"Don't be rude, Haruto! If she doesn't have a name, there must be a reason for it. You can't just ask if she wants one!" Hana scolded.
But then—
"Do you... really mean that, Lord Haruto?" the girl asked, her eyes shining with innocent hope.
Hana could only stare in confusion as Haruto put on a smug smirk and lightly patted her on the back.
"You have to trust the process, Hana..."
Then he stepped forward.
"I'll give you a name. And we'll help you rescue your master. But..." his gaze sharpened slightly, "what can you offer us in return?"
He didn't expect gold. Or artifacts.
There was only one thing he wanted.
Without a second thought, the girl bowed as deeply as her body allowed, offering the last thing she had left.
"I offer you my eternal loyalty! In exchange for a name—and your help in saving my only family—I will recognize you as my one and only master from this day onward! Please, consider my offer, my lord!"
Hana and Haruki both felt uneasy watching this unfold, yet neither interfered, trusting Haruto's judgment.
The goblin girl was trembling. She looked as though she might burst into tears at any moment—fully aware of the weight behind her words.
Then—
"Haruna."
At the sound of the name, she instinctively looked up, startled.
With the same grin, Haruto repeated,
"...Haruna. That is your name."
In an instant, her body erupted in a pure black-and-gold aura. The name Haruna carved itself deep into her soul.
Power flooded her.
Her muscles tightened. Her body burned. Almost instantly, her Astron reserves surged—exploding to more than ten times their original amount, at least from what Haruto could sense.
Astrons were the source of all magic for monsters.
This was no small evolution.
Haruto observed closely, memorizing every single change from the moment of naming to the end of her transformation.
The cost was heavy. A large portion of his own Astron reserves was drained in the process.
So yeah—this definitely wasn't something you could do casually.
When the name fully settled, an invisible link formed between them. It couldn't be seen, but Haruto felt it clearly.
Her growth appeared instantaneous on the surface, but he suspected her body would continue changing over time.
That confirmed it.
There was a functional naming system in this world.
His experiment had succeeded.
And as a bonus—
He'd gained an ally.
"So... how do you feel?" Haruto asked, crouching down in front of her.
"What did he do?" Haruki asked.
Hana finally understood.
"He named her," she said. After a pause, she added quietly, "In some games and fantasy stories, many beings exist without names. When a superior being grants one, it's an acknowledgment of existence. That recognition can strengthen them—or force an evolution so their body can withstand the power."
She frowned slightly.
"It's extremely dangerous. I felt a huge chunk of his energy disappear. If the namer isn't strong enough... they can die."
Haruki processed this for a moment—then froze.
"Wait... didn't he name her Haruna?? What the hell?! Does that mean she's my little sister now?! And is he gonna call her Haru too?!—"
"Ooooh~ someone's getting jealous," Hana teased, seizing the rare opportunity.
"Ah—I—No!" Haruki stuttered, much to Hana's amusement.
Haruto, meanwhile, carefully watched the newly named Haruna.
She opened her eyes—both abyssal black, with glowing golden pupils. Every wound on her body vanished in seconds. Strength surged through her veins.
Without hesitation, she dropped to one knee like a knight.
"I am eternally grateful, my lord! From this day onward, I, Haruna the Rogue Goblin, pledge my body and soul to you!"
...Yeah. That creeped him out.
Haruto forced a nervous smile, trying not to show it.
He'd just tried to look cool—and somehow ended up with a full-time bodyguard.
The "body and soul" part especially sounded... suspicious.
But judging by her expression, she clearly didn't mean it that way.
...Probably.
Right—
"You really don't have to do that," Haruto said quickly, standing up. "Just—uh—be a little more casual."
"Casual?" Haruna looked genuinely shocked. "But my teacher told me that when serving a true master, I must show the highest respect possible."
Her voice lowered, her cheeks flushing.
"...And that I must please their every desire—"
"N-no! I did NOT need to know that!" Haruto cut her off, panic setting in fast.
Unfortunately—
He was already too late.
"So this is what you were after, huh? Couldn't even wait until we got out of here?"
A familiar voice echoed behind him—cold enough to send a chill down his spine.
He turned slowly.
Big mistake.
Hana stood there with an eerie, passive-aggressive smile. Her aura felt heavier. Sharper.
"Y-you're joking, right? I would never—"
"You dork."
