A dying promise.
He held it up in the morning light outside the barracks and the metal edge had this ugly scalloped look. Not battle damage. Acid damage. Like something had taken bites out of it over time.
The leather straps were worse. Cracked. Stiff. One good pull away from snapping.
Roth did not complain. He never complained.
He just stared at it for a long time.
Then he said, “This will fail.”
Lyra yawned. “Inspirational.”
Mina’s eyes softened. “We can repair it.”
“We can patch it,” Roth corrected. “Not repair.”
I cleared my throat. “I can craft repairs.”
Lyra’s eyes snapped to me. “With what money.”
I blinked.
Because that was the real problem, and everyone knew it, and nobody wanted to say it out loud because it was embarrassing.
Roth reached into a pouch and poured our coin onto the table.
Silver clinked. Copper rolled.
It was not nothing.
It was also not “replace a captain’s full kit” money.
Lyra counted fast with the speed of someone who has been poor on purpose and on accident.
“We have,” she said, “enough to buy lunch and a wooden spoon.”
Mina frowned. “That cannot be right.”
Lyra pointed at me. “It is right because our Hero has the shopping habits of a haunted crow.”
I opened my mouth to protest.
Then remembered buying seal dust, resin, treated cloth, leather strips, rivets, a better needle set, and a literal crate of wax because “it might be useful later.”
Also the apple.
Also two silver for Valeblade which was still the dumbest purchase of my life.
Also the harness.
Also the sound dampening liner.
My cheeks warmed.
“I made useful things,” I muttered.
Lyra leaned closer. “Name one thing that is not glued to something already.”
I pointed at Pyon, who blinked onto the table, sniffed a coin, then blinked away before anyone could accuse him of theft.
“Mount,” I said.
Lyra stared. “That is fair.”
Roth looked at me. “You will fix my shield.”
I nodded instantly. “Yes.”
Roth’s eyes narrowed. “With what materials.”
I hesitated.
I had resin. I had cloth. I had seal dust. I had leather.
I did not have proper shield steel.
I did not have a forge.
I did not have time.
I could make it last longer.
I could not make it whole again.
“I can reinforce the straps and edge,” I admitted. “But a full replacement needs real metalwork and a smith.”
Roth nodded once, already knowing.
Mina’s voice was quiet. “We cannot travel with you undergeared. If bandits attack again…”
Lyra cut in. “We die. Or Roth dies. Or Mina resurrects the entire road and collapses.”
Valeblade whispered from Mina’s hip, volume reduced but still smug. “If you gave me to the captain, we would have no issues.”
Roth looked at the sheath like it had personally insulted him.
“No,” he said.
Valeblade sniffed. “Cowardice.”
Mina whispered, teeth clenched, “Quiet.”
Valeblade whispered, “No.”
I pinched the bridge of my nose.
Okay.
Money.
We needed money.
We were still on the Floodgate Supply Escort quest. Two crates left. Two stations left.
We could not stall too long. We also could not go out there with Roth’s shield in the state of a boiled leaf.
Roth took the manifest from the table, tapped it once, then said, “We take a quest. Medium threat. Fast payout.”
Lyra nodded immediately. “Finally. Violence is honest.”
Mina frowned. “Violence is not honest. It is just loud.”
Lyra smiled. “Same thing.”
We walked to the local guild outpost in Rillhaven.
Rillhaven was not huge, but it was big enough to have walls, a floodgate station, and a guild hall that smelled like fish and desperation.
The quest board had fresh postings.
Most were low threat.
Catch rats. Find lost dog. Remove slime from well, again.
Then a bright stamp caught my eye.
MEDIUM THREATRidgebreak Boar sighted near the stone orchard.Multiple wagons damaged. One guard injured.Reward: Silver 20 + Hide + TusksBonus: Additional reward for live capture, not recommended.
Roth pulled it down.
Lyra read it and nodded. “Boar. Classic. It will smash your shield and laugh.”
Roth said, “Yes.”
Mina looked worried. “Your shield is already compromised.”
Roth looked at me. “Then we end it quickly.”
Pyon blinked onto my shoulder like he was volunteering.
Thought: …run.
“Yeah,” I whispered. “We run.”
We signed the quest, checked out at the counter, and headed out within the hour.
Two crates were locked under guard at the floodgate barracks. That cost money too. Two silver for “secure storage.”
Lyra watched the coins leave our hands and made a noise like she was watching her future die.
