A soft whistling sound wakes me up, I find myself in my room. I feel much better, but Getting up is still a challenge as my chest aches every time I try.242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp4wCIMkauM
242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHdMPD6x43E
After a few attempts, I drag myself to the edge of the bed and roll down softly to get up, then walk up to the window.242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4edtl3kCjg
242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEdQJnPSK5b
The sun is not visible but the sky seem dimly lit, stars are still visible, and now that I see it, the planet has two moons, one is blue and another is silver, except the blue moon is broken.242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe5YU7LTPeI
242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw1YPG8xA7X
I can hear the whistling sound. And now that I am awake, might as well take a stroll.242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfa3flgeE7c
242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1oqQbmVrJV
But before that I tie a cloth around my left eye which is making me feel dizzy, this place is filled with energies.242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRHmMAi6GPf
242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQZVxR90iOp
I open the window, and using the branches as foot hold, climb down slowly, but just as I am about to reach the bottom, my foot slip and I am about to fall flat on my face, but using my unbelievable strength I use my arms and legs like a cat to spread the impact across the ground.242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyIbMkuKFT5
242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAMHj1DqTs4
Although it pains my chest, I power through it242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4RgecdO2oT
242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy7qSD1PfCE
“Cool..., lets go.” I say to myself optimistically.242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0FRbw8koih
242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXVo5liHBRZ
But if someone saw me walking around I am sure they would avoid me.242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLREceK8kFa
242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3XAlGe6umO
There are less people around than I expected, maybe people sleep till sunrise here. And this place feels like it’s based in center of an Oasis, there are lots of trees and bushes.
I follow the sound and arrive into a small clearing not too far away behind the mansion. There are some wooden swords, some sort of equipment.242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡapqjDbsybM
242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVvwXrVwgJx
I am sure the whistling sound must be coming from here. But there is no one here?242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXDDkwsIDrq
242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMnu26Q0yPn
Just kidding, they think they can ambush me, they are on my right in the darkness of the trees. I summon a dagger just in case.242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7G5xNIu0mA
242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh3kkiV81QQ
I quickly turn towards my right, ready to defend, but the flash of bright golden hair dazed me. I snap into action as the sword nears me, I divert it using calculated precision, tilting it so that the flat side slides against my neck, but suddenly Gloria switches her grip, trying to stop herself.242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdUhS4Ng8h8
242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYi0bgQXOYR
It works for me but seems like it didn’t quite work for her.242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt8Db2PtH17
242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMNVk7LRgpk
Gold particles disappearing in the air signified her failed attempt to use her powers.242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxpCyTaNNH1
242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe8Tbo8LsAL
I catch her shoulders. Frail looking like any woman’s, But she sure is strong, and It felt like I am holding ambers.242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVNPtBPQrTa
242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl2K3KhuU7F
A hissing sound starts to come from my hands.242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUboYu8oNu9
242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUiFuIkLaNi
“Get your hands off me!” she says as she tries to force my hands away.242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsTh07FhQTX
242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrE02QPdxxZ
“You should be in bed. I nearly killed you.” she says242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ07ddEAlD75
242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeLmSl6fOii
“Don’t flatter yourself, and do you attack people out of the blue if they approach you?” I ask in a serious tone242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrmj2w9SOAo
242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoX0gq5Rkq2
“Excellent, so you CAN~ talk?!” she says forcing a hint of surprise and frustration in her voice242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNelqfzFBhz
242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS8eA3XeY95
“This is my training ground. Restricted. I hate people Intruding during practice.” She says arrogantly.242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiTSBECldni
242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlqXB6Y8qL6
She flicks her head to slight right “I didn’t injure you did I?”242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdH9ubo2HXi
242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTg5xaOfhqj
I don’t speak to strangers much, trying to save energy is a habit I developed during my time as the best hitman. She is just my contractor’s daughter.242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnwXFg9YoCH
242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4dXUgyxCMK
I smirk, looking around.242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡweWFo9xKyV
242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIQh4JKtiZz
“Oh, so you can smile. I though you were some serious guy.” She says242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKiCTaPD1lB
242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6AcMhZoLq2
I stroll around, looking at the equipment. But as I turn towards Gloria again, I catch a wooden sword. Old memories, unpleasant ones return to me as it instantly crush the sword in my hand and throw it aside.242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7bejlQcr6I
242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbGi1m7hDwm
“Wha—Hey! If you didn’t want to practice you could have said so! Why break it?!” she says242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV9Xa4XZ9ne
242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdb4oOfo9QT
“If it were a random person that forced a sword in my hand, they would be draining on the ground by now.” I snap, only to realize that I am way out of line.242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4KrUk1CKTr
242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2a9bOtYaXG
“….” Gloria flinches242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡolS31mwrcz
242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5wxvvSCwRl
“Sorry. I didn’t intend to do that. Swords and I don’t get along.” I say as I pinch my nose disappointed on myself.242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk5HYNF39aO
242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYfbz495ohm
