A Reincarnated Demon’s Life of Wonder

"Ehm, Alf? Mind if I ask what this ice sculpture is?" - Ciara

After we exited the gloomy prisons underneath the giant mansion, the first thing I noticed after getting my first breath of fresh air in the last few days was a bunch of armed, black-suited men (there must have been another Migrant visiting this place before me), knocked out and spread over the ground. And one stupid-looking ice cube in the middle of everything. Is that...

"Nothing to worry about. It's just a mafia boss that got iced." - Alf

"Riiiiiight..." - Ciara

There's got to be some backstory going on here. Or else there's no reasonable reason why Alf went all and above on this so-called "boss's" case. But, I'm a gal who knows not to ask difficult questions. Still, as a friend of this surprisingly cold-blooded vampire, there is one thing I need to ask him.

"Do you need some help getting your Karma back up? If you need help, then I can be a good girl." - Ciara

"My Karma Value? There's no need to worry about that. It capped thanks to this excursion." - Alf

"Hold on for a second there, cowboy. Did you say 'it capped'?" - Ciara

"Yes, it capped. For some reason, acting as a walking freezer putting villains on ice nets you enormous amounts of good Karma." - Alf

"Okay, I've decided. I'll never understand these Karma rules. I bet the gods must be fixing those stats." - Ciara

"I do not disagree with you. Performing an action that is practically fulfilling a lifetime-long grudge should not award you with an Extra Skill synonymous with good Karma." - Alf

Okay, it's busted. The Karma Value system, I mean. That mafia boss couldn't have been that bad of an egg..., could he? *Shudder*, now I'm GODDAMN HONESTLY glad Alf busted me out before those guys could do anything to me. There's a limit that even I won't cross, and believe me, I've seen and done my share of psycho stuff.

*Whistle*

Seemingly like he wanted to leave the thing about him being crowned a [Hero] aside for the moment, Alf whistled for something, or rather, someone who had been waiting for us outside the mansion. 

"Polaris! Who's a good bear, who's a good, meteor-living beddy-bear~?" - Ciara

It's the polar bear-like cosmic creature that one day crash-landed upon the Damavand's rooftop. Or so I've heard. This is a story from before I joined, but you BET I wished to be there to see it for myself!

From what I've been told, one day during the Damavand's earlier period, a massive meteorite fell from the sky, with the super bad luck of practically being a homing missile, er, meteorite, aimed at the Dungeon. Long story short, Iron parried that gigantic thing away from the underground labyrinth, and the day was saved.

Even to this day, I want them to reenact that scene. It's too impossible to believe without using my own two beautiful and artistic eyes to see it. Plus I want to draw an action manga with such a scene, but meteorites are in short supply. Speaking of which, it's incredible that one almost smashed the Damavand into pieces like that. It's nearly as if someone was manipulating the space rock to do so on purpose...

Weirdo conspiracy theories aside, the hunk of rock turned out to be more than just a valuable source of space metal that Flint loved to hammer on, the meteorite was also the apartment for a certain space bear. One that would later be known as Polaris. Yup, this giant fluff-fluff-ball right in front of me.

His current occupation is being the hunting dog, or hunting bear working under Alf, though it seems he's part-timing as a carriage horse.

Polaris has evolved during the last month and grown big enough to carry even Bermuda, an over-2-meter large walrus Beastkin easily, and it seems someone got the nice idea of making good use of Polaris' newly obtained size and muscle power and gave him a carriage as an evolution present. Rather, ain't this a primitive limo? This vehicle is too luxurious-looking to be placed in the same category as a common wagon. 

The inside of the car is just as impressive as the outside. It even looks like a modern limo! Except that the driver's seat is more of a coach's seat. Other than that, we have luxury seats, a minibar, and enough space to keep...around 20 people inside?! I'm smelling dimension manipulation shenanigans. Located in the back of the wagon, there's a trunk filled with rations and water, enough for a small army. Again, this stinks spatial expansion.