She appeared in front of him in an instant, pointed down the tunnel, and snapped,
"There are monsters ahead. Go clean them up so we can pass through safely. And don't even THINK about counting them for points. Now. Go."
Haruto froze.
...She was actually mad.
"I didn't even do anything..." he muttered as he walked away.
"What was that?" Hana asked sweetly.
"N-nothing!" he yelped, immediately vanishing into the tunnel.
Behind him—
Haruki lost it.
"That was AMAZING! Sis, you've got moves!"
Hana shrugged. "Your mom taught me that one. Guess I finally got to use it."
"Did you see his face? He looked completely dumbfounded!" Haruki laughed, rolling around on Hana's head in cube form.
"Don't be like that," Hana said with a small smile. "He's just not used to it."
Her gaze then shifted to Haruna, who was calmly watching everything unfold.
A mischievous idea sparked.
Hana shifted into slime form and hopped onto Haruna's lap. At the same time, Haruki transformed into a metal bird and perched on Haruna's sword.
Haruna stiffened immediately.
"I-I—!" She tried to greet them properly—only to bite her tongue in the process.
"A-are you okay?" Hana asked, concerned.
Haruna turned away, mortified.
"Y-yes, my lady... I'm used to it."
"My lady? That's too formal," Hana said gently. "Just call me Hana. I'm his... uh... friend. And that's Haruki—his sister."
An awkward silence followed.
No one knew what to say.
"... Damn. This is harder than I expected," Hana thought, trying to come up with a way to start a conversation with their new friend.
Meanwhile, outside the labyrinth...
Stood the majestic great forest known as Lunar.
Its natural landscape spanned the size of a small continent. In this world, this forest alone could accommodate most of the nations on that continent—simultaneously.
Yeah.
It was that big.
Within this forest lived countless kinds of creatures—
ones humans collectively called monsters. The logic was simple: anything that wasn't human was labeled as such.
This way of thinking had existed for a very long time.
And so had the conflicts between humans and monsters.
The biodiversity of the forest was vast, containing both unintelligent magic beasts—usually found roaming labyrinths—and intelligent beings that had formed their own factions. Colonies. Villages. Civilizations. You name it.
Among these monsters, the ogre clan stood as one of the most influential powers.
Yet...
Even they—
Suffered a great tragedy at the hands of an army of giant, blood-red ants.
They numbered in the thousands.
One night, they launched a sudden assault on the ogres' main village. Everyone who resisted was slaughtered. Men, women, elders—none were spared. Only the weak children and those who could not fight were left behind. Anyone who dared oppose them, regardless of age or gender, was crushed under their wrath.
"It's almost as if... this was a warning."
Those words escaped the mouth of a young ogre standing before a massive map, surrounded by symbols representing various beings.
[From here on, intelligent beings will be referred to as Majin. Magic beasts will still be called monsters.]
The round table of Majin—representatives of the different clans and villages within the forest—had gathered a week after the tragedy to decide how to respond to the threat known as the Crimson Battalion.
Among them—
One figure stood out immediately.
Long blue hair flowed down his back, and his extended horns marked both his long lifespan and his overwhelming energy. At his waist rested a large katana, its presence alone implying unmatched mastery of the blade. He was the only named Majin in the room—
Prince of the Ogre Clan, Kijin Dino.
"Such audacity..." he growled, slamming his fist onto the table. "If not for the winter cold, we would've crushed them like the pests they are."
Seated beside him was a hobgoblin—the leader of the remaining goblin tribes in the region. He crossed her arms close to his chest.
"What exactly do you suggest?" she asked calmly. "Charybdis is gone. If we provoke them, they won't hesitate to launch a full-scale invasion."
Another voice joined in—this time, the leader of the lizardmen.
"While I agree with your anger, there is still an issue we haven't addressed."
He paused briefly.
"Who is backing them?"
"Y-yes... that is indeed strange," added a golden queen bee with black stripes running along her limbs. She hovered nervously in the air, her wings fluttering. She was unusually large and humanoid, yet fear was evident in her expression.
"What they did before could be dismissed as border invasions near their nest. But attacking the ogres directly... that's unheard of. No one would dare. Let alone send a warning like this. Their strength is terrifying—and abnormal."
Among those present, she was the least influential and least powerful, so her fear was understandable.
After listening in silence, another leader hesitantly spoke up.
"What if... we seek aid from the Demon Lord?"
