"May the blessings of the Goddess be with you."

The dirty boy bowed to a man who was trembling with anger and his face was flushed.

"A mere heretic should put the name of the goddess on his lips, and heretics, foreigners, beggars, and vagabonds will disappear from this village!"

The boy put the sharp words behind him and ran to his parents.

Large and small stones flying from a distance smashed on his body, bouncing in all directions.

"Father, will those people also be blessed by the goddess?"

The boy asked, rubbing his bruised arm.

"Of course, the goddess is merciful, and no matter who it is, the goddess will give endless love and forgive them for what they have done."

"But Mother, I only helped the poor people according to the teachings of the Goddess. But why don't they even say a word of thanks, but instead scold us? ”

The mother gently stroked her son's swollen cheek.

"Gray, did the Goddess ask us of anything when she died for us?"

"No ......"

"Don't think about gains and losses, have a heart to give, and most importantly, have a heart to help others, as long as you convey sincere love to others, this world will eventually usher in a world of Erin without pain and sorrow. This is the love and devotion that the Goddess has for us. ”

"But ......"

The boy pursed his lips.

"But...... I'm still angry when I'm hit by a rock! ”

"Huhu, you'll understand someday in the future, come, come, kid."

The teenager's parents smiled and carefully brushed the dust off the teenager's body. Seeing that his parents cared so much about him, the boy scratched the back of his head in embarrassment.

Gray's "family" is a wandering practitioner on the continent, and the members of the "family" are of different ages, origins, and skin colors, because this family is a peaceful group of people who share the same belief in the will of the goddess.

Although they are not related by blood, they regard each other as real "relatives", and support each other in the journey with no end in sight. Although they were poorly dressed and could never have attained wealth, there was still happiness and tranquility among them.

Gray's parents were also practitioners, and they often blessed everyone in the world with a warm smile. Even if their hard-earned food is spilled and they are scolded for helping others, they still don't care.

They are such a group of kind guys.

Gray is proud to have been born here and loves this "big family" deeply. He has been learning from these practitioners in his family and wants to become a practitioner who truly thinks about the world like them. Whenever the sun goes down, Gray and his family sit in front of the campfire and listen to the stories of the wise old man.

"The goddess of mercy loves the world and feels that humans are pitiful, so she sacrifices everything she has and seals the source of fear, the 'demon god'. Therefore, we can laugh and weep and live each day in peace under the mercy of the Goddess. ”

Young Gray sat upright and listened to these seemingly incomprehensible stories, and although it was hard work, Gray was still immersed in listening to the stories of the goddess and enjoying the time with the family members.

"But there are still many people in this world who are in deep pain, who endure the pain and hunger of war, who are covered with fear, who do not feel the love and compassion of the Goddess. Therefore, we must pass on the grace of the Goddess, sacrifice ourselves, and care for others! ”

"Allowing other people in this land to understand the love of the Goddess and enjoy peace and happiness in the 'Erin World' is our mission and belief, and it is why we practice endless practice. Don't forget that the goddess is with us, and we must also love everything in the world with the will of the goddess, all the time, without forgetting the original intention. ”

After telling this story, the elder closed his eyes, and the other practitioners began to meditate.

Gray also thought back to the events of the day, and the invective that surrounded his ears made the black blue on his arm tingle. But in fact, Gray's anger could not be calmed down for a long time, but he thought that as long as the love of the goddess could make the world more peaceful and happy, then the boy felt that it was not impossible to forgive those who threw stones.

"Hee-hee, it doesn't seem to be that hard!"

Gray seemed to see the goddess's warm smile in the darkness.

"The goddess must be proud of my idea!" When Gray thought about this, he unconsciously felt very fulfilled in his heart.

"Boy, what do you say it's not difficult?"

"Oops!"

Gray hurriedly closed his mouth and opened his eyes, and at some point, the practitioners sitting around meditating had already opened their eyes and looked at him.

Recalling the face of the goddess that appeared in front of him just now, it turned out to be his mother's smile, and Gray, who was flushed, lowered his head and whispered.

"No, nothing!"

The quiet time of meditation was brought by Gray's inexplicable words, and the elder grandfather, parents, and other members all laughed heartily, and the young Gray, who was infected by the laughter, also laughed with everyone, and with the laughter, the smoke from the courtyard campfire drifted into the distance with the ominous wind.

In the shadows of the woods, in contrast to the light of the campfire, was a group of people watching the large family from the depths of darkness, silently gazing at the crowd gathered in the courtyard like prey-hunting beasts.

Not knowing what they were waiting for, they leaned down slightly, as if waiting for an opportunity.

Whew, whew!

Gray, who heard the strange sound, instantly raised his head, but the boundary between the sky and the ground seemed to be confused, and it was so deep in darkness that Gray couldn't see it clearly.

"Did I hear me wrong?"

