The Curtain Falls

The sun has always favored Shurima. Even as evening approaches, the lingering heat in the sky remains stifling enough to take one's breath away. The heat accumulated by the golden sand beneath my feet is clearly palpable, even through boots crafted from the hide of a Sandrock Dragon, which boast excellent thermal insulation.

"This should be enough to hard-boil a raw egg in an instant."

I mutter to myself, feeling the heat radiating from the sword in my right hand—my beloved blade, which I have named Red Peak. The temperature of the broad, long sword reflecting the sunset is, in truth, quite terrifying. However, this is a minor affair for me; after all, even the sunlight has failed to leave a single burn on my bronze skin, which radiates health from every pore. Of course, there is nothing strange about that. Lilia of the Flame Blade—bearing a title that sounds formidable at first glance—it would be the real surprise if I were to burn my own hands on my own sword. It is not that I am boasting, but as one of the top S-rank mercenary, my team and I specialize in resolving all manner of thorny bounties and commissions. Provided the pay is sufficient, that is. Just like now, we are launching a siege against an unprecedentedly ferocious creature. That is the target of this bounty commission: the Mirage Nightmare, a terrifying entity that has recently been the talk of the town, having destroyed several oasis villages in succession, leaving almost no survivors. It is said that because of this, none of the refugees who fled could clearly describe what had attacked them. Amidst the conflicting accounts, the legend of the Mirage Nightmare has gradually fermented. It hasn't really caught my attention, though. Dozens of such ethereal, vague legends appear in the city's taverns every day. If I were to pay attention to every single one, my brain—which Xiqi mocks as barren—wouldn't be enough to hold them all. Not to mention that most bizarre legends are forgotten over drinks; this Mirage Nightmare should have been the same. That was until yesterday, when I heard that a mysterious fellow had posted a bounty for the Mirage Nightmare at the guild. Curiously, the bounty included intelligence on the Mirage Nightmare that had never been confirmed before, including its true appearance, strength, and even potential locations, detailed as if it were a tracking log. According to the intel, the Mirage Nightmare is a vicious Void Creature, but unlike its ugly kin, it lives a solitary life and occasionally clashes with its own kind. As for its strength, while it has always been difficult to assess the power of Void Creatures due to their ever-changing nature, this intelligence explicitly states that the Mirage Nightmare is roughly equivalent to an S-rank mercenary.

"Full of suspicious points."

That is how my strategist, Xiqi, summarized it. Indeed, even I can see the suspicious nature of this commission and its attached intelligence. How could a human possibly possess such comprehensive information about a Void Creature? This is either a conspiracy or some tasteless prank. What? You say the bounty is 15,000 Shurima gold coins? With a 3,000 gold deposit paid upfront? Is there really such a good deal? 15,000 gold—what kind of concept is that? To buy the most luxurious seaside mansion in Bel'Guen, you would need about 10,000 gold.

All my reservations were cast to the winds the moment I heard the bounty. Do it! That thought filled my mind; not even a Void Creature could stop this lady from earning gold. Unable to refuse me, Xiqi was dragged along as I sprinted all the way to the mercenary guild a block away. By then, it was already packed with mercenaries looking for information. When I pushed and shoved my way into the hall, I saw Chris, the leader of the Silver Fist Mercenary Group, reaching for the bounty, about to tear it off. Such courage, when the highest rank in his group is only an A-rank mercenary. Ah, but sorry—I sent Chris flying with a Flame Fist and made short work of his furious team members. Then, I successfully accepted the bounty. You could say I saved the lives of these guys who, despite having names like extras, didn't know any better than to accept a Main Quest. Void Creatures are very dangerous, you know. Ah, although the people at the mercenary guild were annoyed, they didn't say anything in the end, tacitly allowing us to take the bounty. The deposit alone was a full 3,000 gold! Could there be anything better than this?

"Nanila! On the left!"

Xiqi's anxious voice pulled my consciousness back to reality. As she shouted, a blue light flashed on her staff, and a miniature tornado whipped up, carrying yellow sand. It efficiently separated Nanila, who was struggling to hold his shield, from the Void Creature that had launched a high-speed assault in front of him.

Caught off guard, Nanila was sent flying into the air like a kite with a broken string before crashing headfirst into the sand. The Void Creature, which looked like an oversized mantis, merely lost its balance slightly, but in the blink of an eye, it readjusted and swung the terrifying, meter-long sickle blades on its forelimbs toward Xiqi's tornado. I don't know what those sickle-like limbs, glowing with an eerie purple light, were made of. They easily sliced the sand tornado right open. The mantis then pushed off the ground with its legs, leaping high toward Nanila, who hadn't yet recovered from the chaos.