The speaker was Drago, leader of a group of dwarves stranded in the forest during a resource expedition. Known as the Dragon Tooth Blacksmith, he was an exceptional craftsman and a highly valued individual within the camp.
While stroking his mustache, he continued,
"Most say the Harpy Empress is reasonable when it comes to matters involving the Great Forest. It may be our best option—"
"ABSOLUTELY NOT!"
Prince Dino immediately objected.
"If we do that, we'll be indebted to her. That's no different from handing over our freedom!" he snapped. "Those damn birds are opportunistic bastards. They'll let things worsen just to weaken us—then swoop in and claim control!"
His frustration was clear—and justified. They didn't even know what the Crimson Battalion truly wanted. Acting on impulse would be disastrous.
Drago understood this and chose not to argue further. After all, he wasn't a native of the forest. Suggesting something that could endanger its people would be selfish.
Then, the lizardmen chief spoke again.
"Perhaps... we could side with someone else."
The room fell silent.
"Someone else?" the hobgoblin asked.
"Yes," the chief replied grimly. "Though it carries its own risks."
"Speak," Prince Dino allowed.
"We could negotiate with the other colony—the Guardians of Frost."
The weight of his words settled heavily over the room.
The opposing force to the Crimson Ants...
The Frost Ants.
The atmosphere shifted instantly.
It was an extremely dangerous option. After all, they were ants too.
Prince Dino contemplated it carefully before shaking his head.
"That path leads only to war. Countless lives would be lost. If we lose, there will be no mercy. If we win, our weakened state would invite the Frost Ants to do exactly what the Crimson Ants did."
His gaze hardened.
"Either way, our people suffer. We must protect the innocent at all costs—even if it means sacrificing ourselves. We cannot take a risk that drags them into destruction."
The others nodded in unanimous agreement.
Only the goblin leader remained visibly reluctant.
The discussion dragged on...
In the end, all they could do was hope that their god—the Great Ancestor—had not abandoned them in this catastrophe.
But little did they know—
God had already begun to move, within the very space where He was once sealed...
Inside the cavernous labyrinth, loud explosions echoed, shaking its very foundation.
Heavy impacts—one after another, at a frightening pace.
Hana, Haruki, and Haruna ran as fast as they possibly could.
Hana was especially worried. After all, she was the one who had sent Haruto deeper into the labyrinth—despite knowing how dangerous it would become from that point on.
They sprinted through winding tunnels and open chambers, following the source of the thunderous sounds.
But when they finally arrived...
"IS THAT ALL YOU'VE GOT?!" Haruto shouted, his voice brimming with fighting spirit.
"...COME ON! IF YOU HOLD BACK, HOW ARE WE SUPPOSED TO IMPROVE?!"
Hana stopped at the end of the tunnel, too stunned to speak. Haruki and Haruna halted behind her—Haruna with her katana already unsheathed, Haruki hovering in her new bird form.
Hana's eyes widened as she took in the scene.
Haruto was fighting a humanoid figure made entirely of dark, blood-like liquid. Its physique and build perfectly mirrored his own, though beyond that, there was no resemblance.
"A mimic?" Hana muttered aloud.
Her words immediately caught Haruki's attention.
"Y-you mean it's copying his powers?" she asked, clearly alarmed.
After all, even though they were close in strength and skill, Haruto far surpassed them in overall combat sense and mastery. If the creature truly replicated everything...
Only Haruto himself could handle it.
And judging by how he was being pressured, that seemed to be the case.
"But my lady, if I may," Haruna spoke up calmly, asking permission to explain.
"It's impossible for a mimic of this caliber to exist in the Chaos Maw Labyrinth. My master taught me that mimics are only born in treasure dungeons. The Chaos Maw was never designed to hold treasure. So..."
"So that thing isn't a mimic?" Hana cut in.
She swallowed.
"Well... that's even more terrifying."
Meanwhile, Haruto continued dodging and countering, trading blows at blinding speed.
At one point, the humanoid monster forced him back—and even managed to land a clean hit.
But within seconds, Haruto adapted. Reading its movements, he drove a powerful kick into its torso and leapt back.
"Now use enhancements!" he ordered.
As if responding, the blood-formed humanoid reshaped its hands into claws—boosting its strength and damage at the cost of mobility.
A devastating punch slammed into Haruto's gut, making him spit blood. Still, he didn't fall. He grabbed the creature's arm and endured the full force of the blow.
Then he smirked.
"AGAIN!"