Gray rubbed his eyes and looked around, but didn't see anything. Relieved, Gray lowered his head and clutched the wooden statue of the goddess. Although it is not exquisite, there is a bit of a god-like statue of the goddess that he carved himself, and after completing the proud work, Gray is proud of himself, and the soul of art is radiated.

Afterwards, Gray sneaked out of the courtyard while everyone was not looking.

Boom, boom, boom......

The harsh voice reached Gray's ears again, as if something would jump out in the next second, and Gray turned his head sharply to the source of the sound in an eerie atmosphere.

Not far from the campfire, a figure slowly emerged, a black figure as motionless as a stone statue among the grass stirred by the bleak evening breeze.

Gray felt like a young mouse shivering in front of a beast, and for some reason, he felt as if the shadow was peeking at him, because he could feel a sharp gaze in the shadows, looking at him alone from beginning to end.

He cleaned up the clutter around him and slowly stood up.

"We need to get back to everyone as soon as possible."

The hand holding the little idol trembled with fear.

Gray was sure that the moment he moved his steps, the figure would pounce on him, and there was a thick tension between Gray standing in a strange position and the black figure.

"It's now!"

Gray began to run with all his strength, and almost at the same time, the figure was chasing Gray with terrifying speed.

In the darkness where there was no light in sight, Gray and the unknown figure launched a life-and-death pursuit, and the pursued Gray began to breathe rapidly, and his heart was about to jump out.

Although the distance has been reduced to the point where you can reach it with your hand, the black figure seems to be playing a game, maintaining a chilling distance and following closely.

The belief that "I want to go back to my family soon" prompted Gray to speed up his already tired pace, but soon, Gray thought of a tragic situation that was very likely.

"If I go back now, this man will kill them all."

That's right.

Even if Gray returned to the group, none of them would be able to compete with this man, but the mysterious guest he had attracted would kill them all.

What about that......

"In that case...... As long as I die alone, it's fine. ”

The kind smiles of parents and family members come to mind.

Gray held the statue of the goddess drenched in cold sweat in one hand, and a small but sharp knife in the other.

"Goddess, please give me courage."

Gray stopped running, and at the same time, the black figure suddenly stopped.

The two men entered a long silence. Suddenly, Gray took the initiative to pounce on the figure, and Gray, who struggled to jump into the air, stabbed the black figure in the back with a knife.

But the figure that suddenly disappeared from front of him appeared behind him at some point, and kicked Gray in the back with little effort, and Gray collapsed forward weakly.

The only memory before losing consciousness is the huge sack and his struggle.

Gray screamed as he opened his eyes, sore as if he had been beaten with a stick.

Gray tried to stand up, but felt pain in his ankle and heard the sound of chains dragging on the ground. A chill seeped through the stone floor into the soles of his feet, and Gray struggled to brace himself up, recalling his last memories before fainting, that he should have been kidnapped here by the Black Shadow.

Suddenly, a family of cultivators came to his mind. But it is still impossible to tell whether he is the only one who has been taken captive or whether the entire family has been taken captive.

"Please, I hope they're safe." Gray pleaded inwardly.

Determined not to wait for death, Gray got up from where he was and looked around his captivity.

The dim light looms an unknown sign, creating a strange atmosphere where there are no windows or gaps in sight except for a large iron door.

This perfectly sealed room is so dark that it is reminiscent of a thug or a beast being held here.

Gray dragged the chain around his ankle and began to climb up the rusty iron door to get out, but soon he tripped over the chain.

At this moment, the closed iron door slowly opened, and three people wearing masks appeared silently at the door, all of them hiding their true colors with strange masks and dark costumes.

Standing side by side with three people in the same attire, one can't help but give the illusion that these people are not human, but doppelgangers derived from the same person.

The wind made the veil flutter, and Gray could see the corners of their mouths through the cracks, proving that they weren't ghosts or shadows.

Gray remembered that the black figure he had encountered earlier was also wearing a mask, and it was exactly the same as the mask of the person in front of him.

While still thinking, one of these people slowly walked towards Gray.

"Don't be afraid, you're just chosen."

The strange man circled around Gray, carefully observing his body, hands and feet.

"Hmph, it's the best of the resources brought today, it's really a rare strong body, and it will definitely be a good weapon."

Gray was wary and hostile to the man in front of him.

"What's your name? Don't be afraid, answer me. ”

“……”

"I am the 'guide' who can lead you to other paths, and these people sent next to me are the 'heralds', so let me ask you again, what is your name?"

Gray still didn't answer.

"Hmph, that's good!"

The facilitator took a step back with interest.

"From now on you will be separated from the miserable inferior civilians and will be reborn as a strong, beautiful, loyal being, just follow me well, and I will guide you to the right path and live together like a family."

The villain who had separated himself from his family had uttered the word family, and Gray was furious from the depths of his heart.

He was determined not to give in to these people.

"Then, let me ask again, what's your name?"

"I'm not going to answer, absolutely."

