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.102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmCN5yJAKpJ
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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.102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnbRSjXqqED
102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR6uwJUfhIk
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.102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsy4hESab1d
102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡImy9Hlbujr
I can hear the whistling sound. And now that I am awake, might as well take a stroll.102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUGIOnWhypg
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But before that I tie a cloth around my left eye which is making me feel dizzy, this place is filled with energies.102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvGAReRl7ep
102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrcR1lOAUON
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.102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3Q9NgSHg0d
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Although it pains my chest, I power through it102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm95oH1zPCJ
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“Cool..., lets go.” I say to myself optimistically.102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRbei7cvUnU
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But if someone saw me walking around I am sure they would avoid me.102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAYA68Pd3Bl
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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.102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLyBDcfZcWH
102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjxISNPKNtL
I am sure the whistling sound must be coming from here. But there is no one here?102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPEyjIQv64t
102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEpZRmY2tNC
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.102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFr5g4WEuXv
102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS9lNW5TDkP
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.102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxe0vrOM0y3
102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbmLh81Lduu
It works for me but seems like it didn’t quite work for her.102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKhMA9VilwH
102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpvPEU3j9oM
Gold particles disappearing in the air signified her failed attempt to use her powers.102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlsHFOd6Tfu
102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKWy8WTxzi0
I catch her shoulders. Frail looking like any woman’s, But she sure is strong, and It felt like I am holding ambers.102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWCXfr4OAYD
102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoMJurwoaHW
A hissing sound starts to come from my hands.102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm9VPxXF5zS
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“Get your hands off me!” she says as she tries to force my hands away.102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg0HGRn7RcH
102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuCCmdGAaaN
“You should be in bed. I nearly killed you.” she says102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkfGh77YXla
102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDUJGTHPc95
“Don’t flatter yourself, and do you attack people out of the blue if they approach you?” I ask in a serious tone102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJdXsh0nuI2
102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRrnpwlNGbi
“Excellent, so you CAN~ talk?!” she says forcing a hint of surprise and frustration in her voice102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdlQYmJEsVP
102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbbI8zLoyDi
“This is my training ground. Restricted. I hate people Intruding during practice.” She says arrogantly.102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL3oIA40nmt
102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9qNd9vJ4r2
She flicks her head to slight right “I didn’t injure you did I?”102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGmuYKfk76v
102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEQAVReqv2E
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.102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXh3DWtAZRF
102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcaWYEMWeIf
I smirk, looking around.102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIHSYAM2kLo
102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCIEjtPFTaq
“Oh, so you can smile. I though you were some serious guy.” She says102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgPCNSuyi1Z
102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡILAWRGmw3W
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.102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8Bm5qdKYkK
102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8mUFXu6YVH
“Wha—Hey! If you didn’t want to practice you could have said so! Why break it?!” she says102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ52iBdMOam9
102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQCX4NV7RsG
“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.102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkUSb9WhzKh
102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtif0hwf1MN
“….” Gloria flinches102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNa1oN7Jf2n
102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKUUKTodTk1
“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.102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnaWe9k6jNt
102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡub4wztPGng
“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.”102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSR2EJKKc1z
“You aren’t angry?” I ask102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmgBv9bHNLr
102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2ItGgCHyOD
“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.102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVkRSq0ssNd
102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6RpE5lfimL
“A spar?” I considered it. Good exercise, but not worth reopening these wounds. “Maybe Another time.”102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjr1CL9kK6w
102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkGZ8NtNQMG
“Then we have a deal?” she asks102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbePfRoDeHs
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“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.102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAZFEdvCFTP
102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡac3i6W0eNc
“Last night, Old man said you defeated the demon lord. If you didn’t use a sword, then what did you use?” she ask102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcxzADyphht
102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlQ4G4uxck8
“You want to know?” I ask, she nods immediately.102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9eN9owBirS
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I point at the moon to distract her “Oh, look! A bird!” It works like it always does.102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTLD55vT9GA
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I only need moments to summon my spear using my strange powers.102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyBLNpELvOT
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Now that it was in my hand, I remember how badly its damaged since the last battle.102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp34P2UNCMF
102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoXD3Bn87Ap
“Hold on—Where did that come from?” she asks102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRTK1uAiAl4
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“Magic?” I offer with a shrug “Maybe, who knows?” motion102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrGd4IHnmk0
102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUwtdh6nG5z
“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 asks102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡffOtPZ3fXE
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I had a feeling she might ask this.102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoqCCS7FYLc
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“Fine, It’s a lost technology. I had the staff, but in a miniature form.” I say102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPglCVmUCaM
102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG0MhXoZFLV
“Hmm, that might explain how you defeated the demon lord.” She murmurs while clutching her chin and the part of the mask covering it.102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtQaq0iP2aF
