Mr. Swordsman's eyes fluttered open, his vision hazy. A dull ache pounded in his skull as he adjusted to the dim surroundings.
Cold iron shackles bound his wrists and ankles, their weight pressing against his limbs. The chains clanked softly as he stirred. His right arm throbbed, blood trailing down from a wound still fresh. Across the room, beyond the iron bars of the hanging cage, his sword rested on a rusted weapon rack.
"Finally awake?"
A voice echoed through the cell, smooth yet laced with dry amusement.
Tame sat cross-legged on the stone floor, relaxed in meditation. Her eyes barely flickered as she spoke.
"You sure are stubborn. Took a beating just to make you let go of that blade."
Mr. Swordsman groaned, pressing a hand to his forehead.
"…What happened?"
Tame scoffed. "Beats me. That little freak bends the laws of nature like they're nothing. Shattering life forces without a single burst of energy? Unheard of I tell you, make yourself comfortable in the meantime us staying here might take a while."
His memory became more clear. The girl. Her eyes were dark as fractured diamonds. His sword had passed through her, and yet…
"A phantom," he whispered, pushing himself upright despite the chains. "A being bound to the world by an unyielding purpose… but she's just a child. What kind of will could anchor her to this world?"
Tame eyed him, clicking her tongue.
"It's you, isn't it?" she said, arms folding across her chest. "You're the one she's been waiting for."
Her voice grew quieter, almost calculating. "She always spoke about revenge. Against a certain swordsman."
Her amber eyes locked onto his. "Just what did you do to that little girl?"
Mr. Swordsman removed his hat, running a hand through his hair.
"I don't hurt children."
But the moment the words left his lips, a sharp pain lanced through his skull.
Flashes.
A storm. Lightning splitting the sky.
Stones drenched in blood.
A woman's voice, screaming his name as she rained a flurry of punches upon him.
Faces, hundreds of them appearing one by one yet each one was blurred, hidden under that forsaken storm.
Yet, some he managed to recognise.
Bloodborne, Lord Mikah, The Undertakers, and Lily.
Tame studied him carefully, her frown deepening. "No doubt about it."
A dark shimmer flickered around her fingers as she traced the air.
"Your suppressed lifeforce flared up during that little panic of yours," she said. "And let me tell you, it was suffocating."
Tame leaned against the wall, tilting her head. "A force like that? Without a mask but a wide-brimmed hat? I can only think of three possibilities."
She held up three fingers.
"You're either a disciple, the new S-rank everyone's whispering about"
She lowered her hand.
"Or… you're the infamous Weeping Swordsman."
He turned away slightly, squeezing his fists by his side.
"…I am the Ninth S-ranked adventurer." His voice was low, almost hesitant.
Why don't I want her to know the full truth?
Why am I afraid?
Tame clicked her tongue, shaking her head.
"So, an S-rank captured by a child."
A chuckle slipped past her lips. "That's a story for the ages. Also, I heard you don't have a name."
"Some call me Mr. Swordsman."
"Alright then, Mr. Swordsman," she said, her voice tinged with disgust.
"What exactly did you do… to that child?"
#
"Mr. Swordsman got captured," Emilia whispered, slumping against the wagon wheel, her head resting against her arms. "This is a bad dream, right? Right?"
Pasta placed a hand on his chin. "If you think about it… he didn't actually lose," he said."I mean, I don't even know what did happen. One second it was all normal, then wham, then bam! He's down. You know?"
Emilia groaned, burying her face in her arms. "And let's not forget the creepy ice figures that vanished the second that girl disappeared."
She let out a long sigh. "This is nothing like the dreamy castle I hoped for. Not even close."
Meanwhile, Bhaa was kicking at the sides of the horses, his frustration mounting as they remained frozen in fear, their ears twitching from the lingering presence of the ghostly child.
"Wake up, you little rascals!" he yelled, huffing between kicks. He paused, took a deep breath… then resumed kicking. "We've only got a few hours to leave this castle, and it's so massive that walking out is out of the question!"
