Last Shelter Online

For the first time, Hiro witnessed how the player killers people were secretly talking about worked first-hand. He truly didn't expect that they would not only kill players outside the safe zone, but also kill players in the safe zone and manipulate the system by bringing them outside the arena just before they died.

A cruel action he never imagined would be done in a game world.

"We have to go back before Cara looks for us." Jacob pulled Hiro to get away from the dwarf crowd. Looking at his behavior, Jacob seemed to be uncomfortable with the sight he just saw. His face had turned pale.

"You all right?" Hiro asked to make sure.

"You bet, bro. This isn't the first time I saw them execute someone." Jacob looked nauseous.

Hiro didn't want to continue the conversation that made his friend uncomfortable. Even though he had more things he wanted to say, he remained silent and kept them all to himself. He still couldn't believe it.

Besides, why were there no other players who tried to become an executor of those fanatic player killers? It was as if no one was more powerful than them.

What about the Immortal Knights and the members of elite guilds like Exalted? Did they choose to stay quiet?

Hiro wanted to investigate the matter further, but he had to focus on his first plan for the time being.

At the previous place, Cara and Wheelie were waiting for them with a frown.

"Where've you two been?" Cara was clearly unhappy.

"A PK happened, those player killers," Jacob answered in whispers.

Hiro glanced at Cara and Wheelie. The two deeply sighed when they heard Jacob's words, but they chose not to discuss it any further.

This made Hiro feel stranger. Cara and Wheelie seemed to know about the matter well, but why were they avoiding getting involved and commenting on it?

[Jacob has joined the party]

[Cara has joined the party]

[Wheelie has joined the party]

"All right, now we just need an elf." Hiro thought about it for a bit, but he still didn't know who to invite.

"Why don't you invite your boyfriend?" Cara nonchalantly asked.

Cara's abrupt comment caught Hiro and Jacob off-guard. Hiro's eyes widened as he looked at her, and Jacob quickly looked at Hiro with wide eyes.

"B-Boyfriend?" Hiro repeated. He looked at Cara to confirm, but the girl still had the same calm expression on her face.

——He heard wrong, right?

"Bro, you have a boyfriend? So you've been bi this whole time?" Jacob easily believed Cara's words.

"Wait, huh? No, are you kidding me!?"

Cara tilted her head and let out a long sigh.

"Ahh, I thought he was your boyfriend. I'm usually right when it comes to guessing people's thoughts. You know, when he looks at you, I felt something different," Cara explained her theory about Hiro's 'boyfriend'.

But it only confused Hiro and Jacob even more.

"Who are you talking about?"

Just what is in this girl's head??

"Hm? That powerful magician, Noah, of course."

"..."

The atmosphere became even stranger.

"Huh!? That damn magician is not his boyfriend. Never, I will never let him date my bro!" Jacob vigorously denied, emphasizing the word 'never'.

Even Jacob, who previously believed her, instantly brushed off the thought of Hiro secretly having a boyfriend when he heard who it was.

"What a possessive friend," Cara indistinctly mumbled.

"Ahem, let's get back on topic. I think you're right, Cara. I'll try to ask him."

Hiro regretted only remembering about Noah now. After witnessing how he defeated the magician from Ace's party at that time, Hiro truly felt that he had to pull Noah to his side.

He called Noah through a direct call, and it connected almost immediately. The mage picked up his call really fast.

…

Hiro explained what he needed and what he could offer in return, doing the same thing he did to get Cara to agree. However, Noah proved to be much, much more difficult to get compared to the rogue.

It was only after arguing in the call for over 10 minutes that Hiro finally got him to agree. But before that, he had to make an oath.

…

Hiro and the others headed to the location coordinates marked on the map following the quest he received. The coordinates brought the four to Eternity Kingdom far south. In the area was a very vast forest with only narrow gaps between the trees, but this wasn't the main forest mentioned in the tale.

Noah finally arrived. This time, he was wearing a very promising robe, a robe with metal armor on vital parts.

"Since when are you interested in bright colors?" Jacob's brows furrowed when he saw Noah's new look.

He looked like a sacred white magician in that new robe.

"Don't comment on my fashion when you're only wearing that ugly armor, noobie knight."

Hiro knew that this would happen. The two seriously couldn't get along.

"All right, we're all here now," he tried to mediate.

Noah looked at Cara and Wheelie through the sharp corner of his eyes before snorting in disinterest. Wheelie, who was meeting him for the first time, seemed bashful as she hid behind Cara.

"Who's that handsome prince?" the dwarf lady couldn't hide her interest.

"He's gay. Trust me," Cara whispered.

She only intended to tell her friend, but everyone heard it, including Noah.

"Hey! What the hell are you talking about, gothic girl!?"

"Stop it, all of you. Let's not waste time."

Fortunately, Hiro prevented the fight that was about to occur between the mage and the rogue.

"My request first, NightFall." Noah stretched out his right hand to Hiro.

In the previous call, Noah said something about a magic spell he recently bought from someone in the marketplace, a magic spell categorized as lost magic.

[Bloodchain Vow].

Hiro stretched out his right hand and held Noah's right hand, and Noah also did the same.

""What are you doing?"" Cara and Jacob simultaneously asked.

The three only stood as spectators this time.

"I, Noah, swear to help NightFall to complete the special quest [A Dragon and the Seven Dwarves]. Your turn, NightFall."

"I, NightFall, swear to give Noah a rare item he wants if the rare item drops from the special quest [A Dragon and the Seven Dwarves]." Hiro imitated Noah.

The next second, a smile formed on Noah's face. His jaws hardened and his lips began moving to chant a spell.

"Bloodchain, I call you to be the witness of this vow."

Crack!

Scritch!

Chains covered in fresh, dripping blood suddenly came out of Noah's right hand. The chains continued to become longer as they moved to coil themselves around the two hands connected by the oath before drilling into Hiro's hand.

"Ack!" Hiro winced. It was excruciatingly painful. He almost let go of his hand, but the chains didn't allow it.

Hiro glanced at Noah, who was also grimacing while enduring the pain.

Ding!

[You have been bound to the lost magic Bloodchain]

[If you break your vow, you will become a prisoner of the darkness.]