The Lord Is Too Overbearing

Basil and the others had arrived at BA-32, however they were still inside a collapsed Dungeon. Because of this, they were running through the tunnel that led them outside.

Basil was looking around the tunnel, while also spreading his Mana Sense to check if there was any Demon inside the collapsed Dungeon.

Although Basil was sure the Demons they had killed on their way here were from Death Howl Dungeon, it didn't hurt to be extra careful. There was always a possibility that an unexpected variable might show up after all.

After knowing the real identity of Dungeons from Caesar, Basil naturally knew he couldn't find a Kinslayer, or to be exact, one of the Lord's followers inside a collapsed Dungeon.

Collapsed Dungeons were Dungeons that had served its purpose—jailing the real Kinslayers—but had also been utilized by the Demons as a way to infiltrate human's territories back in the Age of Chaos.

Collapsed Dungeon were formerly usable Dungeons that were destroyed due to that reason. This was the reason why there was not a single one of the Lord's followers jailed there.

Despite knowing that, Basil still suspected there was someone purposely sending the Dungeon Demons they had exterminated to Death Howl Dungeon, which was highly unlikely considering the requirements to do that.

First of all, for that thing to happen, there should be someone living in the Dungeon. Second of all, that person needed to gain the control over the Dungeon, which could be done by pulling out the Sealing Sword of the Dungeon.

Obviously, a "Kinslayer" could and would never do that. Pulling out the Sealing Sword, after all, means they were announcing their intention to get out of the Dungeon to the Empire.

The Empire wouldn't stay still if they did that, which means they needed to get out of the Dungeon right before the Empire officials came for them. The outcome of this decision would be predictable: death.

No "Kinslayer" wanted that to happen, which makes them being the last person to do it. In other words, the person who could pull such a stunt was a Church official.

The Empire officials would never do such a stupid thing, because they didn't want to unnecessarily sacrifice the life of their people.

Basil had been looking for the trace of this Church's official, but he, fortunately, couldn't find it. This indicates that the Dungeon Demons they had fought had been really from Death Howl Dungeon.

In other words, the Church wasn't involved much in this Outbreak.

"I can see the end of the tunnel..." Thompson looked at the light at the end of the tunnel. "Look at how bright yet gloomy the outside is."

"Don't be poetic so suddenly—it doesn't suit you at all," Sylvia remarked. "I am rather disgusted."

"Darn it! The girl has a sharp tongue," Steven commented with a chuckle.

"She is just upset because someone has taken her sweetheart," Effie stated nonchalantly.

"W-What are you talking about?! It's not like that!" Sylvia exclaimed.

The rest of Sylvia's party mates laughed, and that made her harrumph in annoyance. They knew of Sylvia's infatuation with Basil; it was just a puppy love, and they wanted her to realize it.

Said person herself was, of course, aware of it. It was still hard for her, however, to forget her infatuation with someone as attractive as Basil.

Whoosh!

The moment they stepped out of the Dungeon, they were immediately greeted by a strong yet pleasant wind. They ceased their laugh as soon as they smelled the air outside, and frowned as soon as they saw the scene in front of them.

A pungent smell of blood could be smelled strongly in the moist air. The ground was wet, and they could even see a fairly huge puddle on the ground not far away from them.

Bodies littered the ground, colouring the water with the blood oozing out of them. The Demons coloured the water blue, whereas the humans colored the water red.

Dashing towards the camp that was a few hundreds meters away from them, the Knights of Hauler stared at Basil's back silently. He had become more solemn than before.

"H-Head Commander Basil!"

"Head Commander Basil?! He has arrived!"

"It's Head Commander Basil!"

The moment the people arrived at the camp, the people who had survived battling against Goap and his Demon Army immediately greeted Basil. Most of them were the people who had fought in Woster County.

Basil's expression was unchanged. While exuding an aura that made him unapproachable, he looked at the people with his eyes that were as deep and cold as a bottomless abyss.

Everyone naturally stepped aside and didn't make much noise upon seeing that. He had already towered over most of the Knights there, so given his aura, he was even more intimidating.

"Where are the other Monsters?" Basil looked at Glenn, who was scurrying over him with his head lowered in shame.

"I am sorry, I couldn't—"

"Your apology won't fix anything, Glenn. Forget it, and tell me where the rest of the Monsters have gone to," Basil interrupted coldly.

Widening his eyes slightly in shock, Glenn stammered, "T-They have retreated into the Obelisk. We are p-planning to clear it soon, however..."