In an instant, the guide slapped Gray's cheek, and Gray, who was in a trance due to the powerful impact, felt the pain as if he were dead.

The blood flowing from Gray's cracked mouth smelled salty, and under the influence of the smell of blood, Gray felt fear.

If you don't answer next time, it may not just be your hand, maybe it's the knife that the guide hangs on his waist.

But he also felt that if he took a step back here, he would never be able to leave here.

Gray regained his will and looked up, his eyes burning with anger and resistance.

A loud voice resounded through the room and questioned Gray.

"Answer me, what's your name?"

“.......”

The guide nodded, and the herald standing next to him quickly tied up Gray.

Gray struggled desperately, but it was in vain to try with the adults.

"Ordinary resources can't withstand this all the time because fear has been planted in their spiritual roots. In order to be freed from their suffering, they gave up resistance from the beginning and began to give in. Those wastes... It's too easy and worthless. ”

He nodded, and the heralds pressed Gray down forcefully.

Gray resisted desperately in order not to let himself kneel.

"You are indeed different from other resources, and you have a strong will that is in line with the highest level weapons."

The facilitator slowly approached Gray, who was kneeling.

Gray could tell through the mask that he was smiling.

"It may not be easy to educate you, but I'm sure you'll be able to adapt quickly."

He held Gray down the head and put something on him.

He then pulled a small bottle out of his bosom and poured the liquid into Gray's nostrils.

The small body that struggled slowly became sluggish.

"Well, answer me now."

He asked Gray in a higher voice, who looked like he was out of focus.

"What's your name?"

"I... I am... Gray...."

The guide patted Gray on the shoulder with satisfaction.

"Then let it all begin, Gray."

From this day on, Gray underwent intense education and physical training every day under the watchful eye of the facilitators.

All of this is done to turn him into a "human weapon" who obeys all orders.

Gray's captives are an assassination organization that captures poor people or orphans who have lost their parents, and retrains them into the best human weapons at killing.

These weapons are then commissioned by assassination services or rented by others, and the "guides" accumulate vast assets from them.

The assassination organization is like forging steel, guiding Gray to the limits of the flesh day and night, repeatedly disintegrating the mind through drugs and brainwashing.

It didn't take long for Gray's body to be fully grown, but under the constant torture, Gray also had unexpectedly powerful powers.

Even with his excellent physical fitness, his strength grows much faster than other "resources".

However, contrary to his growing physical body, his spirit was becoming more and more sluggish.

The daily overdose of drugs that Gray was pouring into him was erasing his memories, personality and emotions, as well as his dreams for the future.

As a filling of vacancies, these places have been filled with loyalty, obedience, a thirst for violence, and impulses.

Like a skilled craftsman making pottery, the guide starts from the weakest place, slowly brainwashing and rebuilding Gray, all in order to make the best and most ruthless weapon in the world, "Gray".

In the process, Gray fought and fought with all his might.

In order not to allow himself to be corrupted by darkness and violence, he did everything to resist.

In order to make the real "Gray" exist in the world, he worked hard.

In the will that will never give in, a fragment of memory that has long been worn out cannot be forgotten and dare not be forgotten.

"At times like these, remember that the love of the Goddess is always with you."

I don't remember who said it, but in the depths of the mire with no end in sight, someone gently told Gray that he was with you, and this sentence produced great comfort in Gray's tired heart.

In every painful moment, Gray eagerly recalls this memory.

Of course, the more Gray struggled, the closer the drugs and the beliefs he was forced to accept became.

For the sake of loyalty and obedience without a breakthrough, the Guides abuse Gray even more viciously.

Just like that, under the fierce confrontation between the guide and Gray, finally one day, the teenager accidentally seized the opportunity to escape.

Although it is not known what the cause is, after the pain in the brain, Gray can be temporarily detached from the brainwashed state.

Soon to return to his family, he dodged his pursuers and headed straight for the caliber of the exit, illuminated by hope.

Miraculously, he was about to reach the exit when he stopped.

He didn't know where to start, he couldn't remember where he should go back, and he couldn't recall what his family members looked like.

Although the freedom he had been longing for was not far ahead, he couldn't remember where he had returned, and Gray's will was completely shattered.

Standing silently at the exit like this, he was finally caught by the guide.

A deeper, more endless abyss awaits him ahead.

After failing to escape, the Guides use more vicious torture to bring Gray to his knees.

Gray's body and mind are shattered to the point of decentness, and he is only one step away from falling apart, and the Guide's plan is about to be completed!

In this way, the originally kind-hearted Gray was imprisoned in the depths of darkness and truly became a more powerful and perfect human weapon.

......

On a rainy day, a luxurious carriage was galloping along the forest road.

"Summoning us suddenly in such weather, no matter how much you look down on us, can't you? His fickleness has exhausted me. ”

"Shhh Affected by the momentary thoughts, it is not only you and me who will enter the coffin at that time. ”

"Without me, he would have gained nothing. Don't worry too much, everything goes according to plan, right? ”

Bang dang!