“No, it’s fine.” A small, almost surprised smile touched her lips. “Startling, is all. Not many outside my family dare raise their voice at me.”242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6lbfQwJ59c
“You aren’t angry?” I ask242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3fWVklir1x
242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpxFJ9j758k
“No, I was just trying to get you to spar with me, forgetting you are injured. I was the one at fault, so I will let you off the hook this once.” she chuckles, mischief in her voice.242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOoO2CoJo5x
242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxRK2C503Uh
“A spar?” I considered it. Good exercise, but not worth reopening these wounds. “Maybe Another time.”242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8t88BmkzUM
242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUeyaAK4i78
“Then we have a deal?” she asks242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8cof1EPKjT
242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8G433wHFNY
“Deal” I assure her with a thumbs up as I transition into a cross-armed pose.
Keeping up this polite facade was exhausting. So much wasted energy.242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXMSDSbtsGA
242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEHolITLWPd
“Last night, Old man said you defeated the demon lord. If you didn’t use a sword, then what did you use?” she ask242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFBpSPdV52m
242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu3c5u2LLFx
“You want to know?” I ask, she nods immediately.242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOiswfcwsfB
242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTs9CcMI1d4
I point at the moon to distract her “Oh, look! A bird!” It works like it always does.242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEM12TxRiyV
242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTr3lqbc4SY
I only need moments to summon my spear using my strange powers.242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRRkGJAF9YM
242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUF8cIyhqVN
Now that it was in my hand, I remember how badly its damaged since the last battle.242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0z2U5I4NyQ
242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXGYYmQ6B9y
“Hold on—Where did that come from?” she asks242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwmEyi9wwlB
242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ47NVSDWKXc
“Magic?” I offer with a shrug “Maybe, who knows?” motion242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhEFcAu2PqO
242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUmZpZ7vWpL
“Don’t take me as a fool. That staff was not there before. How did you make it appear out of nowhere? And I know you have an artifact which stops magic around you, mine didn’t work when I attacked you earlier.” she asks242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo4VQsWaENU
242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6jDKvzNjIo
I had a feeling she might ask this.242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS95vNLdkjs
242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp4RiKhdE3H
“Fine, It’s a lost technology. I had the staff, but in a miniature form.” I say242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv7MCOwtHsD
242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjHyn6Hqawr
“Hmm, that might explain how you defeated the demon lord.” She murmurs while clutching her chin and the part of the mask covering it.242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡADfJm8xUEe
242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8Gqw5SkokL
“What rank are you anyway?” she asks242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo42q5NVVqK
242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ2bAMGFAoa
“Rank?” I ask back in confusion242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeJEwzpxYKG
242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYjt3cQvI0g
“Yeah, as in Adventurer Rank. I am called the ‘Flame queen’ and my Rank is called Silver Hand. Burned a Wyvern into a crisp with single blow using my fire magic once Although I was trying to hide my power.” She says with a smug voice.242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKKkQbNW9ev
242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUCTyiRNy45
“Adventurer, huh? I am not one, I am a Hitman.” I say242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ66A0yyUzGY
242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeWPvGHykw7
“Oldzheil did mention that before. What does that even mean? Is that some kind of title?” she asks242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbICnMCHSbz
242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuaBKDL9oud
my stomach lets out a deep growl as if a lion roar.242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhEJkAOrqq9
242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXBkmrZ2pSn
“History can wait for later. But Food? My friend here suggests we Eat.” I say rubbing my stomach under the shirt.242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw6dqz85BPc
242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ32UPsjSimU
“Now that you mention it, I am hungry too. But…” she hesitates242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrhMXVJcyTu
242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW4xREcsyWX
“But I don’t think you would like what I eat.” She says.242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU4Cx4Rq63R
242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfbY45ym7nR
“Anything that doesn’t scream first.” I pause. “Even a tree will do, if it comes down to it.”242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8KONjXSy9s
242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWomdLZSAKA
She giggles “Your sense of humor sucks just like Oldzheil.”242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHww8BMu1ff
242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuXMiKL26QT
“Problem with vegetables?” I ask with a flat voice242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoxF6lC59J9
242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZaoCTy8xHG
“Not at all stupid, as a matter of fact I am veg too.” she says242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVeMpKXEgmx
242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYWTMMZaklu
“A veg like me in this world? Crazy fantasy world to be in.”242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmEJWKwesu4
242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7zr7zsHQoU
“HEHE, there are many out there. Meat is quite expensive for common folk. And, eating lower beings is the last thing I want to do,” She says242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvl5wUex7hM
242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD1Ot0AXuOr
Gloria starts walking excited, and I follow behind her, we both walk for a few minutes, quite. But then she speaks.242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbP5zIYc1fi
242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv2Y61ZWQt7
“You know, when I first saw you, I Mistook you for some god’s descendant too, Your eyes, although strange, speaks of wisdom and knowledge not meant For humans to achieve your age, It’s unbelievable no matter how I think of it.” She says242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYXVfgx3nhs
242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiXU8woCCxG
“Seems like the Old dwarf spilled more than I expected,” I say.
