Morning broke gently over the treetops, casting golden light through the swaying leaves as we began our return journey to the village. The wind was crisp, and silence lingered between us, broken only by the occasional rustle of boots over dirt and dry leaves.
As we walked, a thought quietly surfaced in my mind.
'Should I ask Master if Krent can join our party? He's strong in his own way… but would Master even allow it?'
Krent, walking a few steps behind, finally broke the silence. "Who were those demons?" he asked, his voice calm but carrying a trace of lingering concern.
I glanced over at him. "Do you know what demons are?" I countered.
He nodded. "Yes, of course. Every adventurer knows that demons started appearing out of nowhere around ten years ago. No one knows how or why."
I frowned slightly. 'So even adventurers know that much… but not much more. Master told me demons start appearing on this continent, but not how they arrived or why. I really need to ask him more about this.'
The rest of the walk was mostly quiet. Within an hour, the village finally came into view. The once quiet settlement now stirred with energy as the villagers noticed us approaching.
Their faces turned toward us and gasps echoed through the air.I leaned toward Krent and whispered, "What's going on? Why are they all staring?"
He smirked. "Well, I have told them we were going to kill the beasts."
Before I could react, the crowd grew larger. Dozens of villagers quickly gathered, murmuring among themselves in disbelief. Some pointed and some stepped back in awe. At the front of the crowd stood Master, his close friend beside him, and Aur, my familiar.
Krent took a confident step forward and raised his voice. "Ladies and gentlemen! The beasts have been slain!"
A cheer erupted through the village, louder than I'd expected. Relief, joy, and admiration swept over the people like a tide. Some clapped. Some dropped to their knees in gratitude. The fear that had once plagued this village had finally been lifted, and they knew it. For a brief moment, I just stood there, watching their reactions. Their hope. Their smiles.
I stepped toward Master as the murmurs of the villagers began to fade behind me. We made our way toward the tavern. Meanwhile, Krent stayed behind; he had a few more things to announce to the crowd, now buzzing with curiosity and excitement.
She landed gently on my shoulder, curling around my neck like a familiar scarf. 'It's been a while, Papa,' she whispered in my mind, her voice soft and warm.
'Yeah… it's been,' I replied mentally, reaching up to gently stroke her soft fur. I turned toward Master, who was seated at a wooden bench near the center. "Why are you here, Master?" I asked.
He looked up at me with that usual unreadable calm. "I sensed your Cytric Body activate. So, I came to check. But once I arrived, I heard about the destruction of the nearby village. That confirmed something worse had happened. So I waited for you."
"Oh," I exhaled, slightly surprised. "So you already know then. That means… you also understand why I used it?"
He gave a small nod. "Yes, I understand."
I sat across from him and lowered my voice. "After killing the beasts, I encountered four demons. They said… someone was looking for me."
That caught the attention of another man sitting beside Master, someone I hadn't paid much attention to at first. He looked young, perhaps in his mid-twenties, ocean-blue hair and piercing blue eyes. He was master's friend. "Who would be looking for a child?" he asked with a skeptical frown.
Master waved it off lightly. "It's probably a misunderstanding. They must've confused him for someone else."
I smirked, masking the uneasy feeling creeping up in my chest. "Yeah… I thought the same." Aur, still resting on my shoulder, spoke in my mind. 'Do you think they've figured it out yet?'
'Probably not,' I answered. 'The demons were saying they had to bring me to 'him'.'
'So… by killing them, you prevented them from revealing your identity to whoever that "he" was,' she said.
'That's what I believe,' I replied silently. 'At least for now.' Before I could dwell further on the conversation, the door opened behind us. Krent walked in, his footsteps light but confident. I raised a hand, calling him over. He came to stand beside me without hesitation. "I want him to join our party," I said to Master without delay.
Master raised a brow but didn't look surprised. "That reminds me," he said, glancing toward the man sitting beside him, "this is Kylon Shenher, a trusted companion of mine. He'll be joining our party from here on." I gave a nod to Kylon, who nodded back, his sharp eyes studying me with a bit more curiosity now. Then I repeated firmly, "I want Krent to join as well. He's strong."
Master looked at Krent for a moment, and his eyes narrowed slightly as if analyzing him.
"High-rank aura…," Master murmured. Then he nodded. "Alright. But the party will be limited to five members, no more." I turned to Krent, who looked a little stunned but composed himself quickly. Then he stepped forward, placing a hand over his chest in a respectful manner.
"Krent, B-rank adventurer," he said formally. "It's an honor to join your party."
"Good," Master said with a faint grin. "From now on, we'll be moving as one team. Our goal remains unchanged, grow stronger, and prepare for what's to come." Then he gave him a pill. "Eat it." As he swallowed it his cutted hand regenerated. He smiled. "Thank you." The master said, "We are now in the same party, no need to thank me for that."
Kylon asked in surprise, "Is that your so-called regenerating medicine you told me about before?" He nodded then looked at me seriously. "I was planning to take you to the Wasteland once you grew stronger… but plans have changed. Kylon has received a quest to clear an A-rank Dungeon, something that can't be delayed. So, we're going there the day after tomorrow. Be prepared."
I gave a firm nod. "Understood. But before that, I need to head to Xpler City and report the completion of my current quest."
Master gave a small smile. "That works out. We're heading to Xpler City now."
With that, we began our journey toward the city.