“We are broke,” she said.
“Yes,” I said.
“Because you craft,” she said.
“Yes,” I said again.
Mina patted my shoulder gently. “It is not only your fault.”
Lyra stared at her. “It is mostly his fault.”
Mina sighed. “It is mostly his fault.”
Valeblade whispered, “It is destiny.”
The stone orchard was a weird sight.
Rows of small trees with pale leaves and fruit that looked like gray apples. The fruit was actually stone-hard, used for making cider and for some reason also for construction filler.
Rillhaven was proud of it.
Right now it looked like a war zone.
Trunks snapped. Stones scattered. Wagon tracks torn up.
And in the middle of it all, chewing on a branch like it hated trees personally, was the boar.
It was huge.
Not “farm pig” huge.
More like “this animal has decided physics is optional” huge.
Its back was plated with rocky ridges. Its tusks looked like broken spears. Its eyes were small and mean.
It lifted its head and snorted at us.
The system popped instantly.
[ENEMY DETECTED]Ridgebreak Boar (Elite)Level: 18Traits: Charge, Heavy Impact, Armor HideWeakness: Underside, Eyes
Threat: MediumRecommended party: 4+
Lyra exhaled. “Okay. It is actually medium.”
Roth raised his shield. The shield edge looked worse in the sunlight.
Mina’s symbol glowed faintly.
I tightened my grip on my short sword.
Then the boar charged.
No warning. No “animal hesitation.”
Just violent acceleration.
The ground shook.
I moved.
Footwork carried me out of the line. Quickstep pulsed. My legs responded.
Roth took it head on, shield forward, stance low.
The boar hit the shield.
The sound was insane.
Metal screamed. Leather snapped.
Roth slid back two meters, boots carving furrows in dirt.
His shield cracked right down the center like a plate breaking.
Roth did not flinch.
He used the broken shield anyway and slammed it into the boar’s face to redirect the second hit.
Lyra fired a flame bolt at the boar’s eye.
It hit. The boar shrieked and veered.
Mina threw a barrier in front of Roth for half a second, just enough to stop a glancing tusk.
I sprinted in under the boar’s head while it was disoriented.
Athletic movement. Not a skill yet. Just desperate coordination.
I ducked. I slid.
My boot scraped stone. My knees hit dirt.
My blade found the softer underside near the shoulder.
Precision Thrust.
The blade sank deep.
The boar screamed like a bell made of anger.
My system chimed.
[NEW SKILL ACQUIRED]Athletics (Rank F)
Oh.
So the system had been watching me slide into danger like a lunatic and decided that counted as “sports.”
Fine.
The boar tried to stomp me.
Pyon blinked.
He appeared between me and the hoof, horn glowing.
He headbutted the boar’s leg and blinked away instantly.
The hoof hit dirt, not me.
My heart jumped.
Thought from Pyon: …team.
“Team,” I whispered back, and rolled away.
Roth stepped in, broke the last integrity of his shield by using it like a club, and slammed it into the boar’s snout.
The shield fully shattered.
Metal and wood pieces flew.
Roth’s arm was still steady.
Lyra shouted, “Roth, your shield!”
Roth growled, “Later!”
He drew his sword and went in.
Roth fought like a wall that learned to stab.
Short movements. No wasted swings.
The boar tried to turn. Mina hit it with a spike of light to force it to flinch.
Lyra kept fire focused on the eyes, not to kill, to blind.
I circled, footwork fast, and stabbed into soft spots.
The boar finally staggered.
Then fell.
The whole orchard shook as it hit the ground.
Silence.
Heavy breathing.
Then the system did its favorite thing.
[ELITE DEFEATED]Ridgebreak Boar slain.EXP +480Loot: Ridgebreak Hide (Uncommon)Loot: Stone Tusks x2 (Common)
Then a level up chime that made my brain light up even as my hands shook.
[LEVEL UP]Level 18Stat Points +5
Lyra walked up to Roth’s shield remains and stared at them like she was attending a funeral.
Roth looked down at his empty arm, then at the boar, then at us.
“I told you,” he said.
Lyra nodded. “Yes. It smashed your shield and laughed.”
Mina knelt by Roth immediately, checking his arm.
“You are bruised,” she said.
“I am fine,” Roth said.
Mina’s eyes narrowed. “You are bruised.”
Roth sighed once. “Yes.”
Valeblade whispered from Mina’s hip, smug. “If only you had a legendary blade.”