242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKlSUEj5N4M
Maybe she's right about the age thing, though.
242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNDlCh7Y4xH
Telling her I'm decades older felt wrong somehow.
I lost my childhood working to meet expectations; perhaps being young again wasn't so bad. I shift the topic.
242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi6WfVU8pW4
“So—these adventurers—they are what, monster hunters?”242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4ZilYDt9wI
242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMbsZza6MGf
“It’s an umbrella term, but yeah it involves bandit hunting, monster hunting and many other things.242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU2TWSUCcZY
242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1g46A3TrEV
“So it’s a freelancing platform for people?” I ask242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKswWqOgFaa
242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjlDh5rYjHG
“What’s freelancing?” she asks242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSCLFhs7uLd
242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOZd85fBZFh
“Work on hire.” I say242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡihieZJXKJb
242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXUcjOwp2vf
“yeah, more or less. How the hell do you don’t know about adventurer’s guild?” Gloria says, suspicion creeping in her voice.242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKCRzsf2l0O
242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTYTmU15ukQ
“Geolard scrambled my memory before I met Warzheil. Only the important bits stuck.” I say242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHXGihBQCBi
242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzltxRWLj2n
“Oh, Oldman didn’t tell us about that.”242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiNTlnTAAf0
242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6e1z0ceSMh
“He doesn’t know it as well. I just realized that there was something missing in my head.” I say as I make up a random story.242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgMG1yeltw6
242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjB7BEurxJv
”By the way, you don’t quite speak like how one would expect a goddess, I assume you grew up here and not in a castle?”242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6q7wlyAM1p
242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcL9v8k13Bj
“It’s that bad? Maybe I should take those classes Sil was telling me to.”242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡexFPGpumzO
242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy7eU3aTbo0
“One’s presence can be powerful when used with knowledge and precision.” I say.242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQDZLN1Gd4R
242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5MhBgKntta
“You should become a Sage.” She laughs242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZeUzDHjN5u
242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXbQhvCLYvk
“So, What’s your plan after this? Like, what do you want to do in life? You already defeated extremely powerful foes and lived to tell the tale. I am sure you can easily become a captain of some knight’s order in a capital city if you wanted.” She asks242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoPoz4Z9jEX
242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRUTq9ywbcW
Her ideas are alluring, now that I reflect on it, I never took time to peacefully sit down and think about what I want to do after I found Ava.242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRIVbEtLvR1
242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ028LPJCN6z
“Maybe I will go visit the man who stole my precious sister’s heart, and show him who the boss of the house is!” I say, cracking my knuckles with a grin.242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo8p2Nk0LLn
242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNUGol95Q6x
“You mean Ava ‘The Light Borne Hero’, right?” she catches me off-guard by mentioning Ava.242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7QqBN5u2Tt
242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMWmZJaHFcl
“Oldzheil told us about her too.” She says242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6yELptNEXY
242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcE7zUCqagq
I sneer “That Oldman…...” tightening my fist242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV4TjeRjrkZ
242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡElSVsX6rzI
“Hehehe, Don’t hold it against him, Grandma Sil has a special spell that forces other to speak more than they intend.” She explains242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN429n0yiSE
242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiU3UX5q0qZ
“Fine.” The thought of facing Ava still unnerved me. “Doesn't change that I need to see them.”242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWfExrGIyfC
242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTmr9fDK7PG
“Why the long face? You think your sister won’t welcome you because you had a fight with her?” she asks242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhDPadN2kEY
242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxxWyAMBoDD
“It’s---complicated. Right now, she hates me more than I hate the sword” I say242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhm4tiGJYUM
242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhsMjsVSmTc
Gloria does not enquire further. But after a moment of quite walking she speaks242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjCMLfUHzP6
242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaUBx8hLPSe
