1.
Luna’s first memory.
Her birth mother, who had abandoned her, once whispered to Luna in an emotionless voice.
– Please, don’t die and be happy, Luna.
Not dying.
And being happy.
The person who, despite abandoning her so irresponsibly, nonchalantly wished for something so terribly difficult.
Still, since she was her birth mother, Luna did her best to fulfill that wish.
Even in a place where there was no shelter, no food, not even water.
Creak!
…Crunch, Crackle.
Tearing into the corpse of a monstrous beast filled with malice, drinking its blood, chewing and swallowing its flesh.
– Guh…!! I, I don’t want to die…!!
Luna struggled desperately to fulfill the first wish of her birth mother.
She spent months like that, no, years, before she finally realized—
Even if she could somehow manage to stay alive, becoming happy…
-…That’s impossible.
It wasn’t because she had no place to sleep.
Nor because she had nothing to eat.
Nor even because she lacked drinking water.
Luna simply—
– No matter how hard I think, I don’t understand.
She didn’t know what happiness was, what the word truly meant, or how it felt.
That was why.
– …Hah.
Without realizing it, she gave up on living and continued tearing into the corpse of a special-type monstrous beast.
Subconsciously, she had noticed—
Ah, that demon beast is different from the others.
If I eat that beast’s corpse, then this wretched life will finally come to an end.
Her prediction was accurate.
The demonic energy from the special beast far exceeded the tolerance she had built up over time, and Luna, like the setting sun, slowly but surely began to die.
– Please, don’t die and be happy, Luna.
…No.
I’m tired of this.
As the adrenaline that had fueled her struggle started to fade and even the searing pain became dull—
For the first time in her life, freed from the agony of cold, heat, thirst, hunger, and countless other pains, Luna unknowingly let out a faint smile and murmured.
– …This is nice.
The orphans who wandered this <Ashen Wasteland> with her always said it was better to roll in the mud and stay alive, but—
– …At least you all had hope.
Some of them cried when their parents abandoned them.
Some whispered that they would come back to get them.
Some even knew ways to escape from here.
– …I never had anything like that.
No parents to return to.
No promise that someone would come back for me.
No way to escape from this place.
From the very beginning of her memory, she had been abandoned in this dark, ashen fog—
and had lived without even a speck of hope.
So—
– …I’m done now. I just want to rest.
That was her salvation.
…Ssshhh.
Luna finally closed her eyes.
While other children, facing death, wept sorrowfully as they carried their grief— strangely enough, Luna did not feel sad.
Because she had no hope.
No love,
No hope,
No light.
She had never once held those things in her hands,
so she simply accepted it.
– Guh…! Haa…!
As the malevolent demonic energy twisted inside her and even her last breath was about to fade away—
Luna unknowingly murmured.
– …Mom.
She didn’t know why.
Like the other orphans who had died before her, the word just slipped out of her mouth.
– …Ah.
Tears fell.
She still didn’t know the reason,
but she kept feeling sad.
She didn’t want this.
At least in her final moments, she wanted to leave with a bright smile.
But that was the end.
Twitch.
As the light faded from her emerald eyes and her already dim vision blurred completely—
Rustle.
A sound was heard.
A sound like something non-human, something devoid of emotion, stepping onto the ground.
Rustle, Rustle.
The footsteps gradually drew closer, and with her fading consciousness, Luna asked.
– …Mom?
Rustle.
The footsteps halted.
Perhaps it hadn’t been approaching her in the first place, for the figure merely turned its head to respond.
– …No. I’m not your parent.
A pale voice.
Of course.
This wretched world never granted her even a sliver of happiness.
Slip.
Just as Luna was about to completely abandon the faint hope she had unknowingly clung to—
Rustle, Rustle, Rustle.
The figure turned back toward her, lifted her up, and whispered.
– If you wish, I can become one.
Even her blood relatives had abandoned her.
So why would this person?
– …
There was no response.
No—there had been no question in the first place.
…Tighten.
A small, scarred hand clenched onto the figure’s collar.
That was Luna’s first encounter with Mother.
Mother, who brought Luna to Wandering Troupe – Loss, cared for her with meticulous attention.
Somehow, she purified the special demonic energy that had been suffocating Luna.
For the first time in her life, Luna was given proper food and clean water.
She was provided clothes made of fabric instead of monster hides and a warm place to sleep.
Of course, it was still an auction house where children were raised for sale—
a place so horrifying that ordinary people would recoil in terror.
But to Luna, it felt like heaven.
– Mom!
– …Luna.
It was only natural that Luna blindly followed Mother.
Even though—
Screeeech.
– …!!
– Don’t move.
– …Yes, Mom!
Mother scarred Luna’s face.
– Smile.
– Hic… Hic…!!
– I said, smile.
She forced her to smile while lifting her by the throat.
– One day, you’ll die too.
She whispered that there was no hope here, either.
Yet—
– Yes! I’ll listen to you, Mom!
Luna still loved her.
Because Luna didn’t even recognize that what Mother did to her was abuse.
Because it was Mother who had saved her from that horrifying life.
– That monster of a woman, Mother. She should’ve just stuck to mercenary work.
– Exactly. If it weren’t for her, we could’ve taken the orphans for free without worrying about any auctions or deals.
– Shh…! You idiots, she was one of the Great Ten…!! Say that and you’ll lose your heads…!!
Even though most of the audience who visited this place seemed to hate Mother, Luna clung to her even more because of it.
– Those annoying fat pigs. Ugh, don’t listen to them, Mom. You have Luna!
