Why is he here? That's the question plaguing Pepper. Laser Marlin, the blue-robed mage boy he friended in Thirdrema, was nearly tossed into the crater by a Brookeslumber. Using boosted Agility and a one-shot neck slice with Neck Snap, Ladder Slash, and Vorpal Sword Art [Half Moon Sever], Pepper saved him. Now, he's at a loss for what to do.
"…Huh!? The Brookeslumber… wait, where am I?" Laser Marlin wakes, blinking at the clear sky and clouds, not Thirdrema's inn ceiling. Pepper, Aitouil, and Bilac peer at him.
"Morning, Laser Marlin. Lots to say and ask, but glad you're safe—oh, crap," Pepper cuts off, realizing he forgot to hide Aitouil in his cloak and disguise Bilac as a fur coat.
"Vorpal Bunnies!? And… stylish!?" Laser Marlin gapes at the rabbits. Pepper panics, bracing for trouble, but the boy's reaction takes an unexpected turn.
"W-Wow! So cute! Silky fur, fluffy paws, warm fuzziness, big sparkly eyes! This one's in Japanese style—a wandering rabbit with a kasa hat and kimono? And this one's Western, with overalls, a sarashi, and cool gloves! So cool-cute! HNGYAAAA!" Laser Marlin pets Aitouil and Bilac's heads, ears, and paws, shrieking with glee. Snapping out of it, he sees Pepper and the rabbits staring, mortified. His face turns crimson.
"I'm jumping into the crater!" he yells, bolting.
"Wait, don't!" Pepper grabs him.
"Value your life, kid!" Bilac shouts.
"No way, don't!" Aitouil pleads.
The trio restrains Laser Marlin from a shame-driven crater dive, creating a scene ripe for ridicule.
"I'm so sorry for that!" Laser Marlin bows deeply, calmed down. But why was he on this deadly climbing route?
"Why'd you take this path? You were swallowed whole by that pelican-ostrich," Pepper asks.
"Well… I saw you sprint from Thirdrema to Eiko Saisho's Dead Volcano Lake and start climbing. My sister told me about Brookeslumber's ecology, and I was curious…" Laser Marlin explains, revealing his interest in monster behavior, likely tailing Pepper to study them.
"And… uh…" He hesitates, then mumbles, "I wanted to feel what it's like to be prey, like a fish caught by a pelican…"
"…What?" Pepper's ears doubt themselves. Feeling like prey? Swimming could mimic a fish, but being eaten?
"Laser Marlin…?" Pepper probes.
"Um, nature's eat-or-be-eaten, right? Predators and prey keep it balanced. I want to understand animals from the prey's perspective too," Laser Marlin says, fidgeting. People often see only the end result—like packaged chicken—ignoring the process. He wants to know the drama of prey to better understand his beloved creatures.
"That's… deep," Pepper says.
"Really?" Laser Marlin blinks.
"Pioneers, NPCs, monsters—all have their own drama. Me, Bilac-san, Aitouil, and you too," Pepper says. Life is a battle until death, whether by combat or age. "Values differ. Your perspective might not be accepted, but don't care. Believe in yourself, stay true. That conviction becomes unbeatable strength."
Pepper rephrases a galge line where a female protagonist inspires a despairing male lead who lost faith after a betrayal. Her words—reworked by Pepper—reignite Laser Marlin's spirit.
"Thank you, Pepper-san!" he beams.
"No worries, keep it chill. What now? Stay, and Brookeslumber might grab you again," Pepper warns.
"Uh… can I… join you?" Laser Marlin mumbles.
Welcoming him, Pepper's party grows. "I'm Bilac, this drunkard's my sister Aitouil. Nice to meet ya," Bilac says. "With Pepper-han and Bilac-neesan, I'm Aitouil!" she adds. "Y-Yes, nice to meet you!" Laser Marlin stammers, biting his tongue again. The balanced party—mage, backpacker, lightweight wanderer rabbit, and heavy blacksmith rabbit—resumes searching the crater wall for the Gear Mechanism.
At the volcano's summit, the party circles the massive crater, seeking the mechanism. Aitouil scans with her monocular telescope, Bilac guards Laser Marlin, who cuddles her like a plush toy. "Pepper-san, what are you looking for?" he asks, cozy with Bilac's warmth.
Answering risks trouble. Revealing the rabbits and the flight gear's part could spiral. "Quest item on the crater wall. Collecting them triggers something big, but I don't know the full scope," Pepper says vaguely, adding, "And keep Bilac-san, Aitouil, and this item secret from everyone, including your sister. Promise that, and I'll let you pet them as long as you want. Deal?"
Negotiation balances mutual benefits. "I'm not a doll, Pepper-han!" Aitouil protests. "Not a showpiece!" Bilac snaps. "I'm so sorry! I'll pay any reward you want, just please, this once!" Pepper begs, dropping into a Japanese dogeza. Laser Marlin interrupts, "I… just want to talk normally with you, Pepper-san. Petting them is nice, but… talking with you is enough."
His pure wish washes over their jaded hearts like fresh laundry. "You're a good kid," Pepper says. "Pure-hearted," Aitouil adds. "I'd adopt him as a Vorpal Bunny," Bilac says. Overwhelmed, they pat his head, creating a warm moment at the crater. The search resumes.
Twenty minutes later, a third of the way around, Aitouil shouts, "Pepper-han, something's there!" Through her telescope, she spots a camouflaged brown staircase 2km ahead, leading to an unnatural outcrop. "Nice, Aitouil!" Bilac cheers. They rush to it—a crumbling staircase from ancient volcanic heat, beside a narrow, man-made ledge path along the wall.
"Use the stairs, you fall and die," Bilac says. "Only one way forward," Aitouil notes. "Careful, everyone," Pepper warns. Leading, he unequips his cloak, takes Aitouil's kasa, and edges along the ledge, checking for traps. Bilac, Aitouil, and Laser Marlin follow. "Watch the warped path ahead!" Pepper calls. Despite Bilac nearly slipping and Laser Marlin panicking in the wind, they reach the end—a square platform with a rusty rectangular door that suddenly speaks through a speaker-like mechanism.
"Zzzzt… Your sins… measured. The weight of killing… judgment falls…"
"What's that mean?" Aitouil asks. "I ain't done nothin' wrong!" Bilac protests. "I haven't hurt anyone!" Laser Marlin insists. Sensing a karma-based group wipe trap, Pepper hugs the trio, ready to climb the rusty stairs if needed.
But then: "Inner sins assessed… threshold cleared. Traps and final lock disengaged… Brave hero weaving wings, may your path be blessed…" The voice cuts off, the door opens, revealing a steel box like the one holding the Radiant Series. With a beep and white steam, it opens, containing seven white box-shaped units, each labeled in English for corresponding body parts.
Pepper stores them, checking the item details:
Rising Volks Gear: Controls energy circulation and flight for the Radiant Series's limbs, chest, and back. Channels power from the 'core' to protect the 'vessel,' manifesting giant wings from the back, feathers from limbs, and crystals from armor, guiding the wearer to the sky and beyond. But as the 'mechanism,' it won't awaken without the 'vessel' and 'soul.'
(Ugh, I got the Gear Mechanism with Laser Marlin here. So careless… my fault.) Regret won't change it. Then I'll bear it. To turn my vow to Weissash into reality, to become a true hero.
Pepper closes his eyes, then opens them, his gaze burning fiercely.
'The hero found the separated gear.' 'An unclouded soul sealed the collapse trap.' 'Special Quest: [With Whirlwinds in Body, Clad in Storms] progressed.'
Only the Soul Remains
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