“Why not become an adventurer just like me? I have never asked anyone this because no one is worthy around here, but maybe we can become friends?” she says as she spins and walks backward while she face me242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmNIs1MVuLW
242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjYXWl4Utgl
“Friends?” I continue after reconsidering. “Hard pass.”242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXSwYgfX4jx
242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqh81XcOFqD
242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbHPMZd7h00
Gloria, who was excited earlier with her hand raised in joy had suddenly stopped. Her joy was put to an abrupt halt. I stop too.242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAWCPGrGRgl
242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnwoj8ykfI5
She must be struck hard, but I cannot be friends with my contractor’s daughter. I don’t want anyone else to be hurt because of me.242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRxELQ1WrF4
242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5IzyYUrqmN
But, Then I hear a few sniffs. My heart sinks.242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnaUMTCYAWD
242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKConhxJfnp
Giggles after sniffs “I was just joking? Why would anyone want to be friends out of the blue with someone who attacked them.” She says242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpXJ9CN7jP8
242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgYnNlAm6Jn
“Your father taught you well, arrogance is downfall of the weak who think they are strong..” I says with a small smile as I rub my beard.242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMSzkK51G7A
242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYw4dpkvjW7
242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUvtMeypkVx
“So, do you think I can become an Adventurer?” I ask trying to divert from the sobby mood.242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKvon6FDwd8
242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUIsjDt02Ue
“oh, They don’t let mutants into the guild, but I can vouch for you if you want. The local adventurer guild can only promote you till the Elder Silver Hand rank. But after that you will need to go to one of the capitals.” She says242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNDUElNgZdB
242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1NWhAMZNlc
“Can I ask for your help? Or did I hurt your feelings and you won’t help me?” I ask242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDpjMrU515b
242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYmWwItrbgl
“I am not some fool who dwell on emotions for too long, and you are our guest, so I will help you. We are almost there anyways and Since there is still time until the food stalls open up, we should go there” She says
“Won’t the guild be closed as well?” I ask242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6CwE1oFA8e
242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXvQfIpl1cP
“No, it opens up early, since adventurers start coming here.” She says as we walk through the town.242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1TFO790qLV
242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM7vIjKOWX1
“You will need to fight a monster or instructor to get a rank, which should be breeze for you. But I suggest you take off your artifact when you measure your mana.” gloria says242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0q0KUR5aCR
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“Take off? Oh didn’t Warzheil tell you? I cannot take off my artifact. It is bound to me with Curse of Binding.” I say242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzelC1hsUh2
242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ69n2NKqu0s
“Curse of Binding? But that’s a curse lost during time of the Elder Gods. Just how old is that artifact? And how did you even get your hands on it?” She asks with a gasp242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFe8fYGlcD5
“Well, Geolard had it.” I say242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHQpousmgfQ
242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLpmzkkAGLw
“Oh, that makes sense.” She says with an analytical nod242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIVHvmAxmA4
242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXR4CTO2nyj
Soon, we arrive near a big, exotic looking building, magical almost.242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqvlSI6nPtB
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The doors are open and a Cat woman is mopping the front of the guild.242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIm1G7Ov12R
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“Nya-? Miss Gloria? What brings the Flame Queen so early to the guild?” she asks242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5palWaaIXi
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“Good morning Canthrine, This is a guest of our house. And he wants to register as an adventurer.”242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbPkIO3rwkr
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I join my hand as a greeting which confuses them.242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbzkbLuScYE
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“This is the way of greeting in my homeland” I say242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUILkvxmRbW
“Oh, you gi~yot me nyanfused for a second there. Hahahaha. Go in, Sinfia should be on the reception.” she says with a welcoming gesture.242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnxze5M0S4R
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“Hmm… strange man, I couldn’t feel my mana near him.” Canthrine dwells on the thought for a few moments before getting back to her chore.
