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I glanced at Arjen, who had stepped between me and the Commander-in-Chief. The Commander raised an eyebrow and gave him a surprised look, but Arjen glanced at him before turning his attention back to me. Arjen glared at me, his dark eyes peeking through his thick, long hair.

“What makes you think that?”

“Didn’t he say that the warships he put out to sea were taken by surprise?”

Then Arjen took a step closer to me.

“How can you expect us to fight a Kraken on the open sea? Fighting a Disaster in its domain where we can’t have a proper foothold. It’s just suicide. Or do you want us to be eaten by fish?”

Then Arjen lowered his voice to a whisper.

“I knew you were incompetent, but this is another level. Now that the evacuation of the residents has been delayed, are you trying to get us to apologize by sacrificing yourself?”

“We’ve run out of options to protect them from here, so we’re the ones who have to take the risk. This is the only way to protect them.”

I turned to Arjen calmly. Yes, that’s how their argument in the original went down until both had to draw their swords and prove that they could prove their point. Elroy was weaker than Arjen and proved the idea by slaying the Disaster.

“Think again, Elroy. I admit that the Commander-in-Chief misjudged the situation. But we don’t have to take the blame. We just have to step aside. It’s not like we were the ones who made that decision.”

Just like a switch, Arjen immediately turned calm. He was right. After all, it was the Commander who had delayed the evacuation.

“If we fight on the water, most ships will break and sink before they can put up a decent fight. It’s not just about our position. The sea is, after all, the best place for the Kraken to exert its power. We have no advantages, and we aren’t going to win in a head-on confrontation.”

I sighed heavily.

“The sea lanes are narrow, and many islands surround it. There is plenty of room for us to set up our defenses. The Commander-in-Chief said it’s barely wide enough for the Kraken to use, so fewer monsters would be to enter. Furthermore, it will allow us to focus our forces on chokepoints it will pass through.

“Even so, why are we taking unnecessary risks? A Disaster would surely have the power to destroy small islands.

The argument was pointless. I pushed Arjen aside and turned to speak to the Commander, but he held his hand out to block me.

“Enough. You cannot advise me from your self-righteousness when there is disagreement within your party. Let us put this matter aside until you have reached a consensus of what to do, and come back to me when you have reconciled your opinions.”

“But, Commander-in-Chief, the time is….”

“The Mercenary has probably seen more battlefield action than you have, so talk to him. I don’t want another meeting where you just discuss your ideals.”

‘You damned commander-in-chief, this is a war against a Disaster that makes all your experience irrelevant. Don’t you know that because you’ve seen the monster with your own eyes?’

I was tempted to scream, forgetting that the fog had created this illusion. What the hell was the original Elroy thinking here?

“Of course, I’ve been listening to your discussions. I’ll take them into account and design a plan.”

The Commander dismissed us outside. I walked out of the barracks and stared at the sea awhile. For a moment, I thought I could shift the course of history.

A deep sound reverberated across the sea. I sensed a presence over the horizon that was getting distinctly closer. I couldn’t be the only one who felt it. I looked over at the members of the Hero’s Party, their expressions hardening.

“…It’s getting closer.”

Nella murmured. The sensation was familiar to me. Iris’ face was pale and tired, and Georg inhaled sharply. Even the ordinarily expressionless Arjen stared off into the horizon, his face stiff.

“…Are you trying to tell me that we must deal with that thing at sea?”

Arjen looked back at me.

“Yes.”

I turned to face him. He looked confused by my seemingly innocent expression. He seemed to be wondering how I could be so confident.

“If that thing lands on land, it’s the end of Barktins.”

“Nothing in the world can fight that thing one-on-one, and the navy won’t be a match for it either.”

Arjen shook his head.

“Even if we went out there and fought it, we’d barely be able to hold it off. Not to mention if the battle is fought at sea…”

I looked at Arjen’s expression. The faintest hint of fear behind the facade of calm.

“Some of us will surely die. Maybe even wiped out, including you.”

“…I won’t let that happen. You and I will be in the front, Georg will guard Iris as always, and if Nella will back us up….”

“You think I’ll join you? Do you think you can take that thing down? You really hear yourself?”

I was momentarily speechless. I looked down at my Holy Sword. My body was the weakest I’ve ever felt; this time, I didn’t have companions who trusted me.

“I don’t think I can take him down.”

I said matter-of-factly. Arjen frowned as if he didn’t understand.

“Then why would you….”

“And on land, there’s no guarantee they will live.”

To protect the people.

“If you’re strong enough to be responsible for those words, I would consider it, but you’re weaker than I am. When I tell you that I have no confidence in our ability to fight and win against the Disaster, why do you keep urging us to fight it at sea to our deaths? What kind of guts do you have to say such irresponsible things?”

Arjen stepped closer to me, words pouring out of him like a rapid-fire cannon.