"Are you done taking a look at our ride? If so, then I want to leave. We have a schedule to keep." - Alf

"That's new. When did we ever get a timetable?" - Ciara

"Ever since our backs were forced to the wall. Get in, I'll tell you on the way." - Alf

Following Alf, I found myself a soft spot on the couch inside the limo carriage and plumped down. Ahh, this feels so wonderful after several days of only having the rocky cell floor to sit and lie down on~. 

The carriage took off the second Alf peeked out the window and ordered "Go." to Polaris. It seems like the grown-up bear cub doesn't need a couch. Or Alf had already told him where to go beforehand. Yeah, that sounds like our vegetarian vampire, alright. 

"So, what's the plan? Or a better question: is it true that everyone's been defeated while I was AWOL?" - Ciara

"Correct. As for the Damavand, it seems something troublesome escaped the Solomar battlefront and traveled toward the Sekarot Desert. Karnel messaged me before I went to rescue you and told me." - Alf

"Karnel did? And what is this 'troublesome' thing?" - Ciara

"I have no idea. What I do know is that whatever it is, it's supposedly the Demon King's hidden anti-Dungeon trump card. Considering the sudden disappearance of the Dungeon zones and the Dungeon Monsters, whatever it was, it got its fangs on the Damavand." - Alf

"Yikes. I don't want to be whoever has to clean up this mess." - Ciara

"Me too. As well as not having to be Garami's designated must-kill target after she hears about this." - Alf

Hey, buddy? You do know that's not even needed to be said out loud, right? 

"As for Bermuda, he, along with a group of the few combat-capable members of his Bermuda Sea-Slayer Fleet Company, went to inspect one of the 7 Myths areas and never returned." - Alf

"7 Myths? You mean one of the Treasure Towers?" - Ciara

These "7 Myths" are seven urban legend-like occult spots that can be found near Bervaudan. Strange stuff kept on happening there, causing the public to turn superstitious and not want to leave their city unless for a good reason. Then came Filyn with her Babel gang and solved all the mysteries.

Though, solved or not, that didn't make the Myth spots any less dangerous, and that was proved in this continent-wide coronation quest. Four of the seven spots turned out to be locations for Treasure Towers, each related to a different "Lord" working for the Demon King. 

One example is the "Death-End Reef", the place where the Darkness Tower stood. It used to be a spot of the sea that caused countless ships to go under, probably due to a certain devil's magical bad luck statue if the guy himself didn't have anything to do with it. 

"No, this is one of the three Myths that did not become Towers." - Alf

Oho? Here I guessed old Bermuda got lost inside another massive labyrinth like the one inside the..., you know what, never mind. If the Irritation Lord could cheat himself out of a Tower labyrinth (physically), then that big hunk of walrus muscles could easily do the same. 

"Why did he go there?" - Ciara

"That's what I, as well as the remaining members of the Sea-Slayer Fleet Company in this region, want to know. They said so word-for-word when they gave me this carriage so we could get around faster." - Alf

Aha. The Fleet Company is a guild that is more for trading than combat. If every combatant here got lost alongside their boss, the traders had no choice but to outsource the rescue mission to the nearest guy available. 

"Speaking of which, weren't you supposed to clear a Tower yourself? Am I the only one who's gotten any results this week?" - Ciara

"...That was not my fault. The Chaos Tower is flat-out impossible to clear by yourself. My work was to scout out the area, not risk my neck on an impossible assault..." - Alf

So says the vampire while making excuses with a troubled face. Now I'm wondering what makes this "Chaos Tower" so chaotic. 

"We're missing one last missing person," I reminded Alf to snap him out of his gloomy memories.

"You're referring to Revi. I haven't been able to contact her, but I've gathered information that she was seen close to another 7 Myth zone." - Alf

"Let me guess, another not-a-Tower spot?" - Ciara

"Congratulation. Remind me to buy you a teddy bear later." - Alf

Now I understand why Alf has this look that suggests he's having the headache of a lifetime. Two of our best aces lost to some unrelated incidents. 

