River's eyes slowly opened.
His body felt heavy.
Exhausted.
The sky above him had darkened—
It was nearly night.
"…I'm alive…" he muttered.
He was still lying in the same spot where he had collapsed.
All around him—
The battlefield had changed.
Dozens of monster corpses littered the ground.
Burned.
Charred black.
Not a single one still moved.
River pushed himself up slightly—
And froze.
Someone was standing over him.
Watching.
Silent.
For a moment, he expected—
Celestia.
Or Azura.
Even Friedrich would have made sense.
But instead—
"…You're finally awake."
Alexander.
River blinked in confusion.
"Huh…?"
Alexander casually tossed something toward him.
"Catch."
River fumbled slightly as he grabbed it.
It was the magic crystal from the floor boss.
"…Thanks?" River said, unsure.
"You killed it."
Alexander shrugged.
"So the spoils are yours."
He turned, already starting to walk away.
"You're still a worthless cleric…"
He paused slightly.
"…but I guess you've got some talent as a mage."
River stared at him.
"…Wait."
He stood up, still unsteady.
"What are you even doing here?"
"Why were you watching over me?"
Alexander didn't turn around.
"Everyone else is busy cleaning up the mess in town."
His tone was casual.
"I just felt like taking the easy job."
A small smirk tugged at his lips.
"Watching over sleeping beauty."
River's eye twitched.
"…Asshole."
Alexander let out a short laugh.
"Get better soon."
He kept walking.
"I want a rematch someday."
River straightened.
A faint grin forming despite himself.
"Fine."
He tightened his grip on the crystal.
"But I'll beat you again."
A pause.
"…Lion cub."
Alexander stopped for just a second.
His shoulders tensed.
"…Tch."
Then he continued walking.
Clearly annoyed.
The town… was in ruins.
Broken buildings lined the streets.
Walls cracked.
Roofs collapsed.
Debris scattered everywhere.
And yet—
It could have been worse.
Far worse.
There were injuries.
Plenty of them.
But in terms of civilian casualties—
They had been lucky.
"…Tch."
Buer clicked his tongue from within the Bible.
"Shame you had to kill the Skin Eater."
His tone was almost disappointed.
"That beauty could've wiped out the entire town."
River smiled faintly.
"…Thanks."
"That means a lot."
"Hey—don't take that as a compliment!" Buer snapped.
River ignored him.
He continued walking.
Toward the gathering point outside the ruined town hall.
A crowd had formed.
Adventurers.
Guards.
Civilians.
All gathered together.
At the center stood Friedrich.
"I'd like to thank all of you," Friedrich said, his voice carrying clearly.
"For your hard work."
He looked across the crowd.
"If not for the adventurers who stood and fought…"
His expression softened slightly.
"Many more lives would have been lost today."
Murmurs spread through the group.
Some relieved.
Some exhausted.
Some still on edge.
Then—
A voice cut through the calm.
"Our enemy are Red-Eyes."
The tone was sharp.
Suspicious.
"So what about River and Celestia?"
Another voice followed.
"Yeah."
"How do we know they're not with those freaks?"
More murmurs.
Louder this time.
"They were fighting earlier—"
"That could've been an act—"
"Yeah, how do we know they're not involved—"
"Enough."
Friedrich's voice cut through the noise.
Sharp.
Firm.
"They fought against the Skin Eater."
His eyes hardened.
"I will not allow you to disrespect them."
But the tension didn't fade.
"It could still be a setup," one adventurer argued.
"An act to gain trust—"
The crowd began to stir.
Suspicion.
Fear.
Anger.
All rising at once.
And then—
River stepped forward.
The moment he entered the clearing—
The voices stopped.
Dozens of eyes turned toward him.
Silence fell.
Heavy.
Uncomfortable.
All of it—
Focused on him.
"I'll say this clearly."
River stepped forward.
His voice didn't waver.
"I was the one who dealt the final blow to the Skin Eater."
Murmurs rippled through the crowd.