Gloria nods as we walk into the Adventurer’s Guild. Polished hardwood floors gleamed under soft, magical light emanating from runes carved into the ceiling beams. A long counter dominated one wall, several empty stools before it, while comfortable-looking leather chairs were arranged near a large, unlit hearth on the other side. Quiet, for now.242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcv4taXwgSD
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A half Dragon half Human girl sat on the center counter.242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡreqamw0IWL
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As far as my knowledge go, they are called dragonewt.242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡokIKLfniR6
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There are 5 counter openings and she is on the center.242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyW4pycguXL
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She Seems busy with some paper work, and doesn’t notice us.242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeBaHnbBSvO
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“Hey Sinfia!” Gloria says waving her hand.242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡloISBlPZZe
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“Oh, If it isn’t Sister Gloria.” The girl says242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb9XJFtA8Os
242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGDWnodTQ7y
“Kid, Where is the receptionist?” I ask, teasing her242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEot4NG4rny
242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4iddvzhArm
“Wha-?, Excuse me, I am THE receptionist and I am 19, a full fledged adult. And I will soon be posted to a capital city too. Sister, Who is this rude per…..son?!” her voice drifts from annoyed to shocked when she notices my hand.242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP0k2yhflWs
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Seeing her stare at my hand, I and realize that my hand really makes things complex for me.242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmof61msbCM
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“You mean This? Standard issue. Made For certain specialized… professions.” I say242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkYNJcYCLRy
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“A gauntlet?” she asks suspiciously242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgBDAQQDgz7
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“You don’t need to hide it when I am with you Ronin, I will fill her in later.”242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtsARWY6noG
242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKk5Jh8INE9
“If you say so Big sister. But what brings the Flame Queen here today?” Sinfia says, letting her guard down slightest.242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAymE9nqgTI
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“I am here to vouch for this man, Says he wants to be an adventurer.”242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXPOwfTvemL
242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhqHLPQUgm3
“Him? I don’t see much in him though. His left eye is patched by a cloth, his left hand looks like a gauntlet out of the demon treasury.” She says with a bored expression242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4g0KSw6rg9
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“Fia, If one of your adventurer becomes above Vanquisher Rank, you would finally get a job in one of the main branch, Right?” Gloria says, gesturing at me.242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlpWN2Ntdxh
242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkPuDZjNWU1
“So you are telling me this guy here is that capable? Even if it’s you, I need some proof to accept your vouch.” She says242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBQhRNnIgAe
242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZRRSZ2O8lb
“A proof? I don’t think we have….” Gloria says but I know exactly what to do.242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpv6D8ED6tQ
242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR3XUXy6s7s
So I interrupt her as I step forward and put my index finger on the desk. “Listen kiddo, you saw the flash of light in the sky a few nights ago right?”242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡao3hMCuJJE
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“I am not a kid!” she recoils242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZbVAJ9Nkcq
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“Tell me that, When you learn to control your temper. For now answer the question.” I say which annoys her but she answers242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ9xvbEXQj5
242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi3nsbn0UBH
“Yeah, what if I saw it? The Heroes must have defeated the demon lord.” She says242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZnK2ABa6vi
242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKPUJYUO0tQ
“Heroes didn’t kill that monster.” I lean forward slightly. “I did.”242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOdYkgr3t9e
242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJFUA7e5CKq
At first Sinfia covers her mouth and then starts laughing wildly almost falling off her chair.242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlKUjpnEKmC
242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVxm1HxsHti
But Shortly after, I hear another giggle. I look up, slightly backing away from the counter, and see a powerfully built woman perched atop a counter. Muscle corded her arms and shoulders, compact and dense beneath practical white clothes and a half-leather jacket, but she moved with a surprising grace when she later jumped down. Not just brute strength, but honed power.242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxCK3Yxp85B
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“Guild Master Kainia, You returned from Holy Kingdom?” Gloria asks.242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfvd5CBg5Ui
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“Hello, Gloria. Thanks for taking care of our town in my absence.” She says as she jumps down from the top near Gloria.242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvwEjrNzYlm
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Walking up to me she realizes something is wrong with her mana, her expression gives her away.242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnUipoPGwnK
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Kainia’s eyes narrow on me. “No mana In or around you… An artifact?”242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuimN9JuK2c
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“As expected of the boss of the place. You know your stuff.” I say242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡik53vh68TC
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The guild master’s expression changes, now she feels like someone who is worth talking to.242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXj7uMbVLGu
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“Kid, going around, telling other that you have precious commodity doesn’t raise fame, it raise chances of death.”242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRSTHfsDrLH
242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdUuiauGFZi
But Her bossy attitude won’t work on me, putting bossy people in their place has been a big part of my history.242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNmqTc0zmG4
242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡusDFIWTsJ1
“I am confident I won’t meet someone who can take it from me, I know just fine how to go against odds.” I say242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc3nIAMQy5O
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Kainia nods slowly, her sharp eyes assessing me. "So it is true." She lets out a short, barking laugh, devoid of humor. "I like you already kid."242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfdNLthlyeI
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Kainia leans a hand on the counter, her expression turning serious. "And to think such a youngling is the 'Demon Traitor'. You're already a hot topic in the Holy Kingdom, you know?"242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD0482ebxBM
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“Me?” I ask242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbsV0plxzhk
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"Yeah, you," Kainia confirms, seemingly enjoying the dramatic effect. "The Holy Kingdom realized you killed the Demon Lord – their prophet, the one who talks to gods, apparently saw the whole thing."
