Nine Tailed System 149 How it started...

How many years ago was it…?

I and Marcellus, a good friend of mine, were in our office, in Illias Kreuz, Marcellus was calm and had a resolute look on his face, while I…

Lazarus: What the hell is this, Marcellus!? Do you know what you're doing!?

Marcellus: ...All we're doing is simple revenge. I don't mean to continue our group's activities any longer.

Lazarus: ...So what about Karen? Or old man Merlin!? If you just turn back on their regrets, how are you ever gonna face them again!?

Marcellus: ...We can't face them as we are now. Do you think those two want us to kill hundreds of monsters in their name? You must have noticed, Lazarus… We're wrong.

Lazarus: The only thing wrong here is your uncommitted attitude!

In a fit of rage, I pulled out my sword. I wanted it… I wanted to persuade him… The heart of my best friend, the one who founded Illias Kreuz with me…

Lazarus: I won't allow that to happen! You aren't going to waste their deaths! Don't say they were dead for nothing!

Marcellus: Stop this, Lazarus!

Lazarus: A traitor… I must enforce the rules of our group!

I didn't know…

"Marco: Don't behave like that… I know that it must be hard… You didn't knew about his eye, did you?"

I didn't know he was half blind… I was convinced that the attack would never connect with him...

The crimson blood dropped in the ground, and Marcellus collapsed in the puddle of blood with a groan…

Lazarus: ...Y...You fool! Why didn't you avoid it!?

Marcellus: Ah...Urhg…

He could have dodged it, blocked it, or even countered it… But those words kept coming in my mind… "You didn't knew about his eye, did you?"

Lazarus: Y...You… It can't be… You're blind in your left eye!?

Marcellus: Ah… Yes… From the Monster Lord's Castle incident… I kept quiet about it… My blind spot…

Due to that incident, everyone of us lost something… Karen and Merlin lost their lives, I lost my left arm… And Marcellus lost his left eye…

Lazarus: You idiot! Why would you keep something important like that hidden!?

Marcellus: Lazarus… I didn't want to worry you…

Lazarus: Wait, don't die! What am I going to do if you leave me?

Marcellus: Lucifina… Forgive me… Please… Marco…

Lazarus: Hey, you're joking…! Don't die… You can't die…! DAMN IT!!!!!

And the worst thing… I know I attacked with the intent of kill. But I could only do it because I knew he had the skills to easily block it. However, there's no point rationalizing it. What happened, happened. I killed my best friend Marcellus.

…

Perhaps… I've really gone mad… And I've realized it too late…

[Now]

I was in Gold Port, I've heard that Illias Kreuz was permanently gone so I came here to confirm the rumors, but instead I found a war… Strange monsters attacking the villagers… And a cry woke me up from my surprise.

Child: Uwaaaa! Mamaaaa!

I turned around and saw a child running away from a mechanical monster armed with a strange weapon., which was pointed at him.

Trooperoid: Hehe… Sorry, little kids ain't my thing. Sorry brat, but I'm gonna blow you away! Too bad you weren't born ten years earlier!

Lazarus: Tch...

That must be a type of weapon that shoots projectiles, so I came right in front of the monster and used my sword to deflect the weapon away from the child. And a projectile came out, which flew in the air, harmlessly.

Trooperoid: What the hell, old man!? Popping out from nowhere with that villainous face of yours!?

Lazarus: Wholesale murder, including kids? I don't think you're the one to judge villains.

Without lowering my guard, I quickly look back at the kid behind me.

Lazarus: Hey kid, get out of here! get into that building!

The kid ran away, heh… I would never think I would protect people like that someday…

Trooperoid: Oi, oi… Prey ain't allowed to just run away without my permission! So you think you're gonna be my opponent, eh?

I attacked with my most powerful overhead swing, aiming to cut off the mechanical monster's arm… But she catched the blade instead, and harmlessly swatted it to the ground.

Lazarus: Guh! ...What power.