Emilia turned her head, searching for Oscar.
He stood near a stained-glass window, journal in hand, gazing at the intricate illustration on the window. The image depicted dozens of falling lights, each burning bright against a relentless downpour. But one faint light stood out, it was closer to the burning ground.
"Truly spectacular if I do say so myself," Oscar whispered, hugging himself. "I was right… this is no ordinary castle. Even its artwork is beyond remarkable. Now that the phantom's gone, I can finally search for it in peace. Oh, the bliss!"
As he turned, he met three pairs of equally sharp, and unamused eyes.
Pasta tilted his head. "You think he's talking about his kids?"
"I doubt it," Emilia said.
Bhaa's face twitched as he suddenly pulled a machete from seemingly nowhere. "Don't say we've been fooled"
Oscar wiped the sweat off his brow. "W-Well, you see! Haha… yeah, yeah! I was just… thinking of my children," he said, forcing a smile. "The poor little ones must be so scared right now and oh, you're thinking I'm actually here to look for something else, aren't you? Haha, yeah, yeah… th-that would be ridiculous…"
Their sceptical stares only deepened.
Then, Oscar spun on his heels and bolted for the horses.
"I'M OUTTA HERE, BABY! THANKS FOR THE FREE RIDE!" he shouted, cackling as he sprinted forward.
But just as he neared the wagon,
a shadow loomed above.
Six golden eyes gleamed from the darkness of the ceiling.
With a thud, a massive three-headed goat with a long tail dropped onto the stone floor.
Oscar's eyes popped from his skull in pure horror as he dashed forward.
The lazy horses suddenly snapped their heads up, turned to look and their own eyes popped out as well before they galloped ahead of Oscar.
Pasta stepped forward, drawing his blade with a cocky smirk. "No monster can withstand my poison, so you better just, like, skedaddle." He tapped the sword against his shoulder. "Oh, wait you don't understand me, do you? Lemme speak Goat."
He took a deep breath.
"BEEHH. BEHHH. BEHHHH."
He twirled and poked the goat's leg with his blade. Poison seeped in, spreading through the veins.
The goat's leg twitched.
Then it squeezed inward before suddenly expanding, morphing into something stronger, more grotesque.
Pasta blinked. "…Huh?"
The goat's three heads looked down at the sweaty boy.
Then...
"DAMN YOU, OSCAR!!"
Pasta yelled, running side by side with Emilia, Bhaa, and Oscar through the icy halls as the giant three-headed goat charged after them with an earsplitting bleat.
"I'M SORRY, I'M SORRY, I DON'T WANNA DIE HERE!!!" Oscar wailed, snot dripping from his nose. "PLEASE HELP ME, ADVENTURERS!!"
Bhaa swung his machete wildly in the air, his eyes locked ahead. "COME BACK, YOU LAZY HORSES!!"
The horses paid him no mind as they ran even faster into the distance, never to be seen again.
Emilia eyed Pasta, whose face had gone so pale he looked moments away from keeling over. His eyes, wide with terror, seemed ready to pop out at any second, and his lips quivered, silently mouthing for their mother.
She sighed and gave him a rough shove. "How good are you at commanding the earth?" she asked, her voice oddly composed.
"Huh? What are you thinking?"
"Punch the goat through the bottom floors."
Pasta blinked. "What in the mother of Mikah are you talking about?! Punch it to the bottom floor?! I'm not some super-powered warrior! Sure, I can weaken the earth a bit so the punch can be more effective, but we're running on cobblestone here!"
Emilia's eyes grew misty as she weakly pounded against Pasta's shoulder. "Come on, now! I'm doing my best, you ungrateful, careless, dumb—I DON'T WANNA DIE, BIG BRO! JUST DO SOMETHING!"
Pasta rolled his eyes. "You can drop the act."
Her expression darkened and her gaze was so icy even the demon queen couldn't even come close.
