"You’ve got to be kidding me..."
I was used to dying, but being killed by the Puppeteer was enough to leave me visibly shaken. I couldn't hide my agitation.
"How does Kanaria have the Puppeteer...?"
I didn't have an answer. But she had shown me, right before my eyes, that she was the one controlling it.
Who exactly was Holy Knight Kanaria? And why was she betraying the Hero?
If I investigated her, I might find a hint on how to return the Puppeteer to its human form. With that realization, I decided that my next move should be to probe into her background.
I set my resolve and began making my way toward her with detached, mechanical persistence.
◆
"Of all the people I had to run into first, it's you," Holy Knight Kanaria said, her voice dripping with dissatisfaction as soon as she spotted me. "You know this dungeon well, don't you? Fine then—guide me."
I had no intention of wasting time on pleasantries. I decided to cut straight to the point.
"Drop the act. I know you're a subordinate of the Demon King."
"—!"
Her expression twitched for a fraction of a second. However, she immediately forced her face back into a neutral mask and stood her ground.
"What nonsense is this? I have sworn my loyalty to the Hero. Such a thing is impossible."
So, she still intended to play dumb. Fine. I had plenty of other secrets to throw at her.
"The ring capable of resurrection. The Parasitic Sword: Puppeteer. I already have all the evidence I need."
"............"
Upon hearing my words, her eyes widened, and her expression went completely blank for a moment.
"Kuh-hee... fuh-hahahahaha!"
Then, she burst into an eerie, skin-crawling laugh.
"How does a creature like you know my secrets...?"
A chill ran down my spine. This was a side of Holy Knight Kanaria I had never seen—her true face, stripped of the polite facade.
"Answer me, Kanaria. Why were you given the Parasitic Sword: Puppeteer?"
"Because I received it from my Lord."
I suddenly remembered her saying the same thing about the resurrection ring.
"By 'Lord,' do you mean the Demon King?"
It was the only logical conclusion. She was working in the shadows to resurrect the Demon King and was planning to assassinate the Hero.
"Do not insult my Lord!"
She screamed with such sudden, violent rage that it left me momentarily stunned.
"Listen well. My Lord is an existence far more sublime than the Demon King! Comparing them is the height of presumption!"
I quickly organized her words in my head. Her master wasn't the Demon King? Then who was she working for?
"Who are you people?"
"I will tell you one thing. 'Chaosism'—that is the only word that defines us. I am merely one of the believers."
"Is 'Chaosism' the name of your organization?"
"Something like that."
The moment she finished speaking, she deployed the Parasitic Sword: Puppeteer. It was clear she had no intention of saying anything else.
Though I fought back against the Puppeteer’s relentless attacks, my resistance was futile. Once again, I died.
◆
It seemed Holy Knight Kanaria belonged to an organization called "Chaosism." Its leader was someone other than the Demon King, and that leader was the one who had granted her the Parasitic Sword: Puppeteer.
I had gathered that much from our conversation. I tried digging for more information across several more loops, but each attempt ended in failure. She wouldn't breathe a word of anything that truly mattered.
Regardless, my objective remained unchanged. I had to defeat Kanaria and stop the Demon King’s resurrection. Only after that could I reach Ageha and the Puppeteer.
With renewed determination, I stepped forward once more.
Trial Count: 120.
As I died over and over, I gradually began to formulate a counter-strategy against her.
First, I needed to re-evaluate which skill I should acquire in the room filled with Bugbears. I had been choosing Acceleration, but I decided to reconsider whether that was truly the optimal choice.
My status immediately after a Return by Death was as follows:
▽▽▽▽▽▽▽▽▽▽▽▽▽▽▽
Skill Points Held: 2430
<Save & Reset> No Concept of Levels
<Provocation Lv3> Remaining Skill Points Required for Level Up: 1000
<Swordsmanship Lv3> Remaining Skill Points Required for Level Up: 3000
<Covenant> No Concept of Levels
△△△△△△△△△△△△△△△
The most important detail was my 2430 Skill Points Held—a surprisingly large surplus. I must have accumulated so many because I had defeated the S-Rank Lumoahaze in the Kataroff Dungeon alongside Ageha.
If I selected Acceleration, the display looked like this:
▽▽▽▽▽▽▽▽▽▽▽▽▽▽▽
<Acceleration Lv1> Remaining Skill Points Required for Level Up: 50
△△△△△△△△△△△△△△△
I spent 50 points to level it up.
▽▽▽▽▽▽▽▽▽▽▽▽▽▽▽
<Acceleration Lv2> Remaining Skill Points Required for Level Up: 500
△△△△△△△△△△△△△△△
I still had plenty left, so I spent another 500.
▽▽▽▽▽▽▽▽▽▽▽▽▽▽▽
<Acceleration Lv3> Remaining Skill Points Required for Level Up: 5000
△△△△△△△△△△△△△△△
Since I couldn't afford the 5000-point cost for the next level, I was capped at Level 3. Even with this, I had challenged Kanaria multiple times and come close, but I always lost the moment the Puppeteer came into play.
I decided to look over the other available options again.
▽▽▽▽▽▽▽▽▽▽▽▽▽▽▽
Please select "one" skill you wish to acquire from the following:
S-Rank <Item Box> <Enhanced Recovery> <Enhanced Mana Recovery> <Chant Shortening> <Acceleration> <Stealth>
A-Rank <Healing Magic> <Barrier Magic> <Fire Magic> <Water Magic> <Wind Magic> <Earth Magic> <Alchemy> <Taming Magic> <Enhanced Memory>
B-Rank <Swordsmanship> <Archery> <Axemanship> <Spearmanship> <Shieldmanship> <Martial Arts> <Status Camouflage>
C-Rank <Physical Enhancement> <Presence Detection> <Mana Generation> <Fire Resistance> <Water Resistance> <Wind Resistance> <Earth Resistance> <Poison Resistance> <Paralysis Resistance> <Curse Resistance>
D-Rank <Appraisal> <Provocation> <Strength Enhancement> <Endurance Enhancement> <Agility Enhancement> <Vitality Enhancement> <Vision Enhancement> <Hearing Enhancement>
△△△△△△△△△△△△△△△
Magic skills were out because they required Mana Generation as a prerequisite. If I could pick two skills, I might have taken Mana Generation alongside a specific magic affinity, but I only had one choice.
I also ruled out non-combat skills like Enhanced Memory. That narrowed the list down significantly.
The real candidates were <Enhanced Recovery>, <Stealth>, <Physical Enhancement>, <Strength Enhancement>, <Agility Enhancement>, and <Vitality Enhancement>.
Now, which one was the answer...?
"Well, I might as well try them all."
After all, I had Save & Reset. If I failed, all I had to do was die and try again.