Sinfia gasps, her earlier mockery vanishing, replaced by wide-eyed shock as she glances nervously between me and the Guild Master. She had heard my claim.
"They're saying," Kainia continues, ticking points off on her fingers, "that a 'half-demon' betrayed the demon race..."
Half-demon? Where did they get that? I think, catching Gloria giving me a quick, questioning look.
"...held his own against the Light Borne Hero..."
Gloria's eyes widen “So Oldzheil wasn’t lying?” she asks242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhHiFJANkuD
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“You still had your doubts, huh?” I ask with a sigh
"...and then killed the Demon Lord," Kainia finishes, driving the point home.
Sinfia looks faint, clutching the counter for support, finally grasping the reality behind my earlier statement. Gloria lets out a slow breath, seemingly confirming this part to herself while the other details swirl.
Kainia smirks slightly. "Made you a wanted criminal and a legend overnight." She pauses, letting the weight of her words settle in the now silent reception area. "Point is, they’ve put out a request to every guild, mine included. Compulsory quest: report any information on your whereabouts."242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl0tcPvUmvl
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“W-w-wait, tell me you aren’t joking boss!” Sinfia says242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUu3McHDifC
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“Not at all, Sinfia, you should apologies this man before he eats you.” She says teasingly to Sinfia, which works.242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwXjgtscZas
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Sinfia is about to get up but I gesture her to sit down and relax.242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8F2qtqDep7
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“Ok, first of all, I may look like this, but I am not a Demon. I am human by heart.” I pause “I am here to apply as an adventurer, so, are you going to let me take a test or should I leave? Because I have other things to do.” I get straight to the point.242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3NZ2WaoZeg
“Hold your horses now, there is no way we can make a demon into an adventurer, but I will make it a special case for you. I have ears around the town you know. Since you are a guest who saved our elder Warzheil, I will be delighted to help you create a fake card.” She suggests242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV5d8KaKygK
242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDVB90mqCCR
“I see a fake card….” I dwell on it for a moment242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfASZGD83J1
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“I can register you as a human adventurer with a prostitute hand or something. As for the test, I need you to bring some big hunt with you while you are here. I am sure you don’t want people hunting you know where you are because that’s what will happen if I told the main branches of adventurer guild about you.” She says242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsnFKU0w8we
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“I think that’s a good plan, so I just need to register as a newbie, hunt some beasts, and rise through the ranks?” I ask242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkOCUyBZxpG
242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCeBV6A0XJP
“Bingo. It seems like our Gloria found a smart boyfriend for herself, I was starting to think she would be alone all her life.” The guild master huffs teasing Gloria.242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDYQ07EZ0Hg
242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkprji4DNjD
“B-b-boyfriend? We aren’t like that! How can I- with him.” She starts to stammer.242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu0NHO8gseD
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“She is teasing you, snap out of it.” I say in a commanding voice242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnUUjmYGhsB
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“so? What did you decide?” Kainia asks242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUFBL5UB43c
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“Your proposition is not bad, ok let’s go with that.” I say242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfOslQvd25d
242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBI7CS1wzfE
“I will get register you on Steel Sentinel rank which is the 8th rank out of 10, hunt a good beast and I will raise your rank.” She says handing me over a small tempered Blue-Steel wristband that fails to attach to my wrist, so I try to bend it to fit my wrist.242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmnekfh18E5
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“Killing the demon lord has it’s benefits It seems. Thank you. Although it doesn’t fit my hand.” I say trying to fix the band, Gloria turn to leave, I follow her as I fix the band, but Kainia stops us as we near the gate.242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8y0NEtUtPH
242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRIryqIMv3w