The running carriage came to a sudden stop.

"Really, what's going on out there? ”

"I'll go out and have a look."

One of them opened the door and moved outside.

The man who remained behind looked around cautiously with an uneasy gaze.

At this moment, a black afterimage suddenly passed outside the window.

Then came the sound of a heavy object falling to the ground

"Out of ...... Something's wrong!"

The man hurriedly rolled out of the car with his sword in hand.

Two corpses, still warm and unclosed, were lying next to the carriage.

In the sticky and humid air, the cold murderous aura spread, and the man's arms were pimpled, and the cold hairs stood on end.

"Who attacked us!"

The man looked around.

In the thick rain, a tall figure was staring at him.

Under the sense of crisis that oppressed his whole body, his breathing gradually became rapid.

If you accidentally turn your back towards this person, then the time of death will come instantly, and the man instinctively feels it.

He bit his lip and held his sword to the shadow in front of him. However, the end of the sword trembled in despair. Constantly swallowing dry saliva, waiting for the last opportunity.

Suddenly, the movement of the "shadows" became very strange.

The man suddenly held his head with one hand and knelt on the ground.

Screaming in pain, the sound of gasping for breath was clearly heard by the man in fear.

"It's an opportunity!"

Thinking that he had seized his chance, he began to flee like a madman in order to escape from the shadow of death.

"Hah...... Hahaha. How naïve! It's naïve to think that you can kill me with that kind of goods! ”

The man laughed maniacally and shook his head at the empty air.

So much so that he didn't realize that his favorite clothes were stained by the rain and mud, and the man staggered all the way, running as best he could.

The embarrassed man finally broke away from the forest path, and not far away was the gate into the town, and if he walked a little further, he might be able to ask for anyone's help.

Finally survived! After calming his nervous heart for a while, he let out a cheer.

"Aha! Ugh!"

At some point, the long blade that flew from his back nailed deep into his body.

The bright smile had not yet froze, and the man had already collapsed weakly.

As if to make a final confirmation, the black shadow approached the fallen target, still holding his head with one hand.

The dying man wanted to see the killer clearly, and he squeezed out the last of his strength and turned his head towards the shadow.

From the killer's fingers covering his face, you can see the eyes full of murderous intent.

But his eyes were more hollow than his dying self.

"Assassins....why... Who is it..."

The man gasped and asked pointless questions.

The shadow didn't answer, just withdrew his sword blade into his hand.

From the moment of gloom to clearing, the sun shone dimly through the clouds.

As if evaporated by the heat, the shadow had disappeared without a trace.

All that was left was the stiff corpse of the man who had been here long ago, buried in leaves and dry earth, and appeared in the grass swaying in the breeze.

"I'm satisfied, there's no doubt about it, it's a great weapon indeed."

The richly dressed client walked around the room with a satisfied expression.

In the corner of the house, where the light does not shine, there is a "weapon" that deliberately hides the body in the dark.

"But I don't know when this terrible blade will be facing me, is it?"

Under the client's questioning, the usher, armed with a black robe, bowed his head and replied in a respectful posture.

"Don't think of us as an organization enslaved only by money, although we exchange blood for money, we also know what honor and loyalty are."

"Haha, don't think so negatively, I just want to praise your strongest blade, then please leave it to you in the future."

"There is no doubt that you must trust us in the future. ”

"Have your men remove the paid cabinets." The client turned around and said.

The guide, who confirmed that the cabinet was full of money, turned his gaze to the black shadow standing in place.

"I've worked hard for you today, the strongest blade I forged with my own hands, it's time to reward you."

The guide looked proudly at his work and stomped the chains to the weapon's hands.

"Then go back to your room."

Walking through the long, complicated passages, Gray returned to his room.

Over the course of time, Gray has completed numerous assassination attempts, but even then, the room where he was taken captive has not changed at all.

When Gray sat down, the heralds hurriedly grabbed his feet.

Without the slightest resistance, Gray's unfocused eyes are at the mercy of others, reminiscent of a marionette with a broken string.

The guide slowly poured the drug into Gray's mouth as he muttered the words, as if to instill the information into his mind along with the medicine.

"My father abandoned me four times, and the secret of eternal life is buried in endless darkness."

"The flower on the other side knows where death comes from."

"So who are you?"

"I'm obsessed with the dead who have passed away four times."

"What is your duty?"

"I'm just a shadow, and it's my duty to obey orders."

"What do you want to do?"

"Obedience, eternal obedience."

Gray replied skilfully without pause.

The contented guide gently lifted his chin.

"Well done, it's about to burn incense, you can rest like this first."

With the sound of the iron door closing, Gray lowered his head. I don't want to expose my inner struggle to the guide, and I desperately endure the severe pain that swarms.

