SSS Unknown: Dark Knight's Legacy

After resting, the group regrouped, and each member prepared for another day in the dungeon. Meat's injuries, while not fully healed, had stabilized enough for him to press on. 

The target for the day was a location marked on Unknown's map, one that could hold clues about the [Sword Of Desire]

As they set out, Unknown broke the silence with a cutting remark:

"Cave Goblins today. Think you can handle them?"

Steel turned his sharp gaze toward Unknown, not entirely amused.

"What kind of question is that? Of course, we can."

Unknown smirked, his tone still mocking.

"Hm. You all look enough like them to hesitate. Guess I was overthinking it."

The others didn't respond to the provocation, though Boar shot Unknown a glare. Ignoring the tension, Steel took the lead, map in one hand and his weapon in the other. Unknown followed a few paces behind, keeping an eye on their surroundings and the group itself.

When they arrived at their destination, the scene shifted. The group stood before the remnants of an ancient ruin, its moss-covered stones and crumbling walls whispering of a time long past.

Steel's eyes swept over the area as he muttered,

"Another ruin…"

Unknown crossed his arms, leaning casually against a broken pillar.

"Steel, any idea where this dungeon came from?"

Steel shook his head, his claws absently brushing against the reversed scales along his jawline as he considered the question.

"Not exactly. But there's a legend tied to this place—a story about the [Sword Of Desire]

Meat chimed in, his tone lighter despite the oppressive atmosphere.

"A legend, huh? I've heard parts of it. Though, like most legends, it's probably been twisted with time."

Steel nodded thoughtfully and began to explain, his voice steady and authoritative.

"Over a thousand years ago, demons and humans were locked in a brutal war that spanned centuries. The conflict ended around 300 years ago when a hero, wielding the [Sword Of Desire] sundered the sky itself. That act divided the realms, forcing an uneasy peace and preventing total annihilation."

Meat added,

"The hero's actions might have ended the war, but the rift between humans and demons still exists. It's not open war anymore, but there's tension. Always tension."

Steel's voice grew more somber.

"In my kingdom—the Magic Kingdom—we don't really align with humans or demons. We've focused more on magic and independence, so this story isn't well known among my people."

Meat nodded, backing Steel's statement.

"Yeah, most people don't care much about those ancient conflicts. But there's usually some truth to legends, even if it's buried under layers of exaggeration."

Unknown shrugged, his face impassive.

"Fair enough. I'm not here for bedtime stories, anyway."

Despite his dismissive tone, he analyzed the legend carefully in his mind. The details didn't seem immediately useful, but if this [Sword Of Desire] held the power to alter realms, it could very well be tied to the dungeon's creation—or its escape route.

Hmm, this is related to the note I found on the top of the tower.

Steel glanced at Unknown, his sharp gaze narrowing.

"Legends aside, stay alert. There's always something guarding places like this. We've lost enough already."

As the group ventured deeper into the ancient ruins, the surroundings grew more unsettling, but Unknown remained focused. His sharp eyes flicked between the group and the environment, noting every shift in the air and every sound. 

Despite the tension, the ruins seemed strangely empty, save for the occasional rustle of wind and the distant scuttling of cave goblins.

"Draw your weapons; we need to survey the area," Steel ordered, his voice low and serious.

Unlike the other time, Unknown didn't immediately reach for his melee weapons. Instead, he pulled out his bow, not wasting time with anything else. He readied himself in a crouch, eyes scanning the area as the group followed his lead. 

Steel, however, was unable to join in using a bow due to his unique physiology, and thus unsheathed his claws, prepared for close combat.

The goblins were easy to spot from the group's vantage points. Their poor vision and primitive nature meant they had little chance of mounting a real defense against the group. 

The goblins threw stones in a desperate attempt to protect their territory, but it was clear from the beginning that they were no match for the trained and more disciplined adventurers. 

The group swiftly picked off their targets, and when necessary, they rushed in to finish off those too close for a ranged attack.

As the group systematically eliminated the goblins, Meat was busy recording their findings. His diligent work continued, sketching the ruins and mapping the layout with care, though there was an underlying unease in his demeanor as he worked.

Despite the apparent ease with which the group handled the goblins, there were still moments of difficulty.

Boar, who was still brash and too eager, failed to deal with a goblin quickly enough, allowing it to scramble away for a few precious moments. His carelessness resulted in him taking a blow, slowing down the group's progress.

Steel's voice cut through the tension.