102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRCq6vC0Tz3
“What rank are you anyway?” she asks102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3hT0GMHsZZ
102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtikXOYFmeW
“Rank?” I ask back in confusion102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxGvKhC2pi1
102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaqMfJ5cTVD
“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.102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcqd3vTteN5
102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQtcCFY41A5
“Adventurer, huh? I am not one, I am a Hitman.” I say102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqvhZcVhuWF
102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5UVfDI3ZQJ
“Oldzheil did mention that before. What does that even mean? Is that some kind of title?” she asks102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx8CrIJpsda
102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrorOm2ebR2
my stomach lets out a deep growl as if a lion roar.102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR5X8oO99vy
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“History can wait for later. But Food? My friend here suggests we Eat.” I say rubbing my stomach under the shirt.102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj3Y2T7xjsv
102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgjEjDAO569
“Now that you mention it, I am hungry too. But…” she hesitates102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8wu2d9ffIa
102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhzJvoTNRqV
“But I don’t think you would like what I eat.” She says.102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtX8VlhDoIs
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“Anything that doesn’t scream first.” I pause. “Even a tree will do, if it comes down to it.”102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn2C1XyuWvN
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She giggles “Your sense of humor sucks just like Oldzheil.”102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwLsBGceoNr
102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCMfAF41Nmr
“Problem with vegetables?” I ask with a flat voice102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBtV1RLMKdR
102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2ExEhnppjs
“Not at all stupid, as a matter of fact I am veg too.” she says102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF9PrdjGKV7
102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfX6GW4Tjsf
“A veg like me in this world? Crazy fantasy world to be in.”102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqPxz6ve1jg
102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI1QYKPFU66
“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 says102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXAh4GRxNSR
102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1qGxstQGA3
Gloria starts walking excited, and I follow behind her, we both walk for a few minutes, quite. But then she speaks.102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZXxWyvCbtF
102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaTTjhi4EjM
“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 says102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRJs66BgoaK
102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp9eWhDYbyX
“Seems like the Old dwarf spilled more than I expected,” I say.
102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoo2vzmOTi2
Maybe she's right about the age thing, though.
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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.
102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT4FiIsCslk
“So—these adventurers—they are what, monster hunters?”102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡULrsFUVnxo
102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMC7GciBfiV
“It’s an umbrella term, but yeah it involves bandit hunting, monster hunting and many other things.102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7399lQC8vT
102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtfcJdKzjzQ
“So it’s a freelancing platform for people?” I ask102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3eKtpGTqGk
102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPT8MJrt9CI
“What’s freelancing?” she asks102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm0jh8j3swD
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“Work on hire.” I say102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZve0JfeSNd
102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgpxRnG25az
“yeah, more or less. How the hell do you don’t know about adventurer’s guild?” Gloria says, suspicion creeping in her voice.102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPsaZktl2GT
102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6vrdegJ6NI
“Geolard scrambled my memory before I met Warzheil. Only the important bits stuck.” I say102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnHt1hEmyfo
102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmcyrgn2pkO
“Oh, Oldman didn’t tell us about that.”102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtVgdBmcef2
102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7OQNWCdQdP
“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.102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ70d1d8VDYC
102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡROV9K9w9Vh
”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?”102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjRfflMdUAH
102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK0ks9MFizx
“It’s that bad? Maybe I should take those classes Sil was telling me to.”102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9ImI8oEkjw
102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwkjQAwor6b
“One’s presence can be powerful when used with knowledge and precision.” I say.102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4rmO1FwcwI
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“You should become a Sage.” She laughs102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4rv7zzlgwG
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“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 asks102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1HAAcW21UC
102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0erSYqbDhy
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.102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFewBFWIo7w
102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY82BlCt0Rm
“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.102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrIt5XHbVET
102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyrRW03zCEq
“You mean Ava ‘The Light Borne Hero’, right?” she catches me off-guard by mentioning Ava.102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTG5EwjXRgg
102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh4AbjXExMG
“Oldzheil told us about her too.” She says102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ85FxeeDiXk
102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqNMeqy2eXM
I sneer “That Oldman…...” tightening my fist102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ27ACrQuwOE
102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3PeKEf9oHl
“Hehehe, Don’t hold it against him, Grandma Sil has a special spell that forces other to speak more than they intend.” She explains102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzL9a8WhclF
102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt07bcMOdwD
“Fine.” The thought of facing Ava still unnerved me. “Doesn't change that I need to see them.”102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxklouZbC59
102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGxUtDspl92
“Why the long face? You think your sister won’t welcome you because you had a fight with her?” she asks102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEYUnfecO1s
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“It’s---complicated. Right now, she hates me more than I hate the sword” I say102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGibw76KRAi
102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuo6RhOTTxa
Gloria does not enquire further. But after a moment of quite walking she speaks102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIgpEbKx1Fv
102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0lnkyzqfGk
“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 me102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMSlGf0Zq02
102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3BZeoGZ1ec
“Friends?” I continue after reconsidering. “Hard pass.”102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyalx2A3NU5
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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.102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL4naMkstBS
102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNPagGWDRAN
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.102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBYiLh1opEX