"If I die here…" she whispered, her voice filled with venom, "…I promise you'll face harsher punishment in hell, brother. I'll wait for you there, believe me, I will"
A shiver shot down Pasta's spine. Sweat dripped down his forehead as he screamed and turned on his heels, sprinting toward the three-headed goat like his life depended on it, because, well, it actually did.
Either he died in the hands of a freak of nature or the freak he's related to.
The beast let out a guttural roar, the sheer force shaking the chamber as chunks of debris crashed down from the ceiling.
Pasta kicked off the ground, propelling himself through the air, his fists clenching.
"Here goes nothing!"
The monster's middle head lunged, jaws gaping wide, ready to swallow him whole.
Pasta sucked in a sharp breath. If I can create bursts of air… then maybe…
The air exploded around him.
A sudden burst of raw force launched him forward at blinding speed, his fist drawn back.
Then—
BOOM!
His punch collided with the goat's body.
A thunderous shockwave erupted through the room, the sheer force rippling through the air like a sonic blast. The stained-glass windows shattered, shards glittering like stars as they scattered in the wind.
The cobblestone beneath them cracked—then collapsed.
The massive beast let out a deafening screech as it plummeted, crashing through multiple floors below before finally vanishing into the dark.
Dust and rubble rained down.
Pasta twisted midair, controlling the air around him to blast himself away from the gaping hole. He flipped once before landing back onto solid ground, panting.
Then he threw his arms up in triumph.
"I actually did it! YEAH, BABY!!!"
Emilia and Bhaa whooped in victory, grabbing Pasta and tossing him into the air.
Meanwhile, Oscar was tiptoeing away.
The celebration screeched to a halt.
Pasta hit the floor with an unceremonious thud as all three of them turned, locking eyes on the sneaky little old man.
Oscar froze, his face twitching into a nervous smile.
Emilia stepped forward, resting a delicate yet iron-clawed hand on his shoulder.
Her expression softened into something sweet.
Too sweet, it was able to hide the annoyance she felt completely.
"You still have a lot of explaining to do, mister."
#
Oscar sat cross-legged on the floor, his bag splayed open before him, overflowing with charts and journals.
Emilia exhaled sharply, dragging a hand down her face.
"So… there are no kidnapped children. You're just here for some mystery treasure. And because of that, our only ride is who knows where the strongest member of our crew is captured, and we're trapped in a castle swarming with monsters."
She let out a dry chuckle. "Great. Mr. Swordsman may not have been entirely right about you, but he did have a point."
Oscar lowered his gaze. "I'm ashamed for putting you good folks through all this. I just wanted the treasure, not for anyone to get hurt, please forgive me"
Emilia turned to Pasta and Bhaa, who stood in silence.
"You both look suspiciously quiet," she said. "Come on, I need some help dealing with him."
Pasta stepped forward, his sword resting lightly against Oscar's shoulder. "So, let me get this straight. You caused all this… just for some treasure?" His voice was eerily calm. "Tell me, do you even know where it is? Or are you some crazed man as well"
Bhaa's expression darkened as he loomed closer. "And surely you must have some kind of plan, right?"
Oscar averted his gaze. "I… do have a map of the castle and know the treasure's location. But I can't get there alone, the monsters are way too much for me. I'm sorry for using you all"
Pasta sighed, shaking his head. "Still doesn't excuse you." He clamped a hand down on Oscar's shoulder. "For not telling us about this sooner!"
Pasta and Bhaa exchanged glances. Then—
Their eyes twinkled.
"Well, obviously, we'll be taking our share," Bhaa grinned. "Just lead the way."
Emilia blinked. "Wait…what? Mr. Swordsman is captured and you two are thinking about treasure?!"
"Mr. Swordsman's strong. He'll be fine," Pasta said with a casual wave.
Bhaa nodded. "Yeah, he's not a child, you know."
Emilia's eye twitched as she stomped her foot. "I stand against it! We can't just leave Mr. Swordsman! If you all want to chase treasure, go ahead! But I'm not coming."
Pasta shrugged. "Alright, bye."
Before she could even react, he grabbed Oscar and, just like that, the guys walked off.
