They had seen this kind of teleportation before, back in the inverted statue ruins. "It's one of those Abyss Order portals—we can't follow him in!"