"However?"

"We don't have enough personnels." Glenn looked at Basil carefully.

Knowing what Glenn was actually suggesting about, Basil scoffed and walked past him. Glenn looked at his back in hesitance for a few seconds, before deciding to follow him.

The people in the camp parted to make a way for Basil, and whispered about what had actually happened. They had heard that his girlfriend had been kidnapped, so they wondered how Basil would react to it.

Basil, of course, could hear what they are talking about, but he didn't pay any mind to it. Contrary to what they believed, he wasn't blaming anyone for what had happened to Iliana.

He was merely pissed that what he had been trying to prevent had happened, and frustrated that he still couldn't think of a way to take Iliana back without involving anyone.

He, for sure, wouldn't be able to face against Goap by himself. Even with Ione's help, the two of them would not be enough to kill Goap.

The only way to rescue Iliana was to ask the help of more than two Seven Circle Mages, which was something Basil didn't want to do. Goap would definitely spout unnecessary things, which could risk exposing Iliana's true identity.

Basil didn't know any Seventh Circle Mage that he was sure didn't have any tie to the Church, which was why he was frustrated. He couldn't even guarantee if Lawson, who was close to Iliana, wouldn't snitch on them.

Although Iliana had depicted Lawson as someone trustworthy in her story, he knew that most of her story was a lie. He didn't dare to bet on Lawson, which made him feel slightly helpless.

Once the Church got the whiff of it, he, Iliana, and Ione would be forced to run away from Braxtein Kingdom. The outside world was still too dangerous for Basil, which means only doom would await them.

They could go to the village of the Pacifer, however instead of saving themselves, they would only drag the others to the grave with them. At that time, after all, everyone would be on their asses.

"You have come... Darn it, Basil. What took you so long?"

"... Whitney."

Basil had entered the tent where Whitney was being treated. He could see all of the students who attended Rehearsal Class there—all of them had a solemn and forlorn look.

Looking at the hole in Whitney's chest, he could immediately tell how long Whitney could survive. Immediately taking out a pill, he put it inside Whitney's mouth without saying anything.

"You look like a battered loser," Basil said with a hint of smile as he took a sit right beside the bed. "It is honestly surprising to see you like this. I have never expected you of all people to be reduced into this state."

"... First of all, thank you for the Catalyst." Whitney chuckled after swallowing down the whole pill. "As for why I am in this state, let's just say, your girlfriend has brought us some problem."

Whitney chuckled, meanwhile Basil scoffed. Whitney and the others weren't the only people Iliana had troubled; by being captured she had also troubled Basil.

Still, none of them minded it, because they knew Iliana had done what she had done, which had led to this point due to a good reason. She was, after all, still softhearted enough to risk her life for the people she didn't even know.

"I honestly can't make up of the situation... Everything happened too fast for us to properly register it—we don't even know how could what happened happen."

"Can you tell me what you can recall about the event?"

"Of course..."

Whitney started to recount about what they had gone through in the battlefield and Basil listened to it attentively. The others in the tent, although they also knew what had happened, let Whitney recount everything.

They noticed how more talkative Whitney had become, and it made them wonder whether his condition had gotten better or it was him spending the remaining life force he had.

Although he was already treated, it wasn't proper enough since the Healer who had treated him couldn't focus solely on him.

It brought tears to their eyes—even though they already knew this outcome—as they watched Whitney's presence slowly disappearing, even though he could still talk like he wasn't even injured.

"... You have to save her, Basil. I know—I am sure she is still alive. That prick seems want to do something with her, so he won't kill her ... Please, save her before the prick forces her to do something she doesn't want to do."

"I will."

Basil grasped Whitney's extended hand firmly and that made him smile delightfully. He had never thought the day he could act like buddies with Basil would come.

In the next moment, he felt the others' hands on his other hand. He chuckled at that, but also teared up slightly at the warmth he felt from his friends' hand.

"I can't see you bastards anymore, but I can feel your love. Darn it! Never thought I would say it."

Whitney's eyes got droopy. His hands got colder, and his voice became fainter.

"I came to this world without a family, but I leave with one. Everyone... Thank you for being my family."

"My blessing shall accompany you," Basil muttered faintly as he put his hand on Whitney's forehead.

The students of the Rehearsal Class teared up as soon as they heard Whitney's last breath, but Whitney himself was smiling. He had left the world in peace, knowing that he could entrust everything to Basil.