Roth stared at the sheath.
Valeblade whispered, “I would have cut the boar in half.”
Lyra snapped, “You would have talked it to death.”
Valeblade whispered, “Also effective.”
I crouched by the boar hide and touched it.
It was thick. Heavy. Valuable.
I appraised it.
[APPRAISAL]Ridgebreak Hide (Uncommon)Use: Shield reinforcement, armor plates, saddle liningValue: Moderate
My crafting brain immediately started planning Roth’s new shield.
Then I remembered we still needed money to commission metalwork.
We hauled the hide and tusks back to Rillhaven.
The guild clerk stamped the quest and handed over silver.
Twenty silver.
A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.
It looked like a lot.
It was not a shield.
Lyra held the coins up and sighed.
“This buys,” she said, “maybe half of a shield. If the smith likes you.”
Roth stared at his broken gear, then said, “We need more.”
Mina nodded. “Yes.”
I opened my mouth to say we should take another quest.
Then a loud trumpet blast shook the street.
Banners unfurled over the main road like a wave.
Color. Music. Shouting.
People were running toward the central square.
Lyra turned her head. “What is that.”
A boy sprinted past us yelling, “City Games! City Games today! Champion’s Purse!”
I froze.
My brain did not hear “games.”
My brain heard “purse.”
Money.
Plot progression money.
We followed the crowd, because of course we did.
The central square had been transformed.
A wooden arena. Rope lines. Stands packed with people. Flags of Rillhaven. Merchant symbols. Guild symbols.
A giant sign painted in bright letters:
RILLHAVEN CITY GAMESOpen Division Champion’s Purse: 50 GOLD
Fifty gold.
My brain stopped.
Lyra’s jaw dropped.
Mina whispered, “That is more than most families earn in years.”
Roth’s eyes narrowed. “Why is it that high.”
Lyra answered without thinking. “Because the city wants heroes.”
I swallowed.
The announcer stood on a stage, voice magically amplified.
“Citizens of Rillhaven! Adventurers and challengers from across the road! Today we celebrate our gates, our river, and our strength! Compete in the Games and win glory!”
He held up a chest.
It glittered.
Gold.
Real.
Not silver.
Gold.
My system chimed like it could smell the prize.
[EVENT AVAILABLE]City Games: Open DivisionRewards: Gold, Reputation, Skill GrowthNote: Participation will be recorded.
Lyra slowly turned to me.
“Kenta,” she said.
I already had the same thought.
“We enter,” I said.
Mina hesitated. “Is it wise. We are here on escort duty.”
Roth’s answer was immediate. “We need funds to continue escort duty. We enter.”
Lyra grinned. “Also I want to watch Kenta become a monster.”
Valeblade whispered, thrilled, “Yes. Finally. Glory.”
Mina muttered, “Quiet.”
Valeblade whispered, “No.”
We registered at the booth.
The clerk took one look at my Hero Plate and nearly dropped his quill.
“The Hero is competing,” he squeaked.
The crowd noticed.
Whispers became a wave.
Cheers hit like a wall.
The announcer’s eyes lit up like he had just won the lottery.
“Ladies and gentlemen,” he shouted, “a special challenger has entered our Open Division! The Hero of Asteria!”
I wanted to hide under the stage.
Lyra shoved me forward. “Go be famous.”
Mina squeezed my arm gently. “Be careful.”
Roth said, “Win.”
Simple. Direct. Terrifying.
The events were listed on a board.
Sprint.Obstacle gauntlet.Stone throw.Climb and balance.Final: Champion’s Circuit.
I stared at the list.
Athletic things.
Not combat.
But my system did not care.
It only cared that you did things.
The first event started.
The sprint.
A long loop around the arena and back, with a turn around a flag.
Twenty contestants lined up. Most were adventurers. Some looked fast. Some looked smug. One party in matching green cloaks looked especially smug.
Their leader glanced at me and sneered.
“Hero,” he said loudly, for everyone to hear, “are you competing with your divine cheat.”
I kept my mouth shut.
Lyra did not.
She yelled from the stands, “He is competing with your lack of talent!”
The crowd laughed.
The smug party leader’s face darkened.
The announcer raised a flag.
“On my mark!”
My system popped a new window like it was excited.
[NEW SKILL ACQUIRED]Sprinting (Rank F)
Then another.
[NEW SKILL ACQUIRED]Breath Control (Rank F)
Then another.