Emilia stood frozen, arms crossed.
Then...
A shiver ran down her spine.
She wasn't alone.
An unseen presence lurked in the darkness.
Eyes.
Countless of them.
Cold sweat dripped down her face as she forced herself to keep her composure. She inhaled, then turned sharply on her heel, marching after the group.
"Okay, okay—what's the plan?!"
Oscar unfurled a parchment. "Here's the map. The treasure's in the lower floors"
The group froze.
A united memory hit them all at once.
The three-headed goat monster.
Sent to the lower floors.
Their faces paled as a horrified realisation dawned.
"WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL US THAT EARLIER?!" they all screamed.
Oscar flinched. "Excuse me?! I wasn't the one coming up with such a great plan, right?! Also, just a few moments ago, you guys literally tried to kill me! So let's focus on what's important, shall we? Also, we've got two adventurers for the job"
Emilia groaned and shoved Pasta forward.
"Yes, yes, leave it all to me—and—"
He blinked.
A small green creature was staring at him.
Big round eyes. Tiny little hands.
A Fumigob.
Pasta's breath hitched as his blood boiled over.
That thing.
The same monster from the forest near Pyrovile.
The same one that had made a complete fool out of him in front of Tori.
His fists clenched.
"You… YOU!!"
The Fumigob bolted.
Pasta screamed and tore off after it, kicking up dust.
"WAIT, YOU LITTLE—!!"
"Pasta—!" Emilia called out, but her words fell on deaf ears.
She turned back to Bhaa and Oscar, who merely shrugged.
"Well," Oscar said, walking ahead. "Guess you'll have to do for now. Let's go—he'll catch up."
Emilia's eyes twitched as she begrudgingly followed, muttering under her breath.
"Stupid Pasta," she said, holding her bag tightly and bracing herself for whatever insanity came next.
#
The Fumigob darted through the dark, cold corridors, its tiny feet barely making a sound against the stone floor. But no matter how fast it ran, it couldn't shake the adventurer on its tail.
Pasta relentlessly pursued, his eyes blazing with fury.
"DIE!!"
He swung his blade in a flurry of strikes, the edge whistling through the air. The little critter twisted and ducked, barely evading each slash, its tiny limbs flailing in panic as it sweated profusely.
Then—
A piercing shriek echoed through the halls.
The Fumigob was calling for backup.
From the depths of the shadows, more monsters slithered and crawled into view, their glowing eyes locking onto Pasta as they lunged at him.
The Fumigob let out a giddy little chuckle and raced ahead, certain of its escape. But as it turned back, its big eyes went wide in horror.
Pasta exhaled a slow, and steady breath.
His blade flashed.
In an instant, the swarm of monsters fell, each struck down in a single blow. The floor became littered with unmoving bodies, the air thick with the scent of steel and poison.
The remaining creatures froze, and then they ran.
"GET BACK HERE!!" Pasta roared, his blade still swinging wildly as the monsters and the panicked Fumigob did everything in their power to dodge for their lives.
#
The crew sprinted down the twisting corridors, their breaths ragged as the three-headed goat, now with massive, leathery wings soared above them, its monstrous roars shaking the very walls of the castle.
Oscar flailed his arms wildly, his eyes blazing as he shouted at Emilia, "I thought you were an adventurer! Go fight that thing!"
Emilia had her sword drawn, but she shook her head fiercely, refusing to even glance back at the abomination. Meanwhile, Bhaa was already ahead of them, his panicked voice bouncing off the shifting stone.
"I thought we killed it already?! And how in the nine realms did it grow wings?!!"
Oscar kept on screaming, his teeth like that of a predator. "Aren't you a B rank or something? How can't you fight? Just kill the damn monster!!"
Emilia cried out, "I don't wanna!"
The castle itself seemed to awaken, its walls grinding and twisting just like last time. The cobblestone beneath their feet shifted, lifting the crew and hurling them into a completely different corridor.
Oscar landed hard, blinking in shock. "Was that you, adventurer?"