A harsh, metallic screeching sound rang out; it was Nanila's alloy shield, which he had raised in a panic, being split in two by the opponent. The large mantis, having missed its mark, let out a low growl and slammed its body sideways into Nanila. Even as strong as an ox, Nanila couldn't withstand the force and was sent flying several meters away, his half-shattered shield slipping from his grasp. Following closely were two sharp slashes; the Void Creature's movements were surprisingly fast, and Nanila, encumbered by his armor, looked completely unable to dodge the attack.

"Clang!"

Blinding sparks erupted, and the violent impact left my right arm nearly numb. So heavy! There really is a risk to jumping out to show off like this. This terrifying force—should I say as expected of a monster? The pair of sickle blades on its forelimbs looked as thin as cicada wings, as if they could be snapped with a touch. In reality, they were enough to make me, a veteran of many battles, struggle to parry. To think that something which is a part of its body could rival the hardest steel; Void Creatures are truly unfathomable.

"Wrooar!"

The Void Creature let out a low growl that made my eardrums ache. It seemed to find me standing in its way a nuisance. Ah, but sorry, I feel the same way about you! You annoying thing!

I pushed my sword forward with all my might while simultaneously detonating the spiritual power within me. In an instant, a dazzling flame erupted from the blade of Red Peak. Sensing danger, the Void Creature recoiled. The force it exerted against me weakened significantly. I seized the opportunity to parry its blade-limb with an upward strike, then stepped forward, swinging Red Peak, now wreathed in raging flames, to carve out a fiery red arc like a spinning windmill.

The blade of Red Peak, transformed into a flame edge, expanded by more than double. Yet, even so, it failed to land a heavy blow on the large mantis as I had expected. The Elytra spreading from its back allowed it to suddenly leap several meters away, escaping my attack unscathed.

"Damn it, do you have to be so agile!"

I cursed inwardly, gripping my sword with both hands and slashing a wave of fire toward the direction where the Void Creature was dodging. The sand kicked up by the surging flame wave blurred everyone's eyes. Did it hit? I narrowed my eyes in anticipation. Just as I was about to look closer to confirm, the thick killing intent from above made me feel as if I had fallen into an ice cellar in an instant.

"Lilia!"

Xiqi's shout and the whistling of a blade cutting through the air arrived almost simultaneously, and at the same time, I activated the Blink Emblem I always carried in my pocket. A flash of white light passed. I moved several meters away. The side effect of the spatial displacement left me dizzy. The Void Creature, however, was as agile as a ghost, silently and instantly killing its way toward me from my previous position. By the time I regained my senses, my vision was already filled with a chilling, sharp light.

"Damn it, too late!"

I thought to myself that things were looking bad; my body hadn't recovered as quickly as my mind. Even though I had subconsciously dodged to the side, the movements, which were slower than usual, put me at a disadvantage. The deadly sickle blades were only a fraction of an inch away from my body. Then, I would be sliced into thin strips of meat without a doubt. Did I think that would happen? Ah, but sorry, although it's a bit unsportsmanlike, I am not fighting alone.

A breeze suddenly rose, and my body became light in an instant. Xiqi's wind magic did not disappoint me, just as I had expected. The gravity binding my body seemed to vanish into thin air, allowing me to leap high with movements that exceeded my physical limits. The Void Creature's sickle blades not only failed to hit me but were blocked an inch away by an abrupt, yet timely, energy barrier. It seems Niedun's magic is also becoming more proficient. Having escaped the jaws of death, I shouted, "Niedun, nice work!" while rolling my body, putting my weight into a turn to get behind the Void Creature, and delivering a powerful downward slash toward its neck.

The sensation of the blade cutting into flesh told me that this strike had hit the jackpot. Sure enough, the Void Creature, unable to react in time, had a deep, ten-centimeter-long gash cut into the connection between its body and head. Strange purple blood sprayed into the air like a fountain, plating the golden yellow sand with a unique coat.

This strike seemed to cause it great pain, but it also seemed to have thoroughly enraged it. The embarrassed and furious Void Creature, taking advantage of the moment my old move had ended and my new momentum had yet to build, opened its serrated mandibles and lunged at me.

"Look over here!"

Nia's bold voice brushed past my ears. The thick, heavy greatsword, which could rival a guillotine, was swung in a full circle by her sturdy arms, and she delivered a beautiful diagonal slash with force. The Void Creature's long, narrow lower jaw was severed just like that, flying into the air accompanied by a large spray of blood. The creature roared, shielding its head with its sickle blades and stumbling backward repeatedly. It no longer possessed the ferocious momentum it had when it was on the offensive.

"Ahhh!"

Nanila, who had just been suppressed without a chance to fight back, finally found an opportunity to vent his anger. Carrying his half-shattered tower shield, he charged forward under the effect of Xiqi's Wind Sprint.

