As silence blanketed the forest once more, Kuro exhaled heavily, his breath shaky and uneven.
"Handyman, huh…" he muttered before his vision blurred. The world around him spiralled into darkness, and he collapsed.
Arthur and Artoria rushed to his side.
"Mr…? Mr.!" Artoria called, falling to her knees, gasping between each word. Her voice, that of a child, was soft—like the drums of heaven trembling in worry.
Kuro shot up with a jolt, drenched in sweat. His eyes darted around. Confusion painted his face.
"Where… am I?"
"You're in my tent," said the childlike voice. Artoria entered the room, a faint smile on her young face.
"Oh yeah… I passed out after that fight," Kuro muttered, realization dawning.
"You were unconscious all day," she said. "… and it's evening now."
"What the hell? A whole day?" Kuro groaned, holding his chest. "Ugh… it still hurts."
He slowly stood, grabbing his tattered coat—ripped, nearly falling apart.
"F*ck… bought this right before the mission," he muttered with a disappointed sigh.
As he stepped toward the exit, Artoria's voice stopped him.
"Wait… you haven't told me your name."
He turned slightly. "It's Kurozumi. But just 'Kuro' is fine."
Artoria's cheeks turned a shade of pink. Her voice fluttered like falling petals, "Thank you… Kuro."
The village felt different now.
As Kuro walked past the villagers, they smiled. Some bowed respectfully. Others simply gave nods of silent gratitude. For once, he wasn't an outsider.
Near the forest, Arthur sat alone, head down, elbows resting on his knees.
"You alright?" Kuro asked, standing beside him.
Arthur didn't look up. "Yeah, probably. Just… yesterday I thought I was one of the strongest. But now?" His voice was hollow.
Kuro folded his arms, gazing at the fading sunset. "I was powerless, and I never asked to be the strongest, I just wanted to survive"
They watched the sun sink behind the hills, the sky stained with fire and dusk.
GRRRROWL!
Arthur's stomach growled. He chuckled. "Guess I'm starving."
Then came a voice as gentle as wind through trees.
"Please… eat as much as you like."
Artoria had returned to her original form. She stood beside them, her white hair catching the orange glow of twilight.
She bowed. "I owe you both a debt I cannot repay. You've protected my people. You've protected me."
Kuro shook his head. "Thank the guy in the mask. 'Handyman,' he called himself."
He stared up at the sky—half dark, half-light. "Arthur. Let's go. To Duril."
Arthur rose, silver strands cascading over his shoulders. "I was thinking the same. If we stay here, more people could get hurt."
Kuro nodded, then declared with quiet resolve,
"Tonight, we infiltrate the Kingdom of Duril."
"Please…" Artoria stepped forward. "Allow me to come with you."
Kuro turned toward her; brow raised. "Are you sure? It won't be safe."
She smiled faintly. "I will be alright. I want to help."
He stared at her for a second, then nodded. "Then it's settled. The three of us."
Midnight – The Gates of Duril
They moved like shadows across the grassy plains.
Before them towered the colossal iron gates of Duril, two guards stood lazily in front of them.
"Why do we even guard this place?" one of them muttered, yawning. "No one's crazy enough to break into the kingdom of the God of Sufferings."
"Wait… do you see that?" the second pointed at the treeline.
From the darkness, a cloaked figure stepped forward.
"Who's there?" one of them barked.
The figure removed her hood. Artoria's silver hair flowed like moonlight. Her delicate features softened in the dim torchlight.
"Oh… just an elf," one of the guards smirked. "A pretty elf."
"She's unarmed," the other sneered. "Let's have a little fun."
SMACK!
A fist slammed into the first guard's face, hurling him into the wall like a sack of stones.
CRACK!
The second didn't even get a word out before a rib-cracking punch knocked him cold.
"Well, that was easy," Kuro smirked, brushing his knuckles.
The three of them stood before the towering gate, their eyes locking in silent resolve. Kuro and Arthur nodded once, then pushed the massive doors open with a grating creak.
Artoria froze—her body stiffened, as if the air itself had turned heavy. Old memories surged back, painful and unspoken, echoing like ghosts in her mind.
Kuro's voice pulled her back to the present.
"Let's go," he said gently.
She blinked, nodded, and stepped forward.
Together, they slipped inside the kingdom, the heavy gates groaning shut behind them.
The noise didn't go unnoticed—soldiers nearby snapped to attention, alerted by the sound of opening and closing steel.
But by the time they arrived, Arthur, Kuro, and Artoria had already vanished into the shadows of a narrow street.
What secrets lie hidden in the heart of Duril? What dangers wait beneath its cursed skies?
One thing is certain—the trials ahead will test them like never before.