The small encampment of Saranhell had been known as the Heart of the Arid Lands for generations. Women and men alike participated in the production of animal goods and essentials, such as wool, milk, camel meat, spices, and grains. All of these professions, while essential, paled in comparison to Saranhell’s oldest tradition — garment work.

  Traveler ware was the pride and joy of Saranhell, and Ereth was determined to acquire such an outfit.

  “Woah…just what is that?” He stared at the display outfit with bewilderment and awe.

  It was a classic desert garb with a thick hood and scarf coil around the head and neck, leaving a narrow slit for the eyes. Everything about the outfit was a display of functionality. Protection from the sun, sand, and wind were clear priorities when designing the garb. Its color palette was warm and dusty, burnt orange, tan, and muted brown, giving a weathered, nomadic impression.

  The torso was bound by overlapping cloth bands like improvised armor, cinched at the waist with a dark belt studded with metal accents. It wasn't as good as steel plates, but it could certainly take a hit or two. Long sashes draped diagonally across the hip, splitting into uneven panels that hung over the fitted leggings.

  Ereth turned toward Adra with an expression resembling a begging child. “Hey, Adra…”

  “No.”

  “I didn’t even ask yet!”

  “The answer is still no! Don’t expect me to be your pay pig just because you agreed to a job. You’re already getting paid with something far more valuable anyways!”

  “That’s not the point! I don’t care for Deza stones or whatever. I’d prefer something like this as payment for the job.”

  “It’s Drezha, not Deza, and you aren’t exactly in a position to negotiate here.”

  “I can leverage my strength.”

  “No one knows your damn strength! This is why adventurer’s cards exist. I’m the one taking a risk here hiring someone unaffiliated with any guild or job center.”

  “...”

  Ereth couldn’t deny it. Every word she said was true. No matter how much he said he was strong, he had no immediate ways to prove it. Thus, from her point of view, Ereth was just an entitled, whiny brat who didn’t have a lick of money or valuable knowledge.

  If he could not leverage his strength or knowledge against her, then he would use something else.

  “These clothes…they’re messy.”

  “So what?”

  “No, they aren’t just messy, they’re in tatters. You can’t honestly expect me to work in these conditions. I have no protection from the elements, nor do I have any usable armor. You’re essentially asking me to jump into the lion's den with zero precautions. How can I accept a job like that?”

  “...” Adra took a hit of her cigarette before pausing for a brief moment. “That’s fair. It would be irresponsible of me to let you fight monsters in such a condition. However, I must ask for further compensation for this transaction.”

  “Compensation?”

  “Don’t worry about it. That can come later. I’ll buy you the damn outfit, but it’s gonna come at a price later down the line.”

  “That’s fine.”

  “...You’re surprisingly easy to please.”

  In truth, Ereth didn’t really care for safety precautions. He merely wanted the garb because it looked cool. Leveraging his “safety” against his client was a sure-fire way to get what he wanted, so he abused that weak point without a moment's hesitation.

  It’s certainly not very heroic, Ereth thought. But it’s not like I have much of a choice. Being broke is hard!

  The merchant and Adra exchanged pleasantries. One earned a couple of silver coins, while the other earned a desert garb for a certain curly-haired boy.

  “Here. Try it on.” She said with a flat affect.

  Ereth silently took the clothes into the changing room and donned the desert garb. Coincidently, the garb was a perfect fit for his athletic-lean physique. It was a bit stuffier than usual, but beggars can’t be choosers.

  “Hm. Looks good on you kid.” Adra said with a hint of genuine praise. “C’mon. Time to head out.”

  “Right!”

  ———

  The trip to the encampment took roughly an hour on camel-back. The sun was especially blistering today, its rays of wrath inflicting the duo with ample punishment. Ereth was a bit dizzy from the intensity of the light, but it was nothing he couldn’t deal with.

  Adra, on the other hand, seemed totally composed. The massive hat she wore definitely covered her body from the sun, but that could not explain her nearly impervious attitude towards the heat. Ereth pondered on it for a bit before eventually discarding the thought.

  I could ask her about it, but it’s probably not worth our time.

  They were closing in on the encampment. It was once a mining site that locals utilized for useful ore before being abandoned due to the persistent threat of Shura. Humans may be more numerous in comparison to the Shura, but their power was miniscule at best compared to even the weakest of Shura.

  Today, the wanderer duo would execute these Shura and extract the resources for themselves. Or at least…that’s how things should have panned out. Instead, an unexpected scenario occurred, leaving both Ereth and Adra in a state of confusion.