Oh, I think I heard a sound like bones cracking; the Void Mantis, which was over a human's height, was sent flying far away by Nanila's impact, then crashed heavily onto the sandy ground, struggling several times but failing to get back up.

Well, the battle seemed to have no suspense left, which made me heave a sigh of relief. Although Void Creatures are terrifying, it is mainly due to their headache-inducing numbers. For a guy like this, who has ventured deep into human territory and is fighting alone—while I have to admit its individual strength is not bad—this is as far as it goes.

"Time to end this."

I crouched down, holding Red Peak in front of me with both hands, and assumed the stance for the Blazing Sword Style's technique: Molten Flame Spear. This is the most lethal sword technique I have mastered within the Blazing Sword Style. Ah, of course, among the techniques I have mastered; if it were those old guys still sitting in the Ionia dojo, they should have mastered even more destructive techniques, though that has nothing to do with me, who was expelled halfway through my training.

The flames on the surface of Red Peak's blade rapidly expanded and spread, instantly condensing into a massive, crimson phantom. A few seconds later, the ten-meter-long flame spear pierced straight through the Void Creature's body and then exploded with a roar, throwing several acres of sand and dust into the sky. After a long while, the Void Creature's mangled body fell back to the ground, the purple on its surface having turned into a filthy, charred black, and it didn't move again.

Nanila tossed his broken shield aside and let out an ape-like roar toward the flying sand. Nia, as bold as ever, walked over laughing and patted my shoulder hard. Bounty completed, 15,000 gold coins in hand; we are going to make a fortune. Is that right? It should be, right? The Void Creature is definitely dead.

"Nanila, go cut something off that guy, and then let's get out of this godforsaken hot place."

Xiqi landed beside us on a breeze and gave a hard shove to the back of the howling Nanila. The latter's expression immediately turned into one of extreme reluctance. But unable to resist the group, he had no choice but to take out the one-handed battle axe from his waist and walk toward the Void Creature's corpse, complaining all the way.

"Boss, um, for this bounty, I only need enough for some replenishment potions, you guys can split the rest. After all... this was all thanks to you, Boss. I... didn't really help much..."

Niedun appeared behind me at some point, mumbling with his head down. The young man, who was half a head taller than me, looked quite comical in such a bashful state. I stared at him for a moment, then suddenly pulled him over and gave his gray-green-haired head a hard knock.

"Bo... Boss?"

"I've already said it, we split it equally. Are you questioning my decision?"

"Hey... no... it's not... I... really, I didn't help much, I should..."

"Are you telling me how to do my job?"

"No... I... hey, fine, okay, let's split it as the Boss says."

"Haha, that's more like it."

I patted his shoulder vigorously and laughed.

"When will you learn to be more mature, kid? You look good, and you have a talent for magic. Unlike us brutes who only know how to swing swords."

"Hehe, Boss, I heard that once a man has done that kind of thing, he naturally matures. How about this, when we go back, let's take this kid to that place and find a few young ladies so he can gain some experience?"

"Well said, Nia, you really are a genius, it's settled, this..."

"Boss... Boss! Come quick!"

"What are you jumping for? Can't even handle a small matter like this..."

I was in the middle of a heated rant when I was interrupted, so I turned around, feeling quite annoyed. What met my eyes, however, was a scene beyond belief. The Void Creature's charred body had split down the middle, and a stunning, naked female form had suddenly emerged from within.

She looked every bit a human woman, a rare beauty that even I, a woman myself, found myself momentarily dazed by. Her face was unreal, more exquisite than the Hextech Doll that the artists of Piltover had spent their lives painstakingly crafting. Her skin was as pure and white as snow, the likes of which had never been seen in Shurima. And those long, purple locks dancing in the air—she was so beautiful she didn't seem to belong to this world.

"Bo... bo... bo... boss, what... what is going on?"

Nanila's voice stuttered unnaturally, his eyes wide as saucers, fixed firmly on the stranger's body. Well, I could understand that; few men could remain composed before such a woman. Except for Niedun, of course, who had already covered his face and turned away.

"Nanila, get back! It's dangerous."

Xiqi, the first among us to react, stepped forward and grabbed Nanila by the collar, trying to pull him away from the mysterious Girl. Yet, it seemed this very movement caught the Girl's attention. She opened her eyes. A pair of Vertical Pupils, entirely inhuman, swept across everyone present, giving me the chilling illusion that I wasn't staring at a person, but a beast. Wait, these eyes, why do they seem...

Realizing the danger, I lunged toward Nanila and the others, but the Girl was faster. Her pupils shifted toward Xiqi, and with a sudden, violent spring—like a starving wolf—she tackled the defenseless Xiqi to the ground and sank her teeth into her neck.

Xiqi shrieked in agony. My heart tightened, and I lunged forward, thrusting my blade at the Girl. She dodged with an agile backflip, her sharp teeth tearing a massive chunk of flesh from Xiqi's neck as she pulled away.