"So, out of the four groups who aimed to get a Treasure back home, only sweet little Ciara here managed to get back the goods." - Ciara

"And Ciara gets a full score. Seeing as Filyn's bound to massacre us all if we do not salvage this situation, I've prepared...THIS!" - Alf

Alf hit the roof of the carriage, causing a large whiteboard to drop down. On it, Alf quickly wrote a crude map of the Invidia Marshland before marking 7 spots on it. 

"Ah, that's the locations for the 7 Myths." - Ciara

"Bingo. And here is..." - Alf

Alf then started numbering each area, starting by adding the number 0 at one of the two locations by the ocean...ah. 

"Don't tell me..." - Ciara

"Correct. To save our necks from Filyn's fury, I hereby declare that the grand Marshland Myth Tour has started!" - Alf

Even while making the grand declaration, Alf continued scribbling on the whiteboard. On Myth spots #0, 2, 4, and 6, he added the drawing of a tower plus a mark that I guess represents each tower's attribute. On the 3rd and 5th spots respectively, he added a witch hat and a walrus drawing. 

"This is also our path to survival. We're going to travel to all 7 Myth, do some myth-busting, and gather all the treasures hidden there!" - Alf

"Yay~. Just one problem. There are only three treasures left. When did you turn into an overachiever, Alf?" - Ciara

"As if. There's a massive problem regarding these towers." - Alf

"There is?" - Ciara

"Yes, there is. Ciara, you cleared your Tower by riding on the Irritation Lord's coattail. Do you think you could do the same all on your own?" - Alf

Hmm, if I had to travel through that brain-wreaking labyrinth, then having to face the Tower's guardian...

"Nope. That would be too much of a pain. It's not impossible, but it would take more than a week." - Ciara

"Figured you would say that. I was thinking along the same lines, hence why I made this travel plan so we could gather allies to help with taking down each tower." - Alf

"Allies? ...Aha~." - Ciara

Now I'm starting to think like an Alf. Use one half of a day to clear a Myth where one of our allies is trapped, then have them help us take down the Tower during nighttime. 

"And we have enough medicine and potions to keep everyone in top shape? Because, if they've been gone for several days now, it's a miracle if they're still alive." - Ciara

"They better be, or else we're walking on the edge of the Grim Reaper's scythe." - Alf

Ugh, true. Filyn would be like hell itself if one of her four heavenly kings got off-ed here. And don't get me started on Garami's reactions regarding Revi. Rather, I don't want to start on that at all. It's too terrifying...

"Let's wait and hope then. But for now, why are we heading to this Myth spot close to the city?" - Ciara

I pointed at spot #1 on Alf's map. It's neither a Treasure Tower nor is it where Revi or Bermuda disappeared. 

"Let's just say I'm cashing in a favor from some old friends." - Alf

"Old friends? I thought you were a loner!" - Ciara

"Who are you calling a loner?! I had some pals, even from before I joined the Voyagers, just so you know! But no, those guys would be useless in this...and virtually any case." - Alf

"Figures. Then, are we talking about those sexy twins that got the hots for you, you ladykiller~?" - Ciara

Those Yuki-Onna and Higoromo-Onna youkai twins got conquered by Alf during that tournament thingy on Luxuria~. They even sailed to the Marshlands to be of his help. This lazy bum of a bloodsucker has some unexpected talents. 

"Are you talking about Yumi and Tenka? I've already asked them to do something for me. We won't be able to get help from them until we reach that point" - Alf

"Tch~. I wanted to have some girls talk with those two. Female youkais in kimonos are so pictuirsc. In that case... who are we helping?" - Ciara

"Someone from before you joined the Guild. Let's just say we're going to be so busy that even a cat's help will be worth a lot." - Alf

...? A cat? Did the Sakarikka twins teach him something weird? At the speed Polaris keeps, I'll know the answer in a few minutes. Cat, cat... Seriously, why a cat???

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