Rose, a girl full of mystery.
She always came and went like the wind. Each time she appeared suddenly, and when she left, it was with absolute decisiveness, without a trace of hesitation or lingering words.
To Tris, she was someone he both wanted to learn more about, because of her connection to that enigmatic god, and at the same time wanted nothing to do with, for he understood that someone as dangerous as her could easily bring endless trouble and complications.
Even without the complications, the sheer danger alone was enough to make anyone falter.
This was especially true for Tris, who had witnessed Rose's power firsthand, as well as what she did to her enemies.
After Rose's group departed, curiosity led Tris to send one of his clones toward the direction where the members of the Church of Light had fled earlier.
What he saw was a scene that could haunt the weak-hearted with nightmares for many nights, and even those with strong minds would shudder in fear and feel sick.
Countless dismembered corpses lay scattered across the ground. But it didn't end there. At that moment, a swarm of white spiders with red eyes was feasting upon the remains.
Though all shared the same color, their sizes varied. Some were as small as fingertips, most were about the size of a human palm, and a few were as large as an adult's arm span.
They crawled and swarmed, devouring flesh, organs, and bones with ease.
Tris was fairly certain that Rose's group had brought these spiders here.
After all, according to the information he had obtained from the Adventurers' Guild, this area had never recorded the existence of such creatures before.
Moreover, he couldn't help but notice the striking resemblance between the two white-haired girls who always accompanied Rose and the swarm of white spiders.
They shared the same impression of whiteness. In battle, their eyes glowed a vivid red. Their weapons were threads of silk. And most telling of all, both bore spider-like legs protruding from their backs.
Finally, there was the matter of the religion of the White God…
Knowing all this, Tris wanted nothing to do with the white spiders.
He only observed from afar before quickly leaving.
He even decided that if the Adventurers' Guild ever issued a sudden mission to hunt spiders, he would leave it to others and never take part himself.
* * * * * * * * * *
It was a forest that seemed devoid of any living creatures.
Every tree stood bare of leaves, twisted and blackened in grotesque shapes.
The ground held not a single flower or blade of grass, barren, cracked, and lifeless.
Above, rows of dark clouds blanketed the sky, casting the land below in perpetual gloom, even at midday.
Now, in the depth of night, everything sank further into a suffocating, dreadful blackness.
At the heart of the forest, an ancient castle rose in solitude, its presence stark and forlorn.
Built from dark gray stone, the castle blended seamlessly into the desolate surroundings.
Within, its master sat upon a throne of pale gray, placed in a vast hall.
Upon closer inspection, the throne was revealed to be constructed entirely from human bones, fitted together.
The castle's master appeared as an old man with silver hair and pallid, ghostly skin.
Though his face bore many wrinkles, his expression and gaze betrayed no weakness of age.
Standing two meters tall, seated upright upon the throne with piercing, luminous eyes, he looked down upon the three guests before him.
"Kaelvorn, why did you summon us here?"
The one who raised his voice was a bald man with a rough, ugly face, resembling that of a wild beast.
His body matched his visage perfectly—standing over two meters tall, his frame was packed with bulging muscles that could not be hidden even beneath a heavy cloak.
He looked every bit the image of a powerful warrior.
"To gather us all together—are you preparing for a war?"
The second voice belonged to a beautiful blonde woman with a tall, slender figure.
She wore a tight leather armor that accentuated her curves, reinforced with dark metal plates, giving her an appearance both alluring and dangerous.
Most striking were her long, pointed ears, green eyes, and pale grayish skin, clear signs that she was not human.
The third was a man with blazing golden eyes and long black hair tied neatly back.
Handsome and masculine, his bare upper body revealed well‑trained, solid muscles.
In addition to the pointed ears like the girl's, upon his head were a pair of long curved horns, and on his back spread a pair of large bat‑like wings, clear proof that he was not human.
In truth, his appearance was exactly what people imagined when they thought of the Demon race.
He leaned casually against a nearby pillar, silent, yet clearly sharing the same question as the other two.
Kaelvorn, the master of the castle, calmly answered the woman's question:
"Not a full‑scale war as you imagine, Erya."
Then he turned to the bald man and continued:
"As for a more precise answer to your question, Lord Zerathis, I require your participation in a special mission deep within the territory of the Kingdom of Eldoria."
The bald man named Zerathis immediately showed interest and asked again:
"In Eldoria, you say?"
Kaelvorn: "Our god has revealed that not only Solvaris, but many other deities are currently occupied with threats from beyond. Therefore, this may be a great opportunity, and perhaps the only one we will ever have. Of course, we cannot simply launch into a true war without any preparation. Thus, this mission is primarily for investigation and reconnaissance."
Zerathis: "What are the more specific details?"
Kaelvorn: "To construct a one‑way gate within Eldoria, allowing our forces easier passage."
Zerathis: "You realize such a thing would hardly last long under the enemy's overwhelming power, don't you?"
Kaelvorn: "Precisely why this is only reconnaissance. Moreover, our god will likely use this chance to act in some way. So all you need to do is give your utmost effort."
Zerathis: "And the number of participants in this mission?"
Kaelvorn: "The three of you, along with one of my own subordinates, will form the main force. Each of you may bring only a small group of followers. The reason should be clear—the temporary gates cannot withstand the passage of large numbers."
Zerathis nodded, then turned to the other two to make his proposal:
"Then I shall devise the plan and lead this mission. Erya, Nyxar, no objections?"
Erya: "That would be best."
The blonde woman answered immediately.
Nyxar: "I have no issue."
The dark‑haired man also voiced his agreement.
Both clearly understood that having Zerathis as leader was the wisest choice.
Zerathis turned back to Kaelvorn and asked:
"One last matter, where exactly will this mission take place?"
Kaelvorn: "In the city of Aldor, where the local leadership of the Church of Light has just been annihilated."