At this point, a pungent smell wafts from the vents.

“...... Call. ”

He took a long breath, the pain that tormented him all day, not being calmed or gone away by the medicine and burning incense.

On the contrary, the more drugs are injected, the more pain will be deepened.

The body, which has been trained for a long time, has been strengthened to be able to tolerate various levels of pain.

But with the high-intensity brainwashing and deliberate modification of memories for a long time, in addition to enduring the side effects of drugs, Gray's spirit has completely contradicted his physical body, and he has long been shattered.

The headaches that began to appear at some point have become more and more accustomed to him.

But this is the first time that the pain has been so unbearable.

He was almost unconscious, which led to a near-failure in his first mission.

Not being able to carry out orders is the worst possible situation for a shadow like him.

But he will never let the guide know his true situation.

Although everything is slowly eroding, there may still be a weak will to resist in the depths of consciousness.

"Uh......"

In order to endure the deepening pain, Gray slumped limply on the ground and buried his head in his arms.

In order to forget the pain, he tried to think about other things.

Hard, something seemed to come to his mind.

That is, the last appearance of the person he killed with his own hands during the time he was on the mission.

Whether it's a human or a demon...... Countless lives floated before his eyes.

He remembered the doubts and resentments, even the curses, left behind by those who had died.

Like the inscription engraved on the stone wall he leaned on, all the moments of death were already imprinted in his mind.

But none of this had any effect on him, nor did it evoke the last trace of emotion in his heart.

He often indifferently receives the memories of the dead, and the so-called mercy for the weapon is completely unnecessary.

His head was still in pain, and his body was already soaked in cold sweat.

"In this moment...... Don't ...... either. Forget...... The goddess is ...... with you"

At this time, I don't know whose voice came to my ears.

The sound of flickering and approaching is sometimes clear, sometimes low echoing in the ears.

"Remember...... Goddess...... Together ......"

"Goddess?"

Gray was taken aback.

Whenever I think of the word goddess, the extreme pain seems to break through the top of my head and explode.

To resist the heart-rending pain, blood oozed from the tips of Gray's fingers clutching the floor.

The more I tried to calm down, the more chaotic my mind became.

The guide and herald, sensing the strange sound, rushed into the room.

"What's going on?"

"It's like I've suddenly lost my mind, and I don't know why."

"Get the tranquilizer, quick!"

The guide hurriedly poured the potion into Gray's mouth.

After the onset of the drug's effects, Gray lost consciousness and fell into a deep sleep.

"Will such an unstable state be able to accomplish tomorrow's mission? Or do you want to replace it with other shadows first? ”

"It's okay, at this point, you can last another day tomorrow, everything will go according to plan."

Looking at the work that fell to the floor, the guide spat angrily.

"Haven't you given in yet?"

The next morning, a group of black figures scurried in the shadows where the sun could not reach.

They were given the order to destroy all targets hiding there.

Most of these "prey" are very confident, confident that they will not be discovered if they hide here, and they are not even on guard at all.

The figures waited for their moment as they quietly narrowed the encirclement.

Gray was also in place, waiting for the signal to act.

It wasn't until the gesture was given that Gray lowered his breathing rate and assumed a charging stance.

But at this moment, the familiar and unfamiliar voice echoed in his ears again.

"Goddess...... Goddess...... Memories ......"

With a shrill voice, an unbearable pain struck his mind.

In order to endure the painful torment, he immediately stabbed his thigh with a sharp blade, but it was still useless.

The level of pain I feel now is completely different than before.

The flickering light in front of me spreads wantonly with the rapid beating of the heart, and the light that can be seen in front of me is becoming distorted and swaying back and forth in an exaggerated form.

Gray gasped quickly and wrapped his hands around his head.

He couldn't tell the difference between them now, and he couldn't remember what he had come here for.

Caught in the chaos, he screamed, broke away from the formation, and ran aimlessly forward.

The "prey", who heard the strange sound, noticed something strange and fled from their hiding places one by one.

In order to carry out the order, the black figures gave up their pursuit of Gray and pursued the fleeing target.

Gray kept running.

His reason had been completely paralyzed by intense hallucinations, tinnitus, and pain.

Out of control, his mind is full of murderous thoughts, and his impulsiveness overshadows his reason.

"Yikes!"

Suddenly, a scream broke through the auditory hallucinations and reached Gray's ears.

He raised his head with difficulty, and two unfamiliar figures appeared in front of him.

Although he couldn't tell who it was because of his blurred vision, Gray vaguely felt that it was the demons and the human race facing each other.

The murderous aura exuded by the demons stimulated Gray, and the cells in his body were instigating him to kill the evil demon immediately.

The voice of the guide echoed in his head.

"Cut his throat!"

Gray staggered closer to the demon and slashed at the demon's head.

In an instant, he was wet with scattered blood, and Gray, who was panting in place, seemed to have exhausted all his strength and passed out on the spot.