Emilia curled up on the ground, groaning. "I am never eating goat again…"
Bhaa pulled his glasses, peering ahead. Before them stood a grand door, the only one they had seen in the entire castle with even a hint of colour.
The others gathered as he cautiously pushed it open.
Inside, dust and cobwebs clung to the walls, and scattered toys lay abandoned across the floor. Shattered windows allowed slivers of moonlight to creep in, casting eerie shadows across the room. But one thing stood out from the rest.
A large grey portrait hung against the far wall. A man and woman stood within the frame, their faces blurred, but the child between them—a small girl remained completely untouched by time, yet filled with colour.
Bhaa narrowed his eyes. "Isn't that the same kid we saw earlier?"
Oscar abandoned his inspection of the broken toys and approached. "I believe so. This castle appeared a few years back. At first, there were no monsters, but no one could explore freely because of the little girl. Adventurers would enter fully prepared, only to wake up outside, as if the castle itself had rejected them. But now, this place is crawling with creatures and they all answer to her."
Emilia touched her chin, stepping toward the painting and running her fingers along the surface of the parchment. "Why would a sweet-looking child do all this? Considering how both Mr Swordsman and Pasta's swords have no effect on her… Maybe we're dealing with some kind of phantom."
Bhaa raised a sceptical brow. "Ghosts, huh? Still, why us? What did we do to deserve this much trouble? Where's the usual treatment of waking up outside?"
Emilia traced the edges of the portrait, her mind racing. The pieces weren't adding up. Why had the girl only targeted Mr. Swordsman? Why had monsters only begun appearing when they neared the Fourth?
She lied to herself. It was clear as day.
"I'd rather leave this mystery alone and focus on the treasure," she said, her eyes dark. "Some things are better left unsolved."
The others silently agreed, and they pressed forward.
Yet even as Emilia walked, her gaze kept drifting to the parchment Oscar had given her for the treasure and information about the castle. The more she studied it, the clearer the picture became.
Ever since learning Mr Swordsman's true identity in Pyrovile, she had only hesitated for a moment before brushing off the weight of it. The Weeping Swordsman… not a legend, not a myth, but a real man—one she and her brother had travelled alongside all this time.
And yet, the unsettling thing wasn't fear.
She trusted him.
Could a monster have helped them? Could a villain have saved an entire town?
Who are you really, Mr. Swordsman? The bloodstained killer… or the hero I want to believe in?
As they descended a winding stone staircase, Oscar suddenly froze, his entire body trembling.
Bhaa gritted his teeth, brandishing his machete. "What's she doing here?!"
Emilia's head snapped up.
There, at the far end of the chamber where countless treasures lay, the phantom, a bit older than before sat on a small wooden chair. Black tears streaked down her pale cheeks.
"Mother… Father…" she whispered, rocking slightly, her forehead hitting the table before her. Two empty chairs stood across from her. "I finally did it… after all these years," she said, lifting her gaze. "I have your murderer"
Emilia's fists tightened, her voice tinged with rage. "What have you done, Mr. Swordsman?"
#
Hades stepped onto the ship, his coat billowing as the storm raged around him. Behind him, three figures in dark attire stood unmoving, their silhouettes barely visible through the relentless downpour.
"The time has finally come."
The towering man at the centre spoke, his deep voice cutting through the howling winds. Two women flanked his sides, their gazes fixed on Hades.
"Return to the Seventh and make your way to Bloodborne at Gildenspire," he said. "Pass through the eastern stretch of Kanto, across the grand hills. Speak to no one. No one except the guild master."
Hades gave a slight nod, adjusting the brim of his hat before turning away. But just as he stepped deeper onto the ship, a gentle voice stopped him.
"Wait."
One of the women stepped forward, her face concealed beneath a dark veil. Rain dripped from its fabric as she hesitated.
"…Are you okay?"
For a moment, Hades stood still. He neither turned nor answered.
Then, without a word, he disappeared into the ship's depths, his footsteps swallowed by the storm.