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The Paper User: Exiled for a ‘Trash Skill,’ Awakens True Power and Rises with Two Unique Skills ,Volume 2 - Chapter 13

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Chapter: Fanatics

An hour later, we rendezvoused with the Flame Dragon Corps.

“So, the fanatics have finally made their move, huh…”

Greg, the vice-leader of the Flame Dragon Corps, cast a sharp glance down at the bound cultist.

Greg looked to be in his mid-thirties, towering over one-eighty centimeters, his frame solid and muscular. He wore enchanted armor that glimmered faintly under the forest light, and on his thick belt gleamed a silver plate—proof of his rank as an A-class adventurer.

“You did well. Posting you in this sector was the right call.”

“Sector?” Armin tilted her head.

“Yeah. This area’s full of caves, and there’ve been sightings of cultists. We deployed strong parties to regions like this.”

His eyes flicked briefly toward Kinako.

“With an A-rank like Kinako in your party, plus you”—he looked at Armin—“a C-rank adventurer who also holds an advanced alchemist certification… well, that’s solid.”

“You really did your homework,” I said.

“Of course. Adding Yakumo’s party to this operation was originally a way to thank you for finding Lux. But I didn’t expect your whole team to be this capable. A pleasant surprise.”

“Yakumo-kun is strong too,” Armin added quickly.

“Huh? Yakumo’s an E-rank, isn’t he?”

“Even so, he’s strong. He’s the backbone of our party.”

“…Oh?” Greg gave me a long, assessing look.

“You got combat skills?”

“No,” I replied calmly. “Just a unique skill.”

Greg raised an eyebrow. “What kind of skill?”

“The ability to materialize paper,” I said.

“…Paper?” His jaw twitched. “That’s… certainly an unusual ability.”

Figures. Most people didn’t think much of it. Even Kirsas, an S-rank, had dismissed me completely.

Greg exhaled through his nose. “Anyway, this guy might know where the temple is.”

“Unfortunately…” The cultist finally spoke, his tone flat.

“I don’t know where it is. That’s why I was assigned to attack duty.”

“I see. So you’re just a grunt.” Greg’s eyes turned cold as steel.

“But we’ll interrogate you anyway. Can’t trust your word.”

“Do as you please… though I’ve no reason to stick around.”

Before we could react, the cultist began chanting a spell.

“You bastard—!” Greg lunged, gripping the man’s throat with one powerful hand, choking off the incantation.

“You think you can escape like this?”

“Escape…? No…” The cultist’s lips curled into something almost like a smile. “…But I can still… offer…!”

Blood suddenly burst from his eyes and mouth, his body convulsing violently.

“Oh no—!” Armin gasped.

“Great Dollz… accept… my body… as the final offering…”

He never finished. His head slumped forward. Dead.

“Poison,” Kinako murmured grimly. “He must’ve dosed himself beforehand, set up a trigger spell for suicide.”

“They’d go that far…?” My voice came out hoarse.

The Dollz cultists were an organized, murderous sect. Capture usually meant execution. But to choose death on their own…

“The mind of a fanatic isn’t something normal people can understand,” Kinako said softly, as if reading my thoughts.

“But remember this—someone unafraid of death is the most dangerous kind of enemy. They’ll do the unpredictable. Never drop your guard.”

I nodded slowly, her words sinking in like cold steel.

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