The monster followed with a punch from its left arm.
Haruto gritted his teeth and blocked with both hands. The impact was monstrous—the shockwave traveled all the way to where Hana stood. The cavern itself trembled under the pressure of their clash.
The three girls could only watch, torn between awe and concern.
Then—
Haruto suddenly stopped.
He noticed them.
"Oh, you're here?" he said cheerfully, waving with a grin.
"WHAT ARE YOU DOING JUST STANDING THERE? HURRY UP!"
They froze.
Especially Hana.
She hadn't expected things to be easy. And now... the creature stood motionless, frozen like a machine awaiting input.
Then it clicked.
"W-wait..." Hana muttered. "Don't tell me he—"
She didn't finish the thought. Instead, she dashed forward. Haruki and Haruna quickly followed.
Haruto sighed in relief when he saw them approach, then turned to the humanoid monster.
"We'll continue later... I think I'm good for now. Hopefully."
Hana appeared behind him in an instant.
"Hey. You."
A chill ran down Haruto's spine. He slowly turned, forcing a nervous smile.
"H-hey... what happened? I didn't do anything wrong, I swear!"
Hana stepped closer, her face inches from his.
"Since when did you learn how to make clones?"
Haruto froze.
"W-well... you see, I—"
"This was supposed to be your punishment, mister!" she snapped, pinning him against the wall. "Who told you to start training without us, huh?!"
Haruto shut his eyes, bracing himself.
But nothing happened.
Instead, Hana looked away, her cheeks burning red.
"I swear... if you ever scare me like that again..." she said, her tone serious yet flustered.
"We were worried, you know. I thought you were fighting another one of those earth dragons or something."
Seeing her expression, Haruto finally realized something.
Hana had changed.
A lot.
Back then, she was just an emo-ish girl with a bit of energy mixed in. She wasn't this anxious. She lived a normal life—just like him.
...Oh.
So that's what it was.
Everyone felt it.
The change.
They were in a new world.
Alone.
And Haruto was their only pillar—the only one who knew what to do.
So they joked. Teased. Acted carefree.
All to hide their fear and doubt.
So he wouldn't notice.
And he'd been enjoying himself.
Blinded by excitement, he'd mistaken this place for paradise.
But it wasn't.
It was an alien world, filled with unknown dangers and unanswered questions.
And he'd been reckless.
Is this what people meant when they said power blinds you?
Probably.
Hana had already lost him once.
She wasn't willing to lose him again.
Haruto sighed, rubbing his face in frustration. His accelerated thoughts made moments like this especially irritating.
But she was right.
He had gone too far.
"Sorry..." he said quietly, placing a hand on her head.
"I'll try my best not to do that again."
She glanced at him, then quickly looked away.
"Y-you... I—"
The words never came.
Haruto noticed—and of course, chose violence.
Leaning close to her ear, he whispered in a deeper voice,
"What? Did I fluster you, baby girl?"
Hana completely short-circuited.
She stumbled back, pointing at him furiously.
"YOU PROMISED NOT TO DO THAT AGAIN, DIDN'T YOU?!"
He just snickered.
"Yeah... like you keep your promises. Besides, that was a different life."
Then—he appeared behind her.
"...Besides," he whispered, "I know you like it."
That was it.
Hana turned bright red and instantly collapsed, her body melting into her small slime form.
"Oh, come on," Haruto said, amused. "You've done worse to me. Is it really that bad?"
Hana immediately protested.
"No! That's different! Back then we were just friends—"
She froze mid-sentence.
Her face somehow got even redder as she rolled around like a kid throwing a tantrum.
Haruto sighed and picked her up.
"You're digging your own grave, you know. This is exactly how Haru fuels her rage bait."
Hana huffed in his arms.
"Whatever..."
"Can't you wait a little longer?" Haruto said gently. "We'll be out of here soon. Once we save Haruna's teacher, we're free to do whatever we want."
Hana stayed silent for a moment.
Then—
"No... I don't think we will."
Haruto tilted his head.
"Hm?"
"This world isn't simple," Hana said. "There's so much we don't know. So we have to keep getting stronger. Always stay alert."
Haruto knew she was right.
Still, he smiled.
"Don't worry. Just... trust the process, Hana. I'll figure something out."
She chuckled softly.
"I know you will. Just... don't do stupid things." Then looking up at him with a cheeky expression, "Umm… so… when are you gonna tell me how to make clones?"
...