Everyone stands in shock, realizing the gravity of what just occurred.

  “You good man!” {Alexander]

  Bozer looks at him, annoyed by what he just said, “Yeah, totally, I definitely don’t have a metal shred sticking out my neck!” [Bozer]

  “...” [Alexander]

  “...” {Bozer}

  “Alright.” {Alexander]

  He gives him a thumbs up and runs after the man who manages to recover and dash off.

  “Wow.” [Bozer]

  He chases after the assailant, having no intention of letting him get away.

  “You shall not get away evil doer!” [Alexander]

  Alexander slices and blocks the bolts using his sword and shield. The assailant is clearly desperate, as shown by his eyes, which are now visible due to the punch from Bozer.

  “Get over here! Just let me kill you!”

  He maneuvers past the obstacles the man tries to create in an attempt to halt him. He swings his sword to create air slashes, but the man dodges the strikes.

  “Can’t this guy just slow down?” (Alexander]

  Eonni has also managed to keep up with the pair, her time as a mercenary helping her maneuver past these challenges.

  “I really wish I was able to make my skill faster, I dropped my weapon too.” {Eonni]

  Alexander throws his shield to the ground in a way that it points forward up, he then jumps over it, then hits it with his feet.

  This sends him flying towards the man and he cuts him on the back, causing him to fall.

  “HA! That’s how you use what you have to your advantage.”

  He lands on his feet but falls on his back, after drifting on the ground. Eonni looks around for a weapon but is unable to, so she rushes at the man trying to get up and steps on his head.

  The man grabs her leg, however, and throws her to the side. He then pulls bolts from inside the wall and throws them towards her.

  “Damn it. I can’t block this!” [Eonni]

  Alexander uses his shield to block the attacks, which reflect back to the man.

  The man catches some of the metal and is hit by other ones as well. Bleeding a little, he tries to get up by he notices that Alexander is using the narrow hallway to jump around and dodges the other metal he threw at them, leaving his shield behind to make sure Eonni doesn’t get hit.

  The man tries to dodge but he fails in that effort as Alexander catches up to him and cuts his hand off.

  Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

  “I noticed how your hands emit mana when you activate your skill. Maybe to others, they wouldn’t know but me, I can sense that just fine.” [Alexander]

  “Argh!” [Killer]

  He grabs his arm, running away while squeezing the arm, he multiple fridges from the kitchen in the other room and pulls them to the hallway to block the way.

  Alexander runs to the barricade, preparing to cut through. The man is hit through the barricade.

  Alexander dodges the man being sent flying.

  “What?” [Alexander]

  He turns to see that Bozer is alive, the wound covered by rock.

  “The hell did you leave me for? Couldn’t offer a little assistance?” [Bozer]

  “Why would I? I knew you would survive, look at you?” [Alexander]

  Bozer was not amused by this, but he brushed this off, they had something else to focus on.

  The man struggles to get up, now much bloodier and panting heavily. When he gets up, he realizes his arm doesn’t work anymore.

  “D-damn it.” [The man]

  He tries to run off, but he is caught by Alexander, who stabs him in the leg.

  “Normally, I don’t kill people. But seeing as you need to die for us to advance, I guess I have to justify it. Don’t worry, you are contributing to the great cause to push this savior to greater heights.” [Alexander]

  Alexander stabs the man in the head, finishing him off for good.

  “...that felt boring. What now?” [Alexander]

  “I guess, we put the body in the dining hall and wait until morning. [Bozer]

  “I am NOT staying up; you can stay up if you want.” [Alexander]

  Alexander leaves them behind with Eonni following behind him.

  It’s the next morning and everyone looks to see Bozer with the dead member.

  Once Bawl, Eonni, and Alexander enter the room, all the staff members take off their masks and start to clap.

  “Congratulations!” They all say in unison.

  “Hmph. The praise is all mine.” [Alexander]

  “What happen?” [Bawl]

  “Well, Alexander finished off the killer last night. You were asleep during that time.”

  “Oh.” [Bawl]

  The intercom turns on and a voice is heard.

  “Congratulations! You managed to pass the first trial. We will now be heading towards the second stage. Please enjoy the rest of your time.”

  “Guess there was no point in counting and predicting.” [Alexander]

  Back with Belle, she’s cooking dinner for herself.

  “I miss Bawl. Things were much livelier with him here. Hopefully, he passes so he can return home.”

  She eats the food by herself, once again alone in the mansion.

  She hears a knock on the door, wondering who it is, she checks to find Grandma waiting at the door with sweets in her hand.

  “You need something?”

  “I figured you must be lonely since Bawl isn’t here to spend time with you.”

  “We haven’t been together for that long. I don’t miss him that much.”

  “Honey, you’re terrible at lying.”

  “...”

  “...”

  “Come in.”

  Grandma walks in, placing a cookie inside Belle’s mouth.

  “Okay. But what’s the actual reason you came here?”

  “Was it really that obvious?”

  “Yes, yes it was.”

  “Well, there seems to be an activated witch, and this witch was the one that stole the rose.”

  She says this while sitting down at the kitchen table, seriousness now filling her voice.

  “Do they know what kind of witch?”

  She also sits down, taking another cookie from the bag.

  “No. The witch seems to have some kind of camouflage that prevents us from seeing them on the cameras, but they did manage to get a quick glimpse of her when she was leaving the king’s palace. Take a look.”

  She takes out a tablet which shows a picture of a woman in a black dress, wearing a hoodie.

  “This is bad. The fact a witch took the rose means trouble. How come the witches are suddenly so active now? Before, they remained in hiding but now they’re being more proactive.”

  “I don’t know, but I suspect something big is happening for which reports to suddenly go up. And I suspect it must be because of this witch.

  “What makes you think that? Could just be another weak witch following orders from a far stronger one.”

  “-I don’t know, but whenever I look at this image, I can’t help but think there’s more to her than meets the eye. This feeling I have is usually right.”

  “Alright, Ms. Future seer.”