In his blurred vision, he seemed to see someone walking towards him.

Before he could see who it was, Gray was completely unconscious.

......

I don't know how long it took,

Gray, who was unconscious, suddenly woke up,

Although the temples were still tingling, the hallucinations and auditory hallucinations had fully recovered.

Suddenly, he realized that the blade of the arm he was holding in his hand was missing.

To be able to let your guard down so easily that people can easily disarm themselves is a remiss of duty as an assassin.

He panicked to his feet, just as the soft, warm quilt covering him fell to the ground.

The scene in front of me was too strange.

Sunlight from the windows of the small wooden house dimly illuminates the room, and the fireplace, which is decorated with small and cute decorations, is burning brightly and dimly.

Just as there is a corner in a simple landscape painting polluted by black ink, his own appearance is incompatible with the warmth of his home, and a sense of disobedience fills his heart.

There was a rattling sound from nowhere, and there seemed to be some movement next door.

He hurriedly hid himself behind larger furniture.

In order to be fatal with one blow, he held his breath, ready to attack at any moment, and stared at the location of the kitchen.

It didn't take long for an old grandmother to show up.

Holding a large plate in his hand, freshly baked bread smelled of wheat.

The old woman looked at the empty bed and seemed startled.

"Oops, are you up so soon? Where did it go? ”

The old woman put the plate on the table and picked up the quilt that had fallen on the floor, humming a song.

An unexpected object appeared in front of him, and Gray was taken aback.

Not knowing how to react, Gray was very dignified, and at the same time, he also judged that the old woman could not pose a threat to him, so he quietly appeared in front of the old woman.

"Oh, there you are! I've been having a hard time seeing you lately, and I didn't see you there. ”

“......”

"Young man, you shouldn't be well, don't just stand there, come and sit down. I baked some bread and I don't know if it suits you. ”

Wrinkled hands grabbed Gray's arms sharply.

As if to entertain a familiar guest, the old woman brought him to the table without hesitation.

The old woman smiled reassuringly as she looked at her bewildered, wounded face.

"I don't know if you remember, you saved me. At that time I thought that my life was going to end, but at that moment you suddenly appeared like a shadow, and I was afraid that you would never wake up, because you were so weak, and your face was not very good, and you kept screaming in pain. ”

The old woman pushed the plate in front of Gray.

The smell of freshly baked bread kept irritating his nose.

In fact, after he became a weapon, he never tasted anything that could be called "food".

"Here, try this. After eating, the mood will be better, so don't be too burdened, try it. ”

Gray was overwhelmed by the situation, everything in the cabin was too unfamiliar, but it seemed very familiar.

On the one hand, he was suspicious of the old woman who was holding out her hands to him unsuspectingly, and on the other hand, he wanted to grasp the rare warmth.

His hand squirmed cautiously towards the plate, but he quickly stopped.

"As a shadow, you can only exist in the dark. If you are in the sun, you will perish! ”

The voice of the guide echoed in his head.

As a shadow, I can only live in a dark prison.

He would never be allowed to be in a place of light, let alone such a warm place.

Gray, who was sitting in his chair, suddenly saw the trinkets on the fireplace.

He felt a powerful attraction that led him to the fireplace, carefully placing his hand on the unique ornament.

It is a "little goddess" made of wood, which is based on a woman and stands out with unique wings spread out on her back.

Looking at Gray, who was stroking the statue of the goddess with a face full of surprise, the old woman said.

"A long, long time ago, when I retired from my priesthood, I was given a statue of the goddess so that I could pray to the goddess after I left the temple. Although a long time has passed, this statue of the goddess continues to warn me to this day that the goddess is with me. ”

The old woman smiled and looked at the sunset outside the window, as if immersed in happiness.

Boom!

A loud voice came from where Gray was standing.

The old woman approached him in a panic, and was suddenly startled by the scene before her.

Gray, who never seemed to waver, nor would he have any emotion, was sitting on the ground with the statue of the goddess in his arms, silently holding down tears.

It looked as pitiful as a child who was trembling and trembling with fright.

She sat down beside Gray and gently patted the young man on the back.

"Don't worry about kids. Although it is not known what happened to you, everything will be fine. ”

In this way, after the old woman had been quietly guarding him for several hours, Gray gradually calmed down.

It wasn't until late at night that Gray completely calmed down, and everything that had just happened seemed to quietly change everything, and a warm crack appeared in the steel-solid inner wall.

In the long darkness, the memories in my heart are reviving little by little.

The laughter of the family, the story of the goddess of love that they heard, and the day they made up their minds to protect their family, the dream of spreading the love of the goddess, etc......

Although they were all fragments of memory, they were already very precious to him.

Finally found his lost self, and his heart was full of joy.

But at the same time, he also knew that he had too much blood and sin on his hands.

Although he did not do it voluntarily, it is an undeniable fact that he killed so many lives with his own hands.

He's a "shadow.......

