This Is Sarkaz

Five days had passed since Vera and Hedley reached their agreement.

During that time, the brothers had each been busy according to plan:

Gregor stayed home with Ifrit during the day, then traveled through the night, taking advantage of the fact that he never grew tired.

Whenever his brothers occasionally asked if he had gotten lost, Gregor insisted that he was heading in the direction of the "Kjerag" Vane had mentioned.

Gorth remained holed up in the Ursus Snowfield, continuously propagating those mutated ancient trees.

The Black Forest's coverage expanded at a terrifying pace, to the point that even Gorth himself occasionally got lost within it.

Vane had the most regular lifestyle—constantly bouncing between "critical health" and "full health."

In his spare time, he played games with Ifrit, or... got grabbed by the returning Vera and used as a human punching bag for her to relieve stress.

As for Vera herself...

She was living an exceptionally "fulfilling" life on the battlefield.

Boom—!

An Originium Arts explosion obliterated a distant hillock. Vera expressionlessly waved away the smoke before her eyes.

"How many times has that been...?"

"Counting that one, thirteen times, I think?" a mercenary beside her replied, counting on his fingers.

"Come to think of it, there have been a lot fewer 'greetings' these past few days," another mercenary chimed in.

"Think those two up top are finally getting ready to negotiate?"

"THIS counts as fewer!?"

Vera finally snapped back.

A mercenary immediately answered, "It really is a lot less, boss!"

"Right now, those guys are just tossing out a few spells from far away, basically saying, 'I see you, but I can't be bothered coming over.'"

"Back then, that was what you called lively. It was mostly face-to-face blade fights—if a few people didn't die, it wasn't over."

"Look at us now. We've been walking for five days and haven't even seen blood."

As if to prove his point, another flash of Arts exploded. Aside from kicking up more dust, it accomplished nothing.

Vera felt her temples throbbing. She had spent the past several days amid constant explosions, and she was close to having a nervous breakdown.

"[Sarkaz profanity!] What the hell is the point of this!?"

Hedley walked over at some point. Hearing her complaint, he explained,

"To declare positions, mark boundaries, and... wear the other side down."

He pointed toward where the explosions had occurred.

"Every spell that lights up is a signature claiming that territory for one side."

"Frequent clashes keep pressure on the enemy, drain their supplies and energy, and train our own recruits to grow accustomed to the atmosphere of the battlefield."

"In Kazdel, calm is often the prelude to a storm, or... a sign that one side has already been completely wiped out."

Ines added in her usual mocking tone,

"For many mercenaries, a skirmish at this level proves to their superiors that 'we're actively taking action' without actually having to wager their lives."

"After all... nobody wants to die for nothing."

Vera fell silent.

Were these Sarkaz... actually sane?

Just then, Ines suddenly turned her head, her tone grave.

"Something's wrong... This isn't a greeting."

"[Sarkaz profanity!] Finally, we get to do some real work!"

The mercenaries, who had seemed somewhat lazy moments ago, instantly grew excited. They swiftly checked their weapons and sought cover, moving with a speed that made them seem like entirely different people.

Hedley immediately slipped into command mode and turned toward W, who had somehow snuck back behind Vera again.

"W, how are the explosives?"

"Huh? Why don't you look down and see what you're standing on?"

The corner of Hedley's mouth twitched. He quietly moved his foot away.

"...Next time, set them up farther away."

Watching the suddenly charged atmosphere around her, Vera could not understand the change at all.

"What do you mean? Why are you suddenly so excited? Haven't there been attacks this whole time?"

"Huh?"

W suddenly leaned closer and looked Vera up and down.

"Are you really Sarkaz? You can't even tell the difference?"

Vera's body instantly tensed.

Have I been exposed!?

Just as alarm bells blared in her mind, Ines spoke up to rescue her.

"I imagine our employer has no need to survive like a stray dog, fighting over rotting meat."

"Or have you already forgotten who bestowed the supplies you use?"

"Tch... What a busybody."

W shot Ines a glare, then gave Vera a smile full of provocation.

She then followed Hedley's instructions and left with her dangerous little toys in her arms.

The mercenaries around them also scattered to take up combat positions, leaving only Vera and Ines where they stood.

"Looks like... you know something?"

Rather than answer directly, Ines posed another question.

"Does our employer know... where Sarkaz mercenaries get their supplies?"

"...Payment after completing missions?"

"And besides that?" Ines pressed.

"...Buying them?" Vera thought the answer was obvious.

"Pfft—"

Vera turned her head in confusion, only to find Ines still wearing that expressionless face, as though the sound had not come from her.

"Scavenging."

Ines's voice was low as she revealed Kazdel's bloody everyday reality.

"To put it more plainly... stripping them off corpses."

"Weapons, rations, clothes... even flesh that has not yet been completely corrupted by Originium."

"Every battle is a harvest for us."

"From the enemy, and even... from our own people."

"Those just now were only 'greetings.' Without real contact, there is naturally no harvest. But now..."

"Someone has delivered themselves to our door."

Boom—!

An explosion close at hand threw up a thick cloud of dust, startling Vera.

[Time-stop sound effect]

In the frozen world, Vera quickly scanned her surroundings.