He didn't stop.
"And before that…"
His grip tightened slightly.
"My party was the one that slew the Decrepit Patient."
Silence.
The townspeople stared at him—
Some with awe.
Some with fear.
Most with uncertainty.
They didn't know what to think.
Didn't know what to believe.
"…He's telling the truth," someone whispered.
"…No way…"
"…That's impossible…"
Then—
A chuckle broke through the tension.
"Well now…"
A man stepped forward.
"Things just got interesting."
All eyes shifted.
He had long red hair tied neatly into a ponytail.
A maroon shirt beneath a fitted vest.
Clean dress pants.
Polished shoes.
Square-framed glasses rested over sharp orange eyes.
He stopped a few steps in front of River.
"Tell me something…"
He smiled faintly.
"…do you feel lucky, punk?"
River blinked.
"…Lucky?"
"Trial by fire?" he muttered.
The man's smile widened.
"If the gods deem you worthy…"
He tilted his head slightly.
"…then you'll survive."
River's expression hardened slightly.
"…What are you talking about?"
The man reached into his coat—
And pulled out something unfamiliar.
Metal.
Compact.
With a rotating chamber.
River had never seen anything like it.
"There's a little game from my homeland," the man said casually.
"We call it Russian Roulette."
He spun the chamber slowly.
"…But I think I'll make this version a bit more exciting."
Click.
One shell.
Then another.
And another.
Until—
Five chambers were filled.
Only one remained empty.
The crowd grew tense.
Uneasy.
Arthur raised the weapon—
And pressed it against River's head.
No one moved.
No one spoke.
Arthur glanced around, his smile sharpening.
"What's wrong?"
"Why so quiet?"
His voice carried across the crowd.
"Are you not entertained?"
No one answered.
His tone dropped.
"You've all hated him."
"Mocked him."
"Looked down on him…"
"All because of his eyes."
His gaze hardened behind the lenses.
"But now?"
He gestured lightly toward River.
"He kills one monster…"
"And suddenly you care whether he lives or dies?"
A pause.
His smile returned—
Colder this time.
"…Hypocrites."
He pulled the trigger.
Click.
Nothing.
No shot.
No blood.
Just silence.
Arthur blinked—
Then laughed.
"Well, well."
He lowered the weapon slightly.
"Would you look at that?"
"The gods must favor you."
He grinned at River.
"Lucky child."
He turned slightly toward the crowd.
"If he were truly evil…"
He tapped the weapon lightly.
"…he would've been shot."
The tension didn't disappear.
If anything—
It grew heavier.
"How does some weird device prove he's innocent? This is ridicu—"
BANG.
The sound echoed sharply through the square.
The adventurer collapsed instantly.
A scream tore from his throat as his leg gave out, blood spreading beneath him.
Panic rippled through the crowd.
Arthur didn't even look fazed despite shooting a man.
Instead—
He calmly lowered the weapon.
"That man insulted you just moments ago," Arthur said quietly, leaning closer to River.
His voice dropped to a whisper.
"You're a cleric."
"Tell me…"
"Will you let pettiness consume you?"
"…or will you choose to be good?"
"Even now?"
River didn't hesitate.
He dropped to his knees beside the injured man.
"Hold still."
A soft glow formed in his hands.
"Heal."
Warm light spread across the wound.
Flesh knit together.
Blood stopped flowing.
The man's breathing steadied.
The pain faded.
Around them—
Silence.
Arthur turned slowly toward the crowd, smiling.
"Look at that."
He gestured toward River.
"Exhausted."
"Barely standing."
"And yet—"
He spread his arms slightly.
"Instead of leaving it to the other clerics…"
"Our town's hero chooses to act."
"To save even those who insult him."
His smile sharpened.
"So tell me."
He scanned the crowd.
"Do you still think he's evil?"
No one answered.
No one dared.
River finished the spell and stood up slowly.
"…Your methods are insane," he said with a tired sigh.
"…but thanks, I guess."