[NEW TRAIT DISCOVERED]Competitive Flow (Unique)Effect: Skill growth increased during formal competitionEffect: Fatigue reduction while in contest focus
Lyra screamed from the stands, “HE HAS A COMPETITION TRAIT!”
I almost tripped.
The flag dropped.
We ran.
I ran like my life depended on it, because my life kind of did.
AGI 42 is not normal.
Sprinting Rank F became Rank D before I hit the first turn.
The system chimed mid stride.
[SKILL RANK UP]Sprinting: F -> DAthletics: F -> D
My legs felt like pistons.
The wind hit my face.
The world narrowed into foot placement and breath.
I hit the turn around the flag.
I was already five body lengths ahead.
The crowd noise became a roar behind me.
I heard someone’s boots slipping in panic.
Then the system chimed again.
[SKILL RANK UP]Sprinting: D -> BBreath Control: F -> C
I crossed the finish line so far ahead the announcer did not know how to react.
He yelled anyway.
“And the Hero takes the sprint!”
The smug green party leader crossed later, red-faced, furious.
He stared at me like I had robbed him.
Maybe I had.
The next event.
Obstacle gauntlet.
Logs, ropes, walls, balance beams, mud pits.
My body moved like it had been built for this.
Jumping.Balance.Climbing.
The system threw skills at me like it had been waiting.
[NEW SKILL ACQUIRED]Jumping (Rank F)
[NEW SKILL ACQUIRED]Balance (Rank F)
[NEW SKILL ACQUIRED]Climbing (Rank F)
Then they started climbing too.
Fast.
[SKILL RANK UP]Jumping: F -> CBalance: F -> CClimbing: F -> C
I vaulted a wall.
My feet barely touched the top.
I landed on the other side and kept moving.
Pyon blinked onto the arena fence and watched with intense interest.
Thought: …fast.
“Fast,” I thought back, and kept running.
By the time I finished the gauntlet, the announcer was hoarse from screaming my name.
The system chimed with the most shameless dopamine.
[SKILL RANK UP]Athletics: D -> ASprinting: B -> ABalance: C -> BClimbing: C -> BJumping: C -> B
Then the stone throw event.
They rolled out a huge stone ball and each contestant had to throw it as far as possible.
The crowd loved it because it was simple.
Pick up rock. Throw rock. Cheer.
I stepped up, rolled my shoulders, and tried to pretend I was not about to embarrass everyone.
Roth’s voice came from the stands. “Hips. Core.”
Lyra yelled, “Do not throw it at the announcer!”
Mina whispered, “Please do not hurt yourself.”
Valeblade whispered, delighted, “Hurl it like destiny.”
I lifted the stone.
It was heavy. Not insane heavy, but heavy enough that normal people grunted.
I did not grunt.
That felt wrong.
I twisted and threw.
The stone sailed.
Not a little arc.
A long angry line.
It landed way past the normal markers and bounced once like it was offended the ground existed.
The crowd went silent.
Then exploded.
The system chimed.
[NEW SKILL ACQUIRED]Throwing (Rank F)
Then immediately.
[SKILL RANK UP]Throwing: F -> A
Lyra screamed, “HE GOT THROWING TO A IN ONE THROW!”
I stared at my hands.
My hands stared back.
The final event was the Champion’s Circuit.
Sprint.Climb.Balance.Throw.A final dash through a narrow gate.
It was basically the system’s favorite thing.
A multi-step combo.
Competitive Flow activated like a switch.
I moved.
I did not think.
I just did.
Halfway through the circuit, the system hit me with the kind of chime that makes your soul feel like it got promoted.
[SKILL RANK UP]Athletics: A -> SSprinting: A -> SBalance: B -> SClimbing: B -> SJumping: B -> SThrowing: A -> SBreath Control: C -> S
Six S ranks.
In one festival day.
I felt sick. I felt amazing. I felt like I was cheating even when I was not.
I crossed the final gate.
The announcer screamed until his voice broke.
“The Hero is the Champion of Rillhaven!”
A guard dragged the gold chest onto the stage.
The chest opened.
Gold coins glittered like a second sun.
Fifty gold.
My brain made an embarrassing noise inside my skull.
Lyra jumped off the stands and ran up to me like she was going to tackle me.
“We are rich,” she hissed.
Mina smiled, relief and joy mixed with worry. “We can repair Roth’s gear.”
Roth nodded once, eyes on the coins like they were a shield.