Her gaze pierced through the swirling dust toward the distance, where she could already make out several blurry black figures.

Among those silhouettes, several glowing red lights were especially glaring.

Enemies?

Vera felt a wave of tension.

After being in this world for so long, this was the first time she would truly face enemies head-on.

Time resumed. The flowing wind swept up the dust and stirred Vera's and Ines's hair.

Ines was completely unaffected by the explosion. She looked at Vera, her tone as calm as ever.

"Would you like to stretch your limbs a little, or inspect our capabilities first?"

She paused, then added,

"If you have no intention of intervening, I suggest you step farther back first, because..."

Whoosh—!

Before she could finish, a shriek tearing through the air rang out.

In Vera's perception, the entire world suddenly slowed.

Sound stretched out. The paths of drifting dust became clear, and even the movement of Ines's lips became slow motion.

Time stop? No... I didn't activate it...

My perception... slowed down!?

In her vision, stretched several times over, she saw Ines abruptly shut her mouth. Her usually expressionless face instantly became serious.

At what seemed to Vera like a rather "slow" pace, Ines raised her hand and threw a short dagger. Its target was—behind me?!

Vera turned her body, somewhat "sluggishly."

Within the congealed time, she clearly saw a black arrow flying toward her.

When did that happen?!

In Soul Knight, the Necromancer's starting talent was:

Reduced bullet speed, increased coin pickup range

And when that talent manifested in Terra, it did not make projectiles fly slower...

It affected the user herself—

Bullet time!

There was no time for Vera to marvel. Though the arrow seemed slow in her eyes, it was actually closing in at tremendous speed!

Without the slightest hesitation, Vera twisted her waist and violently spun her body sideways!

From Ines's perspective, Vera's reaction was unbelievably fast, almost at the very instant the crossbow bolt was about to hit her.

She had clearly been spacing out just moments ago, but in the next instant, her expression changed completely.

One hand gripping the longsword at her waist, Vera suddenly turned.

A black sword-shadow swallowed the arrow. Following through with the force of her swing, Vera continued spinning and caught the dagger Ines had thrown with her free hand.

After doing all that, she even sheathed the Void Sword back at her waist.

"..." x2

The two stared at each other in silence. After hesitating for a moment, Vera held out her hand.

"Here..."

Ines did not ask any questions. She briskly took back her weapon and replied briefly,

"...Thanks."

With her weapon returned to its sheath, Ines turned her attention back to the battlefield. Her evaluation of this mysterious employer rose yet again—

It was not merely her strange abilities. Her reaction speed and combat skill far surpassed those of an ordinary Sarkaz warrior.

Vera turned her gaze toward the front line. Quite a few black figures were rushing toward them, clearly with ill intent.

"Will you be joining the fight?"

"I won't—cough, cough!"

Ines suddenly spoke, and Vera nearly blurted out her true thoughts before hurriedly changing her words.

"I mean... these small fries aren't worthy of making me act!"

"I see..."

Ines actually nodded in agreement, her gaze sweeping over the Void Sword at Vera's waist.

Clearly, the scene just now had left a sufficiently deep impression on her.

"Then please wait here. The battle will be over very soon."

"How soon can it be?"

Vera reflexively asked, only to be answered by...

"Boom! Hahahaha! Watch your step!"

W's distinctive laughter rang out first, immediately followed by a series of violent explosions.

The enemy's miserable screams came from afar, along with panicked curses and the dull sounds of bodies being torn apart.

This was only the beginning.

"Hahahaha! You ■■ ■■, you ■■ finally came! I've been waiting for you!"

"■■! Nobody steal from me! That head is mine!"

"Charge! Claim victory for the boss!"

"[Sarkaz profanity!] You ■■ piece of shit, you dare slip in your own private goods!"

The roar of explosions, frenzied laughter, crude curses, fanatical battle cries...

All kinds of sounds instantly mixed together like an out-of-control symphony, crashing into Vera's ears and making her head ache.

Yet none of that auditory assault compared to the shock before her eyes!

The mercenaries, who had seemed somewhat lazy earlier, looked like entirely different people.

Braving dense Arts fire and arrows, they launched a countercharge without hesitation.

Attacks landed on them, carving open bloody wounds and blasting apart flesh, yet they seemed unable to feel pain.

To them, those spells and arrows seemed like nothing more than harmless raindrops.

But...

Vera could clearly see blades cutting into flesh, Arts burning skin, and arrows piercing limbs...

Warm, bright-red blood sprayed from both themselves and their enemies, drawing vivid arcs through the air.

So brilliant, so real, and so... cruel.

When the first charging enemies clashed with the front line of mercenaries, the battle instantly reached its bloodiest frenzy.

Blades pierced chests, battle-axes split bone, and the dying cries of the enemy intertwined with the mercenaries' excited howls into a funeral dirge from hell.

Vera suddenly felt dizzy, her stomach churning violently.

She spoke instinctively, her voice carrying a shock she had not even noticed herself:

"This is... the Sarkaz."

Ines stood beside her, calmly watching the butcher's mill of flesh and blood before them. She had long grown accustomed to such sights.

"Yes."

Her voice was quiet, yet it weighed on Vera's chest like a massive stone.

"This is the Sarkaz."