The Overall Plan

[Someone will come to you. You will need his help so is his. And I'm glad that you are fully utilizing the best of my abilities. I will do my best not to disappoint you, Hero.]

'It's just a key…'

[I know but it is a start. Hehe,]

'And, how could you know someone will come here to help me? You gave me the key but not given me any weapons. Certainly, even if it's a small value, I know it's not free. In exchange, I will have to go through a mission, aren't I?'

[Yes, your mission varies. An equal exchange, no strings attached. Whatever you request, you will be tasked to do some mission with the same value. Hehe, it's really nice talking to you, Hero. After so many years, hehe.]

Arranging his clothes while putting down the sword around his waist where he could comfortably pick it up anytime, Isaac glanced at Noelle and mused, 'You still didn't answer my first question.'

[…]

After a long pause, the system replied as if it is amused.

[You are indeed smart and sharp but that's all I have to say. After all, not everything is right.]

'Not everything is right? What did you mean by that?' Isaac swiftly replied but no other messages popped up on his front.

With this slight interaction with an unknown entity, Isaac could discover one or two things.

'First, I could only see the message. By the looks of it, I'm the only one who possessed such a thing. Second, this entity seemed to not have lied about having vast knowledge. In that case… I could use it. I don't know what it means to be a 'hero' or why have I chosen to weirdly do something so great but… there should be deep meanings in it, right?'

'Besides, I didn't choose this. I was just a normal person which has been entrapped in a ruin for a very long time…'

His thoughts wandered around, feeling a little helpless as to why it was happening but soon enough, Noelle's voice rang out.

"Ready?"

"Yeah,"

Without saying much, the two swiftly moved outside the cell. Isaac had a sword and put a knife around his waist just in case while Noelle had the things which are left for the taking.

They began jogging since their position was easily exposed to their enemies. It was a mutual understanding and doesn't need to talk about.

"Do you have any plans?" Isaac asked, half expectant and suspicious as if he was trying to scrutinize something out of Nolle.

Of course, Noelle, who was aware of it, nodded slightly. At that moment, he pours cold water on his head.

"There would be a lot of people dying, whether they were enemies or poor people entangled with an unfortunate accident," Noelle spoke harshly as his emotion turned emotionless which is even hard for Isaac to notice what he was thinking. 'Of course, it could be prevented if they come but... there's nothing sure about this point.'

He then continued, "We'll blow this place to pieces. I don't have the explosives on me since Klein would become suspicious as to why I'm acquiring the items. A sword and a set of knives are already enough. Imagine adding the bombs,"

"But…"

"Easy now, I'm not finished," Noelle paused, "We have to find Lori and Drake first. Yower and his men are next then we'll begin finding explosives around this place,"

'It's hypocrisy but… it's better to save my own than the people I don't know. Do I look like I villain now? Sigh, this is not the kind of development I wanted but… what a funny reason, France,'

He wasn't the Hero of this novel. He wasn't driven by justice but solely moved by his interest. Noelle knew that.

His eagerness to come back is what makes him that way. If he didn't, what's the reason for doing these tireless tasks anyway?

'I couldn't understand him anymore,' Isaac thought inwardly before switching to topics, "Where are we? Seeing that you left us like there like an idiot, you must've known right now where we are, right?'

"…"

Noelle was silent, his face confused before answering with a faint smile, "I don't know but if I have to guess, this is at least an intermediate grade ruin or almost the same as a proficient grade ruin. It's a maze type and there are buildings I passed through along the way but it indicated that it belonged to this place. Some were constructed by the Saviours themselves. It seems civilization is made here,"

'Civilization…' Isaac mused inwardly as he sighed, finally stopping at some place where they could hide, "Basically, you don't know where we are?"

"Yup, I followed you here in the middle of nowhere," Noelle smiled, "But you don't have to worry. If they really are what I think they are, they should be able to come here. I left some tracks for them to find,"

He paused, "In the meantime, we should find the explosives. And as you can see, I don't have any in my possession. Sigh, I wish something magically appear on my front and my problems were gone. Sigh, I truly wish 'those' explosives would come to me without any obstacle, My hands are free as of the moment."

"…"

[…]

Isaac silently looked at Noelle, finding his actions bizarre. He looked at the screen in front of him, asking the system inwardly.

'Can I get enough explosives to blow this place?'

[That's not how it works. The key I gave you is just a bonus as our relationship seems to be starting at this point. For you to receive anonymous rewards, you should be able to complete a mission first, not the other way around,]

'Anonymous, seriously? Aren't you supposed to help me?'

[Yes but…]

'No buts. Give me something like that. Then, assign me to a mission in exchange,' Isaac answered the system inwardly, 'Just this once, please?'

The system was silent for a moment before replying.

[Sigh, all right. But you have to promise me you will do the mission I would be giving to you. Say it, Hero.]

Isaac paused for a moment as he muttered, "I promise,"

[We did this a few years ago, remember? Just wait for something to appear on your side. The explosives will appear there and do what you want with them. Good luck with your adventure, Hero.]

Nodding his head, Isaac turned his head at Noelle, who was acting as if he was a victim and needed help, and soon said, "I have explosives that could help us,"

Acting surprised, Noelle gasped, "Really? Oh, a god has answered my prayers! Thank you, whoever you are!"

"…"

[…]

They felt something was wrong with him and it was bothering them a bit but they shrugged it off instantly.

Soon enough, as if the space beside Isaac is distorted, what seemed to be a portal the size of a head, appeared and Isaac get his hand inside as if to get something.

"Just so you know, we're going to need a lot," Noelle added and saw Isaac frowning and nodding his head silently.

After a few seconds, he keep grabbing what seems to be explosives, out from the portal and began giving them to Noelle. He brought out ten explosives consecutively, giving half to Noelle to carry in the meantime.

"It's doable, I guess," Noelle, whose persona turned serious all of a sudden, spoke solemnly as he watched the explosives with a hint of nervousness, "Here's the plan. Put the explosives where it could cause a large domino effect to this place while we find our people,"

He paused, remembering something critical as he can't help but facepalm himself, "When we finished finding them, the only problem left is how do we ignite the explosive? Do you have any suggestions?"

'Is there a way to ignite those explosives you've given to me?' Isaac asked the entity inside his head.

[Just inject your mana on the tip of the explosives. I know you can use simple magic. After injecting fire magic on the tip, just snap your fingers and wait for a few seconds. Understand, hero?]

Nodding his head, Isaac turned his head to look at Noelle and said, "I can solve that problem. Hand me yours first and once I'm done, we can proceed,"

"Ok," Noelle handed his explosives as he began telling another thing, "Be careful with the guy you fought on the road. He's much more dangerous than any other people in here, as far as I know. His men or himself might be probably looking at me in this maze,"

"Did you do something?"

Noelle smiled weakly as he answered, "Forced to do something. Heh, not a great experience but I don't have a choice,"

"…"

Without indulging much on the topic, Isaac concentrated on putting magic at the tip of the explosives. After exactly two minutes of carefully injecting his mana, he handed the half to Noelle.

"Where do we meet?"

"That… in your cell, I guess? Once we gather our people, we'll immediately leave and hand this matter to the authorities. Yes, that's exactly the plan,"

Those tracks he left outside, mostly leaving everything unattended, though gathering the attention of the people here is one thing that is different from what he had expected it merely give his plan a push further to completion, authorities coming into this place, trapping every Saviour that lived in here, using the terrain on this place with the use of explosives, it's impeccable.

'I would've joked about right now that it was all because I read novels but I knew the situation didn't demand it.' Noelle thought inwardly as he clenched his fist, 'I will destroy them here.'