The Three Floor Guardians and the Villagers

Under the villagers' gaze, three figures stepped out together, and a magnetic voice reached their ears.

"Saving you was just a side task. If you want to thank someone, thank Enri."

Naiyuan walked out of the Gate, looked at the villagers bowing in gratitude, and spoke softly.

He meant it. If it hadn't been for the display he witnessed when Enri was protecting her younger sister, he, Momonga, and Herohero would never have intervened.

Their original plan had been to observe from the shadows, grab a few people, and return to Nazarick.

When the villagers saw their saviors, they were instantly stunned into silence.

A Dragonoid with horns and scales, wielding a massive blade.

An Undead with the appearance of a skeleton, wearing a magic robe and holding a staff inlaid with a dragon head.

And a humanoid creature with no facial features, whose nature was unknown but who exuded a sense of horror.

This immense visual impact left them at a loss. Some even subconsciously took a step back, their faces filled with fear and panic.

"My apologies, my lords. Everyone is just... just..."

Seeing the crowd's reaction, Enri looked at Naiyuan in a panic, wanting to explain.

But at this moment, she didn't know what to say. After all, it was normal for the villagers to be afraid; if she hadn't been saved by them, she would likely have had the same reaction as everyone else.

"It's fine. We understand."

Naiyuan glanced at Momonga and Herohero, then nodded at Enri, signaling that they had been prepared for this all along.

They were not surprised by the villagers' expressions; after all, it was already impressive that the commoners hadn't turned and fled on the spot.

Truth be told, the three of them didn't exactly look like the "good guys."

"My lords, I apologize for the others' lack of respect."

After a brief moment of shock, the village chief stepped forward and spoke to the three of them with great caution.

"No wonder you're the village chief. You seem much better than the rest of these folks."

Herohero looked at the old man before him, then at the villagers, and spoke with a hint of approval.

As expected, to successfully serve as a village chief in a world with magic, one had to have some real substance.

"You are too kind. I only know that you saved us. Why should an old man like me fear his own saviors?"

The village chief kept his head bowed and spoke respectfully. This wasn't just for the trio to hear; it was also meant for the villagers.

The terrified villagers, upon hearing this, remembered that very point. They had saved them, so why should they be afraid? Just because of how they looked?

They had the courage to resist the soldiers who were slaughtering them, yet they felt fear toward their own saviors. As this thought crossed their minds, the fear in the villagers' eyes vanished, replaced by heads bowed in apology.

"Rest assured, we will protect this village."

"As long as Enri is here, I guarantee in the name of Nazarick that no one will be able to harm you."

Naiyuan looked at Enri and said with a smile, causing her face to flush red upon hearing his words.

Momonga and Herohero nodded in agreement from the side. Based on the information Herohero had digested from the soldier, they already understood the general situation of this world. Judging by their assessment, protecting a single village would be absolutely no problem.

The only uncertainty was whether there were any hidden powerhouses. After all, they didn't consider a mere soldier to be a source of particularly valuable intelligence, which was why they intended to capture someone of higher status to interrogate.

"This old man is eternally grateful."

Hearing this, the village chief knelt on the ground, overcome with emotion, and kowtowed to the three of them in thanks.

Although they said it was because of Enri, he was still deeply moved, for he knew that as long as Enri remained alive, their village would no longer face any threats.

He trusted them unconditionally, as they were beings capable of subduing all the soldiers with such ease.

The other villagers also hurriedly knelt down. They knew they were safe now, and at the same time, everyone cast secret glances at Enri, their eyes filled with intense gratitude.

It was entirely thanks to her that they had all managed to survive.

"Alright, you should go and rebuild the village."

"We are going to take care of the final bit of trouble."

"Enri, I hope that when we meet again, you will have made some progress."

Naiyuan gave a few instructions, took one last look at Enri, and bid her farewell.

He gave her a bracelet that granted double experience points, accelerating her leveling speed up to a limit of level 30—roughly equivalent to the strength of a Captain of the Warriors.

Momonga gave her a book—a Class Book that would allow her to change her class to a Summoner once she reached level 20.

Testing whether people from this Otherworld could change into in-game classes, Momonga handed it to her, hoping it would bring him a surprise.

Seeing that the other two had given her gifts, Herohero felt embarrassed to give nothing, so he gave her a ring. Its effect was to allow the activation of a protective barrier once per day, capable of blocking a fourth-tier spell. It was a piece of equipment he had phased out long ago.

"I will definitely work hard, Lord Naiyuan, Lord Momonga, and Lord Herohero. Thank you all."

With Herohero's ring on her finger, Naiyuan's bracelet on her wrist, and Momonga's book clutched to her chest, Enri spoke with tears in her eyes.

Momonga and Herohero nodded kindly in response.

Immediately after, the three of them activated teleportation magic once more and vanished from the spot. They had only stayed behind to see Enri home on their way.

Now, they were going to see how their target was faring. Having been trapped for half an hour, the person should be starting to get anxious.

Not long after the three of them had left, another Gate appeared in the same spot.

The villagers and Enri, who had been preparing to leave, stopped and looked at the scene with confusion. Hadn't those people just left?

Why were they back so soon?

But what terrified them was that the figures emerging from the opening were not the three lords from before, but others entirely.

Three figures stepped out from the pitch-black portal: one man and two women.

The man wore light blue armor and held a long spear in his hand, with wisps of electricity flowing across its tip. Within his helmet, dark golden dragon pupils scanned the surroundings.

Beside him, Albedo, clad in pitch-black armor, and Shalltear, in red armor, were doing the same, observing their surroundings.

Each held their respective weapons: a massive, pitch-black Great Axe and a Spuit Lance.

At the same time, an immense pressure descended upon the villagers, forcing them to collapse onto the ground. They were unable to move, rendered just like the soldiers before them—helpless lambs waiting for the slaughter.

"Father's aura is still here. They must have only just left."

Sephis sensed that faint, lingering Dragon Aura and spoke to Albedo and Shalltear.

"Then let's hurry and catch up. Sephis, can you determine which direction they went?"

Albedo asked urgently; right now, all she wanted was to reach Momonga as quickly as possible.

"No problem. They must have headed south. There are spatial fluctuations in that direction; they must have been left behind by Father and the others."

Sephis sensed the area for a moment before pointing to the south, where he could feel the ripples in space.

"Since we've found the trail, what should we do with these humans?"

Shalltear's blood-red eyes fixed on the humans who had been ignored until now, and she spoke with a playful tone.

"Mere filthy humans. Kill them."

"Make it quick, Shalltear. Don't waste time."

Albedo glanced at them, her expression indifferent. She had no affection for humans; in her eyes, they were nothing more than insects.

Seeing the look in Shalltear's eyes and the sight of her fangs, she knew what the other was thinking, so she reminded her to be quick and not waste time.

"Fine, then I won't hold back."

Shalltear said with a smile, and at the same time, she rushed forward at a speed invisible to the naked eye.

Her weapon, the Spuit Lance, thrust directly toward one of the blonde-haired girls.

Enri watched it all happen. She wanted to resist, but she couldn't move at all. Just like the soldiers before her, she could only close her eyes, waiting in terror for death to arrive.

Lord Naiyuan, Lord Momonga, and Lord Herohero, it seems I cannot fulfill our promise.