“Take this advice to heart. Do not use your powers, items or artifacts openly. Kingdoms rage Wars over such precious commodities. They will try anything to strip you off your things if you are not under a kingdom.” She says242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3Jifkd6XRT
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“Why tell me this?” I ask242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdOYcjwfzAM
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“Your ancestors must have worked hard as adventurers to obtain such precious artifact. I can respect that.” She says242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrG8hs3hkNY
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Well, It’s good that she doesn’t know that it’s not an artifact. She is a good person.242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSQwlVKCUT9
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We step into the pre-dawn twilight. Just as our eyes adjust, a party of five adventurers approaches the entrance, moving with the synchronized efficiency of a veteran team, their boots crunching softly on the street. Their gear, though travel-worn, is high quality; the leader, encased in gleaming golden plate armor, wears the unmistakable Obsidian Black wristband of a Reaver. The bulky warrior beside him sports the Burnished Bronze of a Vanquisher. Slightly ahead of them, hurrying towards the door while glancing back, is a man in flamboyant silks carrying a lute.242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoNm8Gr9JHy
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Preoccupied in adjusting my band to my wrist, I don't sidestep quite fast enough as the bard reaches the threshold. Our shoulders collide. He yelps as the waterskin he was lifting flies from his grasp, splashing dark liquid down his colorful tunic.
"Seven bloody hells!" Valerius—the bard—exclaims, stumbling back and staring aghast at the spreading stain with theatrical horror. "My Aquarian silk! Utterly ruined! Have you no eyes, man?!" Real irritation underlies his dramatic tone.
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"Easy, Valerius," the Vanquisher rumbles, planting his heavy frame squarely in the doorway, blocking our path. His Bronze band is prominent as his hand rests near his axe hilt. He looks me up and down, gaze lingering contemptuously on my blue-steel band. "Watch yourself when approaching your betters, Sentinel. Some 'accidents' have steep prices."
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Gloria Step forward, he hair flaring with amber particles.242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTM0CW8Wsik
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Gloria draws herself up beside me, her posture unwavering, her hand near her Polished Silver band. "He was rushing blindly toward an occupied exit. Perhaps even those," she adds coolly, pointedly glancing at the leader's Obsidian Black band, "self proclaimed ‘betters’ should mind their own path."242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS8km0Avmvv
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The leader in gold armor remains silent, visor fixed forward, assessing. Behind him, the veiled mage and the shadow figure watch impassively.
Valerius recovers, striking a pose despite his damp tunic. "A tragedy! Such artistry warrants recompense! Perhaps," his eyes flick to Gloria's rank and bearing, "the lady understands? A private performance, maybe?"
I step slightly forward, drawing the focus. "It was unintentional," I state raising my left hand a little suggesting a gesture of de-escalation, my gaze fixed past the others onto the impassive golden helm of the Reaver leader.242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEYxqwY09Ds
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My stance is relaxed, although the Vanquisher seems to be raring for a fight.242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxNiPAwe3dw
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The Vanquisher bristles. "That all? It seem we need to teach you how to respect elders. You think that Silver Hand protects—"
"Rank means less out here," I cut him off, I say flatly, going out of my way to avoid an unnecessary fight, addressing only the leader. "Rank doesn't grant you the whole doorway. Travel costs coin. And Don't mistake the colour of a man's wristband for the threat he might be hiding just because he works the fields."
The challenge hangs, palpable. The Vanquisher glares, momentarily silenced. Valerius raises an intrigued eyebrow. The leader remains still, but I sense his focus sharpen behind the visor. The veiled mage shifts, lifting a hand subtly.242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4rgZ1dEjhO
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“A small lesson for one so young as you.” She says in a whispering voice.242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYBbH4GfeV2
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A faint thrum vibrates the air as mana gathers around her fingertips, Condensing into a sharp water stream aimed my way. It touches the field around me – less than a breath against my senses – and then its form destabilises, falling at my feet, wetting them. A silent crack like static discharge, and the nascent spell vanishes utterly, leaving no trace near my inert Blue-Steel band.
The mage gasps audibly, physically recoiling, her entire frame rigid beneath her veil.