“Then let’s hear what you have to say.”

I kept my voice low.

“Let’s say we lure the Kraken ashore and defeat it, as you say; then it’s a foregone conclusion that we won’t be able to protect the people of Bactin’s. But there’s no guarantee we’ll take it down with our limbs intact, and maybe the outcome won’t be any different than fighting it at sea.”

“The more likely we are to take him down, the less likely we are to sacrifice ourselves. Don’t force us to become ‘Heroes.’ If you want to die at sea, go do it alone.”

“So we’re entertaining the idea of sacrifices now!?”

Arjen’s eyes widened in surprise, and I shouted at him. I know why he would say something like this. But it didn’t mean I would just listen to him. Even if it was just an illusion of the fog; even if I didn’t know what the Mist wanted.

“Good.”

Arjen’s hand moved up to the hilt of his sword. I quickly drew my Holy Sword before he could pull it out and immediately slashed my sword. He quickly drew his own sword and blocked it.

We clashed. Sword and sword tangled again and again. I thrust my sword, remembering the last time I fought Arjen: his habits, breathing, and movements. Even in the illusion, he was strong, and I was still no match for him.

“You’re full of yourself.”

That’s why I waited. I held on until Arjen pushed in. No one I’ve ever fought has been weaker than me. Not when I first faced the Ashen Bear, not when I faced Arachne, not when I fought the Giant. I had always faced those stronger than me, yet I’m the one still fighting.

I will never back down.

Arjen attacked with the utmost efficiency and precision. I felt a hot sensation on my side as his sword slashed my body. I grab Arjen’s arm and push my body forward. Arjen panicked and tried to resist the force, and I used his movement as leverage to throw him onto the ground.

“-!!”

Arjen’s back hit the ground, and the Holy Sword pointed at his neck.

“What were you trying to do?”

Arjen merely lets out a hollow laugh of disbelief.

“I was trying to teach you why the stronger one doesn’t always win.”

I grabbed Arjen and pulled him to his feet. He looked into my eyes.

“Don’t run away. You are vital to this assault on the Disaster.”

“…I’ll need to get paid more. The Kingdom only paid me three percent up front.”

Arjen pushed my hand away and said in a bitter voice. He turned away, but I met his eyes as he looked back at me. Those dark eyes were staring at me with a meaningful glint in them.

“This is your undoing, Elroy. Can you promise yourself that you will not regret this choice?”

Was that something Arjen would say? I frowned and stared at him, and then he was gone, out of sight. I stared at the spot where he had stood.

“…I’m glad I didn’t have to intervene.”

Georg said. I looked back at Georg.

“I will defer to your opinion. In a way, I’m glad it came to this.”

This was the guy who promised to stay neutral. I looked at Georg and smirked.

“Protect Iris in battle, please. Me, Arjen, and Nella will handle the front lines somehow.”

“I’ll give you the benefit of the doubt. After all, this battle should be fought on the ground.”

Georg gave me a toothy grin and walked away. I wonder if Georg could have sided with Elroy if he had been a little more charismatic in the past or if Elroy had fought and won against Arjen like now…Would the original novel of [I Will Never Go Back] be written if things ended like this?

Could it be different?

What would be the aftermath?

I clenched my fists tightly. What the Hero named Elroy wanted, what he hoped for. I opened my eyes with renewed determination. The Holy Sword said I was me. Here, too, I would continue to be me. Whatever the Mist puts me against, I will break through.

With that, I strode to the barracks. Tomorrow, I will tell the Commander-in-Chief of the party’s unified opinion, and we will battle. Then, I will defeat the Kraken and move on to the next illusion the Mist will show me.

There was a spring in my step. ‘I can do this. Wherever this maze leads, I’m determined to follow.’

What a grand illusion that was.

The next day, I woke up early and went to the barracks where the meeting was held to give the Commander an operational overview. A little hopeful and a little nervous, I opened the door to the barracks and faced him.

But the scene inside the barracks froze me in place.

“You’re late, Elroy.”

Georg. He was greeting me as if I were very familiar. I waved back, dumbfounded. Next to him, Arjen sat still, watching me. There was no hostile gaze. I frowned and turned away, thinking it was rather odd.

“Elroy, I’ve been waiting for you.”

“You have come, Hero.”

What?

“We’re about to set out to capture the Disaster, right? Elroy briefed us on the operation yesterday, and we told it to the Commander-in-Chief, who approved it.”

“Everything is ready; now we just need to get to the ship we’ll be boarding.”

Two people shouldn’t be here.

“Trust me; we’ll be able to help this time.”

I met Daphne’s smile.

“I’ll be by your side, Hero.”

I saw Marianne’s determined look.

I turned to Arjen once more. He opened his mouth, his face, as always, completely expressionless.

“I told you, Elroy.”

Arjen’s voice, so clear, pierced my ears.

“This is your undoing.”