Because Mother was her mother.
Even if she had done something wrong, Luna never wanted to leave her side.
– …Why?
– Huh? What do you mean?
– Why do you keep staying by my side?
– Huh? Isn’t it obvious?
Luna tilted her head and answered.
– Because you’re my mom.
Because we’re family.
So, Mom.
– Until I get sold off or die, we have to stick together, okay? You understand?
I love you, Mom.
The girl smiled.
Unlike before, it was a genuine smile, drawn from the depths of her heart.
2.
She died.
Mom died.
Just a moment ago, she was right beside me.
And in the blink of an eye, she was gone.
I expected this.
Here, in the <Ashen Wasteland>, death came at any time, in any place.
Farewell was a friend.
I’ve already forgotten the name of your friend who just died, but I haven’t forgotten the name of parting.
I had already forgotten the names of the friends who had just died, but I never forgot the name of farewell.
No—
I couldn’t forget.
Just when I was about to, it would return and torment me all over again.
“Please….”
Just like now.
“Aaaaaah…!!!”
Luna, clutching Mother’s severed upper body, threw her head back and howled.
【Warning.】
【Member No. 4- <Luna> is going berserk due to the Zero Mask – <Mother (S-)>】
【<Ashen Mask> is resonating.】
As tears streamed from within the blackened <Ashen Mask>, the other approaching members, staggering toward her, also shed tears.
The Luna of this moment was the Luna of the past.
A child, consumed by Mother’s influence, who had forgotten the salvation she received from <Black Wolf>.
– Don’t resist, Luna.
– Why? If I don’t, it’ll hurt.
– It’s better to be in pain than to die.
– Okay, Mom!
A child who had swallowed endless suffering,
a child who carried a massive lump of grief in her heart.
And now—
believing that Mother was dead.
She had no reason to swallow suffering.
No reason to carry that grief.
Luna creaked as she turned her head toward the cause of all this.
“Die.”
Through the gaps of the <Ashen Mask>, her emerald eyes gleamed ominously.
A gaze filled with both sorrow and fury.
The other masked figures moved in response.
Crack, Crackle.
Han-Ryang instinctively loosened his body.
Swish!
Luna withdrew her hand from her pocket, scattering countless flesh puppets.
…Tap.
Dalan flicked the end of his sword’s hilt with his thumb.
Though restricted by the <Black Wolf> restraints.
The lingering thoughts of Mother had temporarily boosted their power.
Three S-rank monsters.
If Luna were included, that made four—
but she likely wouldn’t move herself.
Nahan observed the three figures staggering toward him, assessing the situation.
‘Mother’s mental realm has collapsed, causing the effects of the Black Veil to dissipate. Unlike inside the mental realm, I can’t maintain my maximum power.’
Then, what remained?
‘Artifacts. Solar Annihilation. Golden Battlefield.’
He had already used Solar Annihilation, but since he had absorbed its energy beforehand, he hadn’t suffered exhaustion and could use it once more.
With Iaso’s Necklace, the likelihood of a physical death was slim, and with Vulcanus’ Ring, most magic could be nullified.
‘Should I use the Sword Specter’s Necklace once more to suppress them with the Black Veil?’
But how?
The activation condition for the <Sword Specter’s Necklace> was physical contact with the target.
Earlier, it had worked because it counted as contact with Mother’s mental realm.
But with actual people, direct contact was required.
If he tried to touch those three now—?
‘I’ll either be in unbearable pain, or, if I do well, I’ll die.’
Right now, Luna was utterly convinced that I had killed Mother, and the other three shared that same belief.
Using Solar Annihilation would put the squad members in danger, and Golden Battlefield wasn’t an option since there were no allies nearby.
“…Ah, damn.”
“No… I don’t… want this.”
“……Rose.”
As the eerie presence of the three approaching S-rank monsters grew stronger, the rage that had boiled over from witnessing Mother’s atrocities instantly cooled.
‘…Should I just run?’
Escape as far as possible and live while hoping the others don’t die?
‘…Or maybe regroup with the remaining members and come back later?’
It was only a fleeting moment.
A brief instant of hesitation—so brief it barely lasted the time it took to blink.
And when I opened my eyes again—
“…….”
“…….”
“…….”
The three of them had already surrounded me, each aiming for my throat.
Han-Ryang’s fist.
Ruby’s flesh puppets.
Dalan’s rugged sword.
All of them were about to strike, putting their full force into tearing out my throat.
—Brother, please, live out my dream for me—
Shut up.
I’m not planning to just roll over and die.
“Iaso’s Ring heals its wielder as long as even a single thread of life remains.”
If that’s the case, then what if I channel everything except that one sliver of life into the Black Veil—?
It was a strategy I had only imagined but never dared to attempt.
As I was about to put it into action—
Boom!!
The three closest figures were suddenly struck by an overwhelming force, sent flying backward as a composed, unwavering voice sounded beside me.
“Apologies for being late, Captain.”
Brilliant silver hair.
Golden eyes.
A faint, composed smile.
Lactea Babylonia.
Like a platinum-forged, frigid blade—
the woman who stood by me and protected me.
“First, take this.”
Lactea handed me something resembling a bracelet, then turned away and added—
“I’ll take care of this quickly.”
And in the next moment—
Crunch!
In an instant, Lactea closed the distance and seized Luna by the throat, lifting her into the air as she whispered—
“I told you. If you disappoint the Captain one more time…”
I’ll kill all of you—
And then I’ll die, too.