Every member of the Reaver party reacts instantly. The Vanquisher stares, his jaw slackening in disbelief. Valerius pales, eyes wide. The shadow figure becomes a knot of pure tension. The Reaver leader's helmet snaps fully toward me, his stillness radiating sudden, intense scrutiny. An Iron Guard nullifying magic? Impossible.242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaUcnA58UfG
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“Now I am wet too, that makes us Equal.” I say
The Reaver holds the stunned silence for a long, calculating moment, clearly recalibrating the threat assessment. When he finally speaks, his voice is dangerously smooth, stripped bare of any condescension. "Enough. Hedvard" The command is clipped, directed at the Vanquisher, but his unseen eyes bore into me. "Inside. Now."
He starts to turn but pauses deliberately beside me, his presence radiating controlled power. His voice drops, a low murmur meant only for me, sharp as obsidian shards. "Don’t think I didn’t notice your artifact, Sentinel." The leader says with a voice dripping with venom. "Artifacts attract attention. The wrong kind. And that behavior of your will be your gravedigger." He holds my gaze through the visor slit, a silent promise of future scrutiny. "Remember that."
Without awaiting acknowledgment, he brushes past me and disappears through the open doorway into the quiet shadows of the guild hall. The bulky warrior gives me a final, hateful glare before lumbering inside. Valerius, looking thoroughly unnerved, scurries after them, followed swiftly by the still-shaken mage and the silent shadow, their figures quickly swallowed by the hall's depths.
The immediate threat recedes, but the tension lingers heavily in the air, the silence from the empty guild hall behind us somehow amplifying it. Gloria lets out a slow, shaky breath beside me.
"Well," she murmurs, looking from the empty doorway back to me, her expression troubled. "That was… more than I expected. I have a very bad feeling we'll be seeing that Obsidian band again."
I stare into the guild hall's depths where they vanished, the leader's parting words echoing. "No," I agree quietly, a cold certainty settling within me. "I have a feeling this isn’t the last we will see of them." I turn away from the guild entrance. "Let's go I am Hungry."242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlsS6BSunte
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And we walk into the streets looking for cuisine that would satiate my hunger.242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA4B6PRTJWa
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It's an old stubborn habit of mine to observe surrounding to almost minute details even when relaxed. I always feel insecure if I don’t, so I do what I am best at.242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeAngjXWbgk
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passers talking about Jortheus’s death, omens, wars and demon attacks on various kingdoms, Species trafficking etc. but there is one interesting think I noticed to be odd.242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUWRt0213nQ
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There were birds chirping in the trees unlike in the Kobe forest, who suddenly went quite. I look around, scanning the trees, but my right eye can see only so much, so I force my left eye open under the bandage while it’s still on it.242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb1eC3NCLCo
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I see outlines of beings, as if using some sort of sensor to outline things, even if it makes me nauseous, its handy in these situations and surely I see many figures in the trees watching me.242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡopINusctNm
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2 have pointy ears, elves, 1 has ears and a tail, a beastman?, another have a bow and its hiding under a hood, they all have a very thin line of colorful outline unlike gloria whose is overflowing, which means they are suppressing their power, but the hooded person doesn’t have any outline maybe I can try to peek…..I try to focus my left eye on the person, but it sends a dizzying pain in my head, maybe I shouldn’t force my strange powers, I don’t know enough about them.242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHNt2kaIPov
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They aren’t too bad, but they are unlucky I am the best at the game they are playing. I smirk at them to put them off their game.242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5UAniqIUk5
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anyone would see me as crazed guy if they saw me smirking to thin air but I am certain I saw them flinch. I can even hear bits of murmur if I concentrate my enhanced hearing, but its no use.242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9H63p926RQ
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I notice them using sign language and then using magic to disappear like they were never there.242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD4DoJJyzVB
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“Hey! What you gawking at up there? The stall is very close, come on I am hungry too, it’s Oldzheil favorite too.” Gloria shouts from a distance which snaps me from the Simulator phase of my thoughts.
For now, let’s see what happens.
Dear Reader, be kind enough to leave a comment in the chapter about it, as it inspires me to keep improving and doing better. And like if you enjoyed this chapter.242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtcJByIlZOy
It hardly takes a few seconds to write "Good", but it boosts the confidence of us authors.242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡauvYxffj4L
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Join my Discord server If you want sneak peeks or early access to chapters of Cosmeta series. Discord Server link: http://discord.gg/Q27uA8vnfu242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡncVzszbiFf
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