Arthur chuckled.
"Frankly, my dear—"
He adjusted his glasses.
"I don't give a damn."
"I'll be as extreme as I please."
He casually slung an arm around River's shoulders.
"But I have to admit…"
His grin widened.
"You're a very interesting guy."
"You all can continue your boring little meeting," Arthur called out to the others.
"I'm going to get to know my new partner."
River blinked.
"…Partner?"
Arthur began walking, dragging him along.
"Yeah."
He smirked.
"I'm joining your team."
River stared at him.
"…What?"
Arthur shrugged casually.
"You need an archer, right?"
"I can fill that role."
He tapped his weapon lightly.
"I've got an affinity for earth magic…"
"…and a bit of dark magic too."
His eyes gleamed behind his glasses.
"And as you've already seen—"
He spun the weapon once before resting it on his shoulder.
"My tools are quite effective."
River sighed.
"…You're unbelievable."
Arthur grinned.
"And yet—"
He leaned in slightly.
"You're not saying no."
"…I don't know," River said, rubbing the back of his head.
"I should probably get permission from my other party members first."
Arthur shrugged casually.
"Fair enough."
He adjusted his glasses slightly.
"Go ahead and discuss it with them."
His smile returned.
"I'm sure we'll meet again, my dearest River."
River sighed.
"…Y-yeah… sure."
Before he could say anything else—
"River!"
A blur of pink rushed toward him.
Celestia.
She wrapped her arms tightly around him without hesitation.
"I was looking for you," she said, pressing close.
Her eyes flicked toward Arthur.
"…Hmm?"
Her tone shifted slightly.
"Who's this?"
Arthur gave a small, polite bow.
"Arthur Holmes."
"I was just asking your dear leader here if I could join your party."
Celestia tilted her head.
Her gaze sharpened just a little.
"Oh?"
She tightened her hold on River—subtly possessive.
"Is that so?"
Arthur smiled, unfazed.
"Indeed."
A brief silence passed.
Then—
Celestia let go of River.
A small smile formed on her lips.
"How about this?"
She stepped forward slightly.
"A quick duel."
Her eyes gleamed.
"Me versus you."
Arthur raised an eyebrow.
"Oh?"
Celestia's smile widened.
"If you win…"
She crossed her arms.
"…we'll let you join."
Arthur chuckled.
"Simple enough."
He adjusted his stance.
"Deal."
The air between them grew tense—
"Alright—no weapons for either of you."
River raised a hand, trying to keep things under control.
"And try not to injure each other too much."
Celestia smiled.
"Got it."
In the next instant—
She moved.
Her body split into multiple clones, each one rushing forward from different angles.
A coordinated assault.
Fast.
Precise.
Arthur didn't move.
He simply smiled.
Then—
He lowered his glasses slightly.
His eyes locked onto one figure.
The real Celestia.
And in that moment—
Something shifted.
Celestia's steps faltered.
"…Huh?"
Her vision warped.
The world spun.
Her balance collapsed completely.
Vertigo hit her all at once.
"…W-what—?"
Her body swayed uncontrollably.
The clones flickered—
Then vanished as her concentration broke.
Arthur stepped forward casually.
With a light push—
Thud.
Celestia hit the ground.
Silence.
River blinked.
"…What?"
Celestia sat there, holding her head.
"…What just happened…?"
Arthur adjusted his glasses again, as if nothing had occurred.
"So…"
He looked at River with a small smile.
"Can I join your party?"
River hesitated for a second—
Then sighed.
"…Yeah."
"You can join."
Celestia groaned from the ground.
"…Just don't ever use that freaky ability on me again."
Arthur chuckled.
"No promises."
He turned, waving slightly as he began to walk off.
"Well then…"
"Get some rest."
He glanced back over his shoulder.
"…Hasta la vista, baby."
River watched him leave.
Still trying to process what just happened.
And just like that—
Team Phoenix gained a new member.
A mysterious man—
With even more mysterious abilities.