When did monsters become this strong!? Is this a out of season april fool joke?! And why did I risked my life for a damn brat I never seen before… No… That isn't right. Wasn't what originally moved me the desire to protect people? In those days…

[Flashback]

I was at a village at Illias Continent, I think it was called Illias Village… Yes, the place where many things started…

Marcellus was there, and we needed to defend people from a monster…

Marcellus: Lazarus, please defend the church!

Lazarus: Yeah, leave it to me! I won't let anyone lay a single finger on the villagers!

Then we rushed to a lone child that was getting attacked from a monster and got in front of him, with his back facing the child.

Marcellus: Damn monster… You won't lay one finger on this child!

Lazarus: Kid, get behind us. You'll be fine, we won't let anything hurt ya!

[Back]

That's right… That's the reason I had to start fighting, wasn't it? ...When did my path get so twisted? I took up the sword to protect the weak.

Lazarus: Damn it!

I turned around and quickly lashed out with everything I've got. But I was only a normal human…

Trooperoid: Don't get so carried away, human! I'll grind you up with my my maximum power!

She lifted her weapon at my head, charging energy, a pale light came off her body.

Lazarus: Sheesh… This is your first fight or something? What do you think will happen if you fire that huge thing with footing like that?

The monster stopped charging and let out a dumbfounded sound.

Trooperoid: ...Eh?

She looked down and saw that she was standing on a steady ground… There wasn't any issue.

Trooperoid: What are you talk-

Lazarus: Hyah!

Without missing my chance, I raised my sword up high. I jump up, making it look like I'm putting everything I have into a single blow.

Trooperoid: You cheating coward!

Trying to protect herself, she took a defensive stance… But I just grinned at her stupidity.

Lazarus: No, this is cowardice!

I throw sand that I grabbed with my left hand into her eyes. WIth my broken arm, this is the most I can manage to do by swinging my body to the side for momentum. But since she was looking for the sword blow, she took it full on in her eyes.

Trooperoid: Gaah! My eye lens! It's precise equipment, you fool!

Deprived of her sight, she turned in a circle, randomly lashing out. Even if just one of those would hit me, I would get a mortal wound…

Lazarus: Now… What to do about that armor…

As I thought about what to do, a small shadow timidly approached.

Child: Uwaaaann!

Lazarus: You little shit! Why are you still hanging around here!?

Trooperoid: Damn it… Where are you!?

The crying child stumbled into the attack range of the monster… Like an idiot, I jumped at the kid, pulling him to the ground.

Lazarus: Guh!

The monster's vision turned back and grinned evilly.

Trooperoid: There you are! Die!!

Approaching my back, she moved for a fatal blow… This reminds me… It happened before…

[Flashback]

I was in the desert of Safina, and I was protecting a kid from the blow of a Scorpion Girl.

Lazarus: Watch out, kid!

Child: O...Old man!

Lazarus: Guh, shit!

And right before the blow would slam in my back…

?: …!

Marcellus jumped in, and deflected the blow.

Marcellus: ...Be careful, Lazarus. When you protect someone, you leave your back open!

[Back]

Lazarus: Heh… In the end, I don't stand a chance without ya.

I closed my eyes in resolution, waiting for the blow….

?: Give me a break…

A glowing shadow passed overhead, and pushed the monster in a single blow. I opened my eyes to see the shadow of a glowing man, I thought the sun was doing tricks with my eyes, and I slowly saw the shape of the person…

Lazarus: No… Marcellus…?

I was completely wrong and really near at the same time… It was a person that was really connected to him, but completely different at the same time… I just mistook his back for Marcellus' back…

Lazarus: ...Marco…

Marco: You finally got it right, damn drunkard…

[SPECIAL QUESTS]

1st. Achieve coexistence between Monsters and Humans

2nd. Kill Illias

3rd. Return to Lucifina's grave

4th. Visit every places in Illias Continent, Sentora and Hellgondo

5th. Make Alice happy

[EVENT QUEST]

1st. Kill Illias

2nd. Save as many people as possible: [27301/???] (AN: Since it was another person's POV, Lazarus counted as a saved person even if not mentioned.)

3rd. Defeat or Kill Promestein

4th. Defeat or Kill Black Alice

5th. [Optional] Kill as many angels as possible: [32/???]

Chapter end