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But, Then I hear a few sniffs. My heart sinks.102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUJn3Hsxejc
102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbK49FvVZoN
Giggles after sniffs “I was just joking? Why would anyone want to be friends out of the blue with someone who attacked them.” She says102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfFbl3cCAgZ
102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfb5BWv1Cfp
“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.102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1mrjP6CAQo
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“So, do you think I can become an Adventurer?” I ask trying to divert from the sobby mood.102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW5qvQcGYsf
102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEkX17vupnY
“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 says102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4Nf7o9xatv
102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7bKHfuCnPT
“Can I ask for your help? Or did I hurt your feelings and you won’t help me?” I ask102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ44MC22oKEC
102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGydD6pAEe0
“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 ask102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWY1xiPaSKO
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“No, it opens up early, since adventurers start coming here.” She says as we walk through the town.102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoAscDWUKIp
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“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 says102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9gHyiyMzcv
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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 say102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLKJgLjcp4b
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“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 gasp102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZySwLprfQY
“Well, Geolard had it.” I say102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzI5HljIiW0
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“Oh, that makes sense.” She says with an analytical nod102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlaCzyCVomy
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Soon, we arrive near a big, exotic looking building, magical almost.102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG4lmeP3io3
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The doors are open and a Cat woman is mopping the front of the guild.102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgHUae2aWno
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“Nya-? Miss Gloria? What brings the Flame Queen so early to the guild?” she asks102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc31E31mBfU
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“Good morning Canthrine, This is a guest of our house. And he wants to register as an adventurer.”102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcpnWk7FwTO
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I join my hand as a greeting which confuses them.102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhe23ReQG3K
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“This is the way of greeting in my homeland” I say102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGZM1SGM4Vk
“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.102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpoVU2ff2n8
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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.102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6ZPUqfk1x3
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A half Dragon half Human girl sat on the center counter.102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡszXEueRSEB
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As far as my knowledge go, they are called dragonewt.102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2XfbSkEaMT
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There are 5 counter openings and she is on the center.102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNzgXbq2LPV
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She Seems busy with some paper work, and doesn’t notice us.102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZGHf4xNAYg
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“Hey Sinfia!” Gloria says waving her hand.102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLaNFDuEcyg
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“Oh, If it isn’t Sister Gloria.” The girl says102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUvJlRYKpdq
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“Kid, Where is the receptionist?” I ask, teasing her102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC7xroBEUqt
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“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.102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpOAt0gqyav
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Seeing her stare at my hand, I and realize that my hand really makes things complex for me.102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ07dO3Vs7ft
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“You mean This? Standard issue. Made For certain specialized… professions.” I say102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHmbkbyMOws
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“A gauntlet?” she asks suspiciously102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs6FfwOOFOh
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“You don’t need to hide it when I am with you Ronin, I will fill her in later.”102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqjZoxsD724
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“If you say so Big sister. But what brings the Flame Queen here today?” Sinfia says, letting her guard down slightest.102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb9Xa2g7Tbd
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“I am here to vouch for this man, Says he wants to be an adventurer.”102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmEkc2rko4Y
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“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 expression102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZQD9G1EAdk
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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.102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡme2GEoxftd
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“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 says102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9pNsF00GRq
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“A proof? I don’t think we have….” Gloria says but I know exactly what to do.102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbTqViQPmdg
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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?”102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8tIzaEYrBc
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“I am not a kid!” she recoils102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQiXIVE7HTN
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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 answers102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuTy1xJ8kv9
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“Yeah, what if I saw it? The Heroes must have defeated the demon lord.” She says102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkeeTHzhKl2
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“Heroes didn’t kill that monster.” I lean forward slightly. “I did.”102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4wV5JjFr6x
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At first Sinfia covers her mouth and then starts laughing wildly almost falling off her chair.102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGEzHJwMRv5
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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.102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJXONgxKPTC
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“Guild Master Kainia, You returned from Holy Kingdom?” Gloria asks.102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcz7kAnBwo2
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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.102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0ZsXW2l8vC
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Walking up to me she realizes something is wrong with her mana, her expression gives her away.102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbdtlbz05ge
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Kainia’s eyes narrow on me. “No mana In or around you… An artifact?”102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZAMezbxZJr
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“As expected of the boss of the place. You know your stuff.” I say102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAl5ejEoAdJ
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The guild master’s expression changes, now she feels like someone who is worth talking to.102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc6njCSjtIo
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“Kid, going around, telling other that you have precious commodity doesn’t raise fame, it raise chances of death.”102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDhrF3liIVO
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But Her bossy attitude won’t work on me, putting bossy people in their place has been a big part of my history.102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTkPtWh4Gm7
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“I am confident I won’t meet someone who can take it from me, I know just fine how to go against odds.” I say102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3dtrJL9wwI
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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."102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡknaHu9Jryq
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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?"102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAQX9FrXPlN
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“Me?” I ask102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWC22rYuJjx
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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 asks102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2RIvePIPKN
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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."102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhgCOYgetF7
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“W-w-wait, tell me you aren’t joking boss!” Sinfia says102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4E0eYCqOGD
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“Not at all, Sinfia, you should apologies this man before he eats you.” She says teasingly to Sinfia, which works.102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFXJsp4OuhB
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Sinfia is about to get up but I gesture her to sit down and relax.102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTMFjlbRJQU
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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.102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEsJW1KmmmJ
“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 suggests102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj6wHBuzq7t
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“I see a fake card….” I dwell on it for a moment102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkBc6kJ1z06
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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 says102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0aRGFXipaw
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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 ask102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpk1UsJrpnt
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“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.102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNM7zJ3ArCB
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“B-b-boyfriend? We aren’t like that! How can I- with him.” She starts to stammer.102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJFgLxa6hj8
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“She is teasing you, snap out of it.” I say in a commanding voice102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2S2K0SnPKu
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“so? What did you decide?” Kainia asks102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq7GY58qBSe
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“Your proposition is not bad, ok let’s go with that.” I say102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS34weSTDEF
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“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.102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡipLRnYnKSi
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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.102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1zl2H1PWku
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“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 says102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjmpWzYu2D9
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“Why tell me this?” I ask102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVVgOHV5Qre
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“Your ancestors must have worked hard as adventurers to obtain such precious artifact. I can respect that.” She says102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkXfFJs9r1F
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Well, It’s good that she doesn’t know that it’s not an artifact. She is a good person.102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWKJ6r1n7Rr
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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.102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZxz80oNYMm
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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.102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMPeteJ58fA
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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."102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrcEmxQ16SW
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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.102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUj1JJ7vRpN
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My stance is relaxed, although the Vanquisher seems to be raring for a fight.102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjBwYN460rA
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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.102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKyR4ezaJWi
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“A small lesson for one so young as you.” She says in a whispering voice.102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3MVLyY6BLy
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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.102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2Ox7uXW8cm
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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."102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYQrjg4WJy9
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And we walk into the streets looking for cuisine that would satiate my hunger.102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtbNAh0Oc50
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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.102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1Qe3RHTNGH
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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.102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNUD3kIHgzq
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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.102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxIsjzJiRQK
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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.102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkcknu6kNFw
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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.102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpKewCX4ux3
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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.102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSX7B763Bj7
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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.102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgnxzhQDNuG
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I notice them using sign language and then using magic to disappear like they were never there.102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa6riy1HYia
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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.102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnCrjMoAhyS
It hardly takes a few seconds to write "Good", but it boosts the confidence of us authors.102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnU3wxpFmIU
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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/Q27uA8vnfu102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNOBHPDt1Zc
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