"Thank you for saving me."

Gray thanked the old woman in a hoarse voice.

It was the first time since he was a child that he spoke to a human other than a guide.

"Say thank you, I didn't do anything."

The old woman looked at the young man, and Gray's huge hands trembled.

The old woman saw this, leaned forward slightly, and grasped her rough, still trembling hands.

"Even though I'm older now, I've prayed for people in the past. If you will allow me, I would like to pray to the Goddess for you. ”

Warmth came from the wrinkled hands.

That trace of warmth soothed Gray's hesitation and fear, soothed his inner impulses, and gave Gray the courage he had never had.

After a brief silence, he confessed his greatest fear to the old woman.

"Is there still a value for a hateful killing machine like me?"

Gray looked at the old woman with a mixture of pain and despair.

The old woman seemed to be taken aback.

In fact, Gray was also very worried in his heart, he was worried that the old woman would abandon him and treat him with contempt when she knew her true colors.

But contrary to his expectations, the old woman did not let go of her grip on her hands, and seemed to be more determined.

The old woman said, staring into Gray's eyes.

"Young man, I am not qualified to judge you, only God and you are qualified to judge your own worthiness in this world. And now you should focus on how you should live in the future, with what attitude you should live, as long as you live harder in the next life with a kind heart, the goddess will illuminate your path and guide you. Youth, you just have to live. ”

The warm but resolute envelopment of Gray's despair like sturdy armor disappeared little by little like a broken eggshell.......

On the other side, there were numerous loud noises around the wooden house.

The shadows, who had tracked their tracks in search of the escapees, finally found the place.

They were looking inside the house, looking for the best moment.

Sensing the danger, Gray quickly confirmed the position of the blade.

The enemy clearly saw that he had disarmed himself and could storm the cabin at any moment.

Gray said quietly to the old woman,

"Find a place to hide."

"What's wrong?"

"They're coming towards me, grandma, you can't be involved, find a place to hide!"

The old woman nodded and disappeared from view, and Gray quickly moved to the blade of his arm.

Almost at the same moment, the windows and doors of the wooden house were broken at the same time, and black figures poured in.

The shadows stabbed at Gray in unison, and Gray moved backwards with swiftness, dodging the enemy's powerful attacks.

The black figures mingled, and the cabin was suddenly in shambles.

"Ahh

Out of nowhere, the old woman's scream was heard.

Gray fended off the enemy's onslaught as he struggled to turn to the source of the screams,

A shadow spotted the old woman in hiding and struggled to pull her out.

Gray, who had no time to breathe, immediately ran to the old woman.

Gray slashed at the shadow of the woman who was controlling him, and crouched down to confirm the unconscious woman's state.

Suddenly, there was a pain in his arm, and the shadow who had been cut to the ground fought back against Gray with his last breath, stabbing the short knife in his hand into his arm.

Gray pulled out the dagger, but the paralyzing toxin on the blade had spread from the wound.

"Oops!"

The body suddenly stiffened.

In order to protect the old woman, he desperately stood up and faced the shadows surrounding him, but he still could not withstand the effects of the medicine and fell to the ground.

The shadows tied Gray up, and the cabin that had once warmed him faded into the night.

Gray was recaptured by the heralds and returned to the black cell, where the guide had been waiting for a long time.

Seeing Gray reappear in front of him, the guide hypocritically welcomed.

"Come here, my cold and beautiful weapon, I'm so happy to see you come home."

Gray looked with hatred at the culprit who had been forcing him to look like this for so long.

"That look reminds me of the first time you were here, but you didn't expect to give in."

The dark blue mask slowly approached him.

"In order to make your spirit completely subordinate to me, the cost of investing in you is several times higher than other resources, and other managers in the organization have suggested that you be terminated outright. It is true that the gains and payouts are a bit uneven, but I have never given up on you, and it is a very interesting thing to constantly conquer you who are resisting. ”

Gray struggled with the smiling face in front of him.

"But even after all this time, you still haven't been able to completely submit to me, and even now, the seeds of resistance are still buried in your heart, and I have thought for a long time how to completely destroy your so-called will."

The guide made a gesture, and a figure was forcibly dragged in.

Gray immediately recognized her, it was the old woman who had helped him.

Although frightened, he did not appear to be injured.

In order to reassure the trembling old woman, he nodded slightly towards the old woman.

"I heard that this old woman stayed with you all day. Thank you for taking care of my weapons, old woman. ”

The guide thanked the old woman who was sitting on the ground.

"This rusty sword will be reborn into the strongest weapon because of you."

Before the guide could finish speaking, the heralds injected an unknown liquid into the back of Gray's neck.

The drugs that are forcibly injected into them spread through the blood vessels throughout the body.

Soon, Gray felt the pain of being scorched by the fires of purgatory.

Everything in sight turned into a raging flame, and everything heard was mixed with a strange curse.

