The skinny man's scream faded, leaving only shaky breaths echoing in the hallway.
Raizen finally relaxed his expression a little. The fear-filled "YES" had satisfied something inside him—
something he didn't want to admit.
He patted the man's head lightly.
Just like petting a dog.
The skinny man trembled in humiliation, staring only at the floor.
He didn't dare lift his head.
Raizen's smile faded, and he exhaled.
…Wasn't that too extreme?
Why did I even—
He cut his own thought off.
"Whatever… let's ask the questions now."
Raizen folded his arms.
"When will the vice commander come back?"
The man stuttered through his answer.
"I—I don't know the exact days…
But it should take… at least more than 30 days…"
Raizen's eyes narrowed.
Good… I have at least a month.
Next question.
"How many subordinates does the vice commander have?
And their ranks."
The skinny man swallowed hard.
"H-he has 150 subordinates…
F-fifty magicians… one hundred knights…"
His voice trembled as he listed them:
"100 Bronze–4 tier…
20 Silver–1 tier…
15 Silver–2 tier…
4 Silver–3 tier…
1 Silver–4 tier…"
Raizen's body stiffened.
Damn… and here I was happy about having a month.
How the hell am I supposed to make my army strong enough to fight them?
He didn't show fear—just annoyance.
Meanwhile, the skinny man was confused.
Why was Raizen asking questions he should already know?
But fear chained his tongue.
Then—
A glowing blue panel appeared in front of Raizen.
[2 hours left for Fifth Wave]
Raizen's eyes widened.
Only two hours left!?
He stood up straight.
"Where is my room? Guide me."
The skinny man trembled.
His two arms broken, body kneeling on the floor.
"Bu… But…"
Raizen's eyes sharpened.
"What but? Lead the way."
The man shut his mouth instantly.
He forced himself to stand—
bones grinding, pain stabbing—
but he stood.
Because if he didn't, he knew he would die.
He began walking slowly, guiding Raizen down the hallway,
each shaky step filled with pain.
Raizen, David, and two knights followed behind him.
They walked to the very end of the hallway, where a back door stood open.
Beyond it was a small clearing.
A well sat in the center.
Beside it—
A tiny house, barely larger than a storage shed.
The skinny man pointed weakly.
"T-that… is your room…"
Raizen opened the door.
The "room" was so small it was insulting to call it a room at all.
The floor was just dirt.
There was no bed, no pillow.
Only a faint smell of sweat and dampness.
Nothing inside—
except one thing.
A sword.
Not expensive.
Not magical.
Just a normal sword.
But it was shining clean.
Perfectly polished.
Raizen picked it up.
The blade was so clean he could see his reflection clearly.
His new face stared back at him:
Sharp jawline
Thick black hair falling to the side
Smooth, fair skin
Eyes with a natural sharpness
A surprisingly handsome young man
So… he cared more about this sword than himself.
Raizen lowered the sword.
If this building is for warriors… there should be an armory.
He turned to the skinny man.
"Is there an armory here?"
The man shook his head violently.
"N-no…"
Raizen sat down on the dirt floor, sighing.
"…Are you lying?"
The skinny man instantly peed himself, trembling uncontrollably.
"N-no sir!!
There used to be…
But the vice commander sold everything…
Y-you might find something in the rooms…
Maybe some weapons they left behind…"
Raizen stood up quickly—
not wanting to stay near the puddle.
Looks like he isn't lying.
He turned to his knights.
"Search every room.
If you find weapons or anything valuable—bring it."
"Yes, my lord!"
They ran off.
The knights ran off.
The skinny man silently wondered…
How did Raizen suddenly get subordinates?
Why are knights obeying him?
But he couldn't ask. He lowered his head.
Raizen stretched his ears and muttered, half-amused, "Ah… it almost bleed my ears," — the shout of "Yes, my lord!" still ringing in his ears and making the moment oddly funny.
Raizen stepped outside. David and the skinny man followed like zombies. He stopped beside the well and looked down. Clear water reflected his face, and the old man's words returned to him. He inhaled slowly, then turned and faced the skinny man with a cold expression.
"Tell me," he said, voice low and dangerous. "How much did you torture me? And how?"
He leaned in until the words were a whisper: "If you lie… you die."
The skinny man froze. He didn't understand why Raizen was demanding this — but he did understand one thing: Raizen seemed to be taking revenge, humiliating him on purpose. He didn't know Dev was in Raizen's body; to him, this was the same Raizen he'd always bullied, only angrier and stronger now. That terrified him more than anything. He'd rather tell the truth and be humiliated than risk lying and dying.
The skinny man's thoughts spiraled.
We… we did so many horrible things to him…
Should I tell everything…?
No… no, if I say all of it, I'm dead…
I'll just say the most 'normal' one…
He took a shaky breath.
"D–do you… know that red-haired girl you love…?"
Raizen's eyes sharpened.
Red hair…
Is he talking about the girl I met today at the tavern?
The skinny man continued, voice trembling:
"J-just because you loved her…
to torment you…
we always harassed her whenever we saw her."
Raizen's expression darkened instantly.
The man swallowed and kept speaking, eyes full of fear:
"W-we even went to her house…
and told her to… sleep with us."
His voice cracked.
"We said it in front of you… so you'd feel helpless."
"So you'd break… knowing you couldn't protect the girl you loved…"
Raizen froze.
Veins popped across his forehead.
His jaw clenched so hard it hurt.
His fists tightened until his knuckles turned white.
Pure disgust and anger surged through him —
A cold, sharp rage.
So that's why she hates me…
That's why she said I ruined their life…
She thought Raizen brought this torment to her door…
Raizen forced himself to breathe.
He wasn't the Raizen who endured this.
He was Dev.
But even as Dev,
the images,
the humiliation,
the cruelty,
the helplessness…
It made him sick.
It made him furious.
Just… how much was Raizen suffering every single day…?
The anger didn't fade.
But it became controlled.
Sharper.
More dangerous.