"Hm… This place is big, but not as massive as I expected."

"And the cave goblins are fewer than I thought." Meat added, not looking up from his work.

"Now, we just need to plan their complete eradication, right?" Boar grumbled, not sounding entirely enthusiastic.

His words seemed more out of habit than genuine thought, as he absentmindedly sketched on the map. But Unknown noticed his annoyance, which was clear from the way his fists clenched at his sides.

Steel, noticing Boar's attitude, barked, "Boar, why are you just standing there? Get back here and stand guard."

The young ogre clicked his tongue in frustration but complied, moving back into position.

Unknown couldn't help but raise an eyebrow at Boar's behavior.

"Hm… What's his problem?" he mused, his eyes flicking over the ogre's retreating form.

Though Unknown didn't outwardly react, he observed each member of the group closely.

'That axe wielder keeps glaring at me. I should probably keep my distance from him,' he thought. His instincts told him Boar was unpredictable, and it wasn't worth pushing things further.

'The other one, though… seems smart. Not overly aggressive, either,' he reflected, his gaze briefly settling on Steel.

There was a wisdom in the lizardman's eyes—caution, but not paranoia.

'he's hard to read,' Unknown concluded, his suspicion rising. Steel's calm exterior betrayed little of what was truly going on in his mind, making him a potential wildcard.

While the others set up camp and took turns keeping watch, Unknown moved off a little to the side, his steps silent as he retreated to a secluded area. 

With practiced precision, he began preparing the necessary tools for his next project—crystal arrows.

Unknown was a quick learner. He had the ability to grasp concepts swiftly, working through problems and finding solutions with little guidance. 

His natural aptitude allowed him to tackle most challenges independently, but despite this, he couldn't shake the feeling that his skills weren't truly improving over time.

Take archery, for instance. He was perplexed by his lack of skill with a bow. His aim and throwing abilities were exceptional—yet, when it came to archery, he couldn't hit the mark. No matter how many times he practiced, it seemed his skills never reached the level of his other talents.

Crafting was another area where he faced constant setbacks. Everything he made, whether it was a spear or an arrow, fell short of his expectations. 

His spears would break after just a few uses, and the arrows were always inconsistent, varying in size and quality. It wasn't that he didn't put in the effort, but no matter how hard he tried, the results always seemed inadequate.

'This should be enough,' Unknown thought, inspecting his latest batch of arrows, though there was a hint of doubt in his mind. 

'After all, the arrows only matter if they actually hit.' His eyes lingered on the imperfect arrows, trying to dismiss the nagging feeling that they weren't good enough.

He then refocused on the task at hand: the Cave Goblins. The ruins where they had taken refuge were made of concrete and large stones, the area vast and open. 

Starting a fire was out of the question—it would attract too much attention. A direct confrontation seemed risky, even though the goblins were stupid and disorganized. However, the possibility of stronger, mutated goblins lurking nearby was always a concern.

After thinking through the options, Unknown devised a strategy to weaken the goblins before engaging them directly. 'There's a cave near their water source,' he planned.

'I'll block the water supply first, then poison the remaining flow. If I take too long, I'll have to fight them head-on. But by then, they'll be weaker.'

With his plan in place, he moved to position himself behind the solder group, quietly eavesdropping on their conversation.

"Hey, Steel, do you really trust that guy? He hasn't even told us anything about himself," Boar asked, clearly skeptical.

"Of course not," Steel replied coolly, "But if we want help, we have no choice but to compromise."

"Yeah, Boar, don't take this partnership personally. It's just for the greater good," Meat's voice chimed in.

"Besides, he hasn't been hostile toward us. Why risk fighting him?"

"Who knows, if we click, we might even become friends."

'...'

At those words, Unknown froze, a strange tightness creeping into his chest.

'Friends?' The word sent an uncomfortable jolt through him. He didn't know why, but something deep inside him made him dislike the term.

It wasn't that he couldn't understand the concept; it was more that the idea of calling someone a "friend" felt foreign, as though it didn't belong in his life. 

Something was unsettling about it, a sense of vulnerability he didn't want to face. The way the soldiers spoke so casually about friendship as if it was something that could be easily formed, only added to his discomfort.

With a soft, almost imperceptible sigh, Unknown continued to listen, though his mind was far from the conversation. The term "friend" was something he would rather leave unexamined for now.

Still, he would give them a chance.

Maybe they could be friends.

Maybe.