Bright red blood erupted like a fountain from Xiqi's mangled throat, instantly staining the yellow sand. I watched the light fade from Xiqi's pale gray eyes. I watched her body spasm in the pool of blood before falling still. She was dead—my eyes told me so, but my mind refused to accept it. She was the companion who had been by my side for so long; she always had a sharp tongue, but we both knew our bond was inseparable. I had thought about the day one of us might die, but I never imagined it would be this soon, or this brutal. I stared at the Girl; despite how incredible it seemed, I was certain she was the Void Creature, the so-called Mirage Nightmare. I couldn't fathom a human being chewing on the flesh of their own kind with such a blank expression.

"You bastard! What have you done!!!"

Nia let out the most ferocious roar I had ever heard. She charged at the Girl, her greatsword raised. I wanted to stop her, but she was already dozens of steps ahead. Damn it! What is wrong with me today? I'm always a beat too slow when it counts!

I watched Nia charge like an enraged bull, hoping she would finish the Girl off. But experience told me her strikes were vicious yet lacked any technique. It was hard to imagine a beginner's mistake like that coming from her. Nia's face was twisted in a grimace as she brought her sword down in a waterfall-like strike. Then, I saw that grimace freeze on her face forever. The Girl easily ducked under the greatsword, her slender right hand suddenly transforming into a purple Demon Claw covered in scales. She drove it straight through Nia's abdomen.

"Nanila!"

I roared without looking back. Nanila understood immediately and followed me toward the Girl. Damn it! It's my fault again. Xiqi's death hit me like a thunderbolt. After ten years of licking blood off a blade, I thought I was used to corpses and gore. I thought I could face death with a steady heart. But when someone close to me died like that, I realized how anxious and terrified I truly was, as if my soul had been ripped in half. It made it impossible to focus on the fight. If not for that, I could have stopped the impulsive Nia!

"There's still time! Please! I have to make it!"

"Boss!"

Nanila's voice came from behind. Our synergy was such that I didn't even look back; I leaped, landing perfectly on his shield. He used his muscular arms to thrust upward, and with that double-boost of speed, I crossed the distance to the Girl in a flash.

"Go to hell!"

I rolled in mid-air, swinging Red Peak to sever the right arm the Girl had used to impale Nia. Then, shifting my weight, I spun again, my blade slicing toward her snow-white neck and opening her throat.

The Girl clutched her neck with her remaining left hand, stumbling backward, unable to stop the spray of blood. So that was it—once she had a human body, she had human vitals, too? How ironic. I didn't let her struggle for long. I sprinted forward and drove my sword through her heart.

I looked into her eyes, wanting to see if a Void Creature would show the same fear and despair as a human when faced with death. I was disappointed. In her gaze, I saw only a sense of relief.

Fury surged through me. What was this? You slaughtered my companion, and you feel relieved?

"You damn monster!!!"

I roared, stabbing my sword into her heart again, pulling it out, and stabbing once more. I don't know how many times I repeated it, until she had no breath left, until I felt I had exhausted every ounce of my strength. I lifted my sword and walked toward Nanila, who was cradling Nia. The Girl's severed arm was still embedded in Nia's abdomen, but it didn't seem to have hit a vital organ; Nia was still breathing. Should I be grateful? Perhaps. It was my greed that dragged everyone into this mess. Compared to total annihilation, this was a result to be thankful for. I shook my head and pulled a high-efficiency recovery potion from my pocket; it should save Nia's life.

"Aaaah!"

As Nanila tried to pull the severed arm out, Nia suddenly slapped his hand away and began to shriek like a madwoman. The severed arm began to melt in a grotesque fashion, turning into a pool of purple sludge. This bizarre substance spread rapidly, covering half of Nia's body in the blink of an eye and engulfing Nanila's outstretched arm as well. Nanila cried out in alarm, trying to break free, but he only had time for one scream before he and Nia were both consumed by the sludge.

"Damn it, it never ends!"

I gritted my teeth, dragging my body forward to save them, only to feel my feet sink. Before I knew it, my lower body was covered in the disgusting slime. Looking back, the Girl's corpse had vanished, replaced by a churning pool of mud that greedily devoured every living thing nearby.

My body felt heavier and heavier. Is this thing draining my life force? I have no strength left to fight. Is this how I die? Ah, I brought this on myself. My greed led everyone into this death trap. I should have known—Void Creatures aren't easy to handle, and why would anyone offer such a high bounty for one? Was it all a conspiracy, just as Xiqi said?

"Everyone... I'm sorry..."

I closed my eyes, and Red Peak slipped from my hand to the ground, for I no longer had the strength to hold it. In a daze, I felt my soul leaving this shell, drifting further and further away into the dimness, until I fell into an endless, thick, and icy darkness.