A Blade Fiend's Fathoms, part 1 (after battle)

... Haah. Hah.

Bamboo-hatted Kim kneeled and caught his breath. Something began to shimmer behind him.

This is a dungeon - A Mirror Dungeon of the Fathoms.

This is just like the Dingdong's Bar & Fryers, huh?

It's 'Eunbong's', Gregor. 'Eunbong's'...

…….

He has already entered the dungeon.

Haah... so we've got to follow the bloke, eh?

<Yeah... we were ordered to secure the Distortion as well. So...>

... An immense, heavy sensation emanates from within that space.

<That 'Monolith' has to be somewhere in there, too.>

... Let us follow.

While she was clearly dumbfounded by the turn of events, I could tell that she was determined to see this to the end. We had nothing more to add.

Advancing.

This is...

This place has taken the likeness of S Corp...

Not just anywhere in S Corp.

You call this place the 'fathoms of ego'...? It appears that mentor Bamboo-hatted Kim's memories are... affecting this place.

Is there aught from his past that you are aware of?

No... nothing in detail. I don't believe I have the right to divulge a depiction of his past based on hearsay, either.

... Mm.

Aeng-du continued in a morose tone.

When he appeared so suddenly at this building...

... I don't suppose he had much trouble cutting down the Kurokumo Clan henchmen.

I am certain he was flanked by competent men and women. It would not have mattered how many henchmen they threw against the mentor; nothing short of a Kurokumo Clan officer could have given him any trouble. In fact, I surmise that he would have been able to cut down a hundred of their men on his own.

But...

Not all those who accompanied master Bamboo-hatted Kim were as powerful as he. His capabilities lie far beyond our own.

His fellows must have fallen one by one before the endless onslaught of the Kurokumo Clan henchmen.

And... I cannot help but imagine that the sight must have reminded him of a rather tragic event in his past.

An unpleasant event that likely shook mentor Bamboo-hatted Kim to the core.

That alone fits numerous criteria that make it ripe for a manifestation of a Distortion. He was in a very receptive state to the Monolith's influences as well.

So that is how... the mentor became beholden to his blade. Like a fiend...

Yet... still... how could he...

We remained wordless and advanced as Aeng-du despondently muttered to herself.

It was all silent, save for the sound of our shoes lightly pressing into the soft soil beneath our feet.