Unable to stand it, Gray knelt on the ground, clutching his hair, and screaming.

The guide recited incantations around him that he could not understand.

Gray, bound by his spell, gasped and powerless.

In the process of struggling, a sentence kept flooding into his mind.

"Kill her! Kill her! Kill her! Kill her! ”

The old woman watched all this blankly.

The pain of Gray has long been unable to describe in words, only that everything here is too miserable and cruel.

The old woman could not imagine how much pain Gray had endured, and she remembered Gray's lonely and sad inquiry.

"Is there still a value for a hateful killing machine like me?"

Only then did she understand what mood Gray was in when he said this.

At first, I didn't know what Gray was carrying, so I gave him self-indulgent comfort, and the old woman blamed herself. As long as she could save this wretched soul now, even if her own sacrifice could alleviate the pain, she felt that it didn't matter if she was alive or not.

The old woman hurriedly got up, and spread her arms between the guide and Gray.

But the Guide, as if he had anticipated such a thing, was waiting for the moment, and immediately shouted at Gray:

"Gray, kill this old woman with your hands!"

In an instant, the screaming stopped, and there was a brief silence in the room.

The black silhouette, which was kneeling on the ground, slowly stood up and grabbed the arm blade next to it.

The dark shadow's eyes glistened with pain and madness.

The guide shouted again in ecstasy:

"Gray, now is the time to cut off your last flaws, cut off your last trace of mercy, and destroy the enemy in your heart!"

Without any resistance, the black shadow staggered in front of the old woman and slowly raised its arm.

The old woman looked at Gray calmly, tormented by pain, tears and blood streaming from his face.

In the last part of her life, she wanted to pray for Gray's poor soul.

The old woman clasped her hands tightly in front of her chest and bowed her head.

“......”

A shrill sound of air currents echoed through the room, and then it seemed as if something had fallen.

The old woman stopped praying and opened her eyes.

It wasn't you who fell to the ground.

Gray looked down at the guides and heralds who had fallen to the ground in strange positions.

The master and his subordinates, who had dominated him for a long time, were finally killed by his own dog before he could leave a last word.

Their final fate is nothing but emptiness.

The old woman walked over to Gray to check on his condition, still in pain and hallucinations.

The old woman grabbed him by the hands and said, "Go, go back." ”

Gray carried the old woman on his back and ran down the passages he had walked hundreds or even thousands of times.

Out of nowhere, the shadows slashed at him again and again with swift movements.

Gray annihilated all the shadows and opened one cell door after another.

Just like their old selves, the kidnappers ran out with a grunt and ran outside.

After making sure that all the children had run out, he brought down the surrounding campfires.

The flames spread along with the pillar, and the entire space was instantly plunged into a sea of fire.

A black, choking black smoke filled the space.

While the shadows chasing him lingered in the smoke, Gray and the old woman ran to the exit.

The exit is open,

From between the open doors, you can feel the warm sunlight and a comfortable breeze.

All the things that have been experienced here during this time have passed by like a marquee.

Just like that day, he still can't recall where he should go back, but now he is completely different, and he already has someone by his side who can hold a clenched hand and lead him to the light.

Finally, he untied all his bonds.

Gray and the old woman returned to the cabin, and in order to repay the old woman, he helped the old woman rebuild the cabin.

The old woman provided shelter for Gray, who had nowhere else to go, and they lived together like mother and child.

He lived each day in peace, and his spirit gradually recovered.

As much as he has been brainwashed for a long time, it will take him a long time to return to a normal life.

Although the road was not easy, the old woman was always by his side to provide material and spiritual help.

As if to compensate for those dark years, his happy memories gradually increased.

His deep hopes of finding his lost loved ones are also beginning to sprout.

After some time, Gray can finally muster up the courage to face his dark past.

After a long period of persuasion from the old woman, he made up his mind to use his "talents" to help people.

He had placed equipment and weapons on the table that he hadn't used in a long time, things that were as familiar as his siblings.

The metal wrapped in white tulle can still feel the heavy murderous aura.

He stroked the blade gently.

The life that was deprived by the arm blade will never return, and the sins committed will not disappear. And as a price, he will never be able to change back to his childhood kindness.

But from now on, if you forge your good will in your arm, protect important things, and help others, your sins will be washed away a little bit.

Just then, Gray saw an announcement that a mercenary group from a nearby village was recruiting mercenary groups.

There is no question of the past, as long as it is a capable person, no matter who it is, it will be accepted.

He felt that joining the mercenary group was a good opportunity to use his strength.

The next day Gray left the old woman and left the warm cabin.

Tied his arm blade around his waist, he walked towards the village of Kuhan.

Although he doesn't know what the future holds, he is well prepared for whatever is to come.

When Gray opened his luggage, Gray saw the note left by the old woman.

"Although I used to be a priest, the goddess is the one who can heal your heart, you haven't found that goddess yet, Gray, come on and live!"