  This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

  Alone was a black warrior coated in a layer of thick crimson blood. He swung his sword with abandon, cutting down hordes of Ne’fari singlehandedly.

  “Die! Die! Who gave you permission to live? Who gave you permission to breathe?”

  The black knight continued to spew curses from the core of his being. The battlefield was covered in blood, more than half of which being his own. It was hell on earth. A nightmare that no ordinary human could endure.

  He sliced through many Ne'fari indeed, but that did not mean that he was winning. In fact, it was quite the contrary.

  “W-Woah!”

  A chunk of meat flew past Ereth, hitting the pillar he was hiding behind. Upon closer inspection, it was not merely meat, but an arm.

  The black knight may be a formidable foe, but even rage has its limits. Fighting a den of Ne’fari in their territory was tantamount to suicide. Dozens, potentially hundreds of Ne’fari can live in a single borrow, and each one had the ferocity of a hundred men.

  With the swipe of a single claw, the black knight’s internal organs were cleaved through, his intestines now hanging out of his torso. He must have been insane to challenge them. He must have been crazy to even consider the idea.

  “Damn it!” Ereth shouted, unleashing a battle cry, before unsheathing the Sword of Promised Victory. The sword cleaved through half a dozen Ne’fari in an instant, its radiant edge sparkling under the desert sun.

  The Ne’fari screech and withdraw into the den, taking a defensive position. It was clear that Ereth posed enough of a threat to give him an opening.

  Rather than pursuing the Shura, he turned to face the black knight, sweat dripping down his brow.

  “What the hell were you thinking?!” Ereth said with both concern and anger. “You nearly got yourself killed.”

  In response, the black knight said with his hoarse voice, “Do not lecture me. The scum will be wiped clean. Mere injuries are of little concern.”

  “What…?”

  In an unprecedented maneuver, the black knight extended the stump that had once been his left arm, calling the appendage back to him telepathically. It crushed the stump, congealing its flesh with the original body, before stitching itself back together. The process was so disgusting and patchwork that it resembled a child assembling playdough.

  Next was his stomach, and this process was much simpler. The black knight grabbed his shredded intestinal track and shoved it back into his torso. He howled like a mighty beast. The pain was nearly unbearable, yet he survived all the same. His torso, which had once been obliterated, was stitching itself back together.

  This man had long since abandoned his humanity. No man could hold a power so cruel and disturbed.

  As though Ereth’s very presence did not exist, he grabbed his sword once more and continued down the path to the den.

  “Wait!” Ereth said. “If you’re going in there to exterminate the Ne’fari den, then we share the same goal. Let me help you.”

  Of course, Ereth was not entirely selfless with this request. If the man in black were to swoop in and annihilate the Shura, then part of the contract between Ereth and Adra would be rendered null and void, as he wouldn’t have actually done any work.

  The offer was both well intended and selfish. Ereth didn’t want to lose his livelihood, but he also didn’t want to see this mysterious figure throw himself into the jaws of death so blindly.

  “...” the armored man was silent for a moment, as though lost in contemplation. After a few short moments of silence, he finally replied, “Very well. If you wish to clean the filth, then I will not get in your way. I will not tolerate any dead weight. I will claim your life for myself if you are inadequate.”

  “I should be the one spouting such an obnoxious line,” Ereth replied snidely.

  The conversation ended and the black knight retreated to the den to enact another slaughter, leaving Ereth to his own devices. Adra, who had avoided any direct confrontation, emerged from behind the pillar and walked towards the den.

  “Adra, I need you to stay here. I’m not sure if I can guarantee your safety around that guy, nor can I guarantee your safety with the Ne’fari.”

  “I appreciate the thought, but I’m coming in with you.”

  “But—”

  “Don’t assume you’re all high and mighty, brat. I’m perfectly capable of defending myself. A guy like that isn’t gonna dissuade me. The reason why I hired you was because I needed assistance, not a chaperone.”

  “...”

  Ereth could not refute her words. Although it was a rather unglamorous trait, he was quite an arrogant and egotistical man. He believed himself to be above everyone else in terms of strength, and thus assumed others to be incompetent in the field of war.

  After all, he was the legendary son of the hero who inherited a divine sword. If there was anyone more qualified for the job, it’d be Zoltin himself.

  “I’m sorry, Adra. I assumed you were weak and incapable. That was my mistake.”

  “...” Adra paused for a moment, taken aback by the boy’s sincerity. “Well, if you really are apologetic, then come on.” She extended her open hand out to Ereth, as though beckoning him into the den.

  “Yeah, let’s go, Adra!”