Valeblade whispered, smug, “As expected. Greatness recognizes greatness.”
Mina muttered, “Quiet.”
Valeblade whispered, “No.”
We took the prize.
The crowd cheered. Kids ran up asking to touch my cloak. Merchants bowed. Guards smiled like the city had won something bigger than a game.
Then I saw the green cloak party again.
They stood at the edge of the crowd, faces dark, eyes sharp.
Their leader stared at me like I had stolen his future.
Lyra noticed. “Ignore them.”
Roth said, “Stay alert.”
Mina’s voice was soft. “They are angry.”
Valeblade whispered, excited, “Let them challenge us. I crave drama.”
Mina tightened her grip on the sheath. “No.”
We left before the festival could swallow us.
We had gold.
We had a plan.
We had momentum.
That is when people tend to do something stupid.
It happened behind the guild outpost.
A narrow alley between a bakery and a tool shop.
We cut through because it was faster.
It was also a perfect place for an ambush.
The green party stepped out first.
Four of them. Matching cloaks. Matching guild badges. Adventurers.
Their leader held a short spear. His eyes were full of rage and entitlement.
“Hero,” he said. “You cheated.”
Lyra laughed. “By being better.”
He ignored her.
“You stole the purse meant for real adventurers,” he snapped. “You used divine privileges.”
My stomach tightened.
Divine.
That word again.
Mina stepped forward, calm but firm. “We competed in the Open Division by the rules.”
The leader’s mouth twisted. “Rules are for equal men. You are not equal.”
Roth’s hand went to his sword. “Back away.”
The leader did not.
He raised his spear.
His party followed.
The air shifted. This was not a shouting match.
This was a fight.
And they had decided it was worth dying for fifty gold.
Lyra’s voice went cold. “Last chance.”
The leader shouted, “Take the purse!”
They attacked.
It was fast. Ugly. Real.
Roth met the spear head-on with his sword, because his shield was gone, and I felt anger spike in my chest at the thought of him fighting without his anchor.
I moved.
Athletics S made my body feel unreal.
I vaulted off a barrel, landed behind their rogue, and parried his knife strike like it was slow.
Riposte.
He fell.
Not knocked out.
Fell.
Blood hit the stone.
My stomach lurched.
This was not a game.
Lyra’s fire flashed. One of their mages screamed and collapsed, smoke rising.
Mina shouted, “Stop!”
But they did not stop.
Their leader saw Mina and lunged for her, eyes wild.
Valeblade whispered, thrilled, “Yes. Drama.”
Mina’s barrier flared, but the spear punched through the edge and scraped her shoulder.
She gasped.
My vision went red.
Not system red.
Me red.
I sprinted.
Sprinting S is unfair.
I was there in a blink without blinking.
Precision Thrust.
My blade went under the leader’s arm and into his chest.
He froze.
His eyes widened in shock.
Then he fell.
Silence hit the alley like a lid.
The last green cloak adventurer tried to run.
Roth stepped forward and cut him down with one clean strike.
Then it was over.
Four bodies.
Four guild badges.
Four dead adventurers.
Lyra lowered her hand slowly, breathing hard. “They attacked first.”
Roth’s voice was flat. “Yes.”
Mina stared at the bodies like she was seeing something she had always feared.
Then she looked at me.
Her eyes were wide.
Not accusing.
Just shaken.
“Kenta,” she whispered, “you killed them.”
My mouth opened.
No sound came out.
Because yes.
I did.
The system chimed anyway, like it was proud.
[KILL RECORDED]Adventurer slain. EXP +110Adventurer slain. EXP +110Adventurer slain. EXP +110Adventurer slain. EXP +150
Then a level up.
[LEVEL UP]Level 19Stat Points +5
The dopamine hit landed wrong.
Lyra looked around. “We need to move. Now. Before someone finds this.”
Roth scanned the alley exits. “Too late.”
Footsteps.
Guards.
A crowd forming at the far end like blood had a smell.
A local guild official pushed through, face pale.
“What happened,” he demanded.
Lyra spoke instantly. “They attacked us for the purse. We defended ourselves.”
The official stared at the bodies.
Then stared at my Hero Plate glowing under my cloak.
His face tightened.
“This will become a scandal,” he whispered.
Mina’s voice was quiet and desperate. “We can fix it.”
Lyra snapped, “We cannot unkill people.”
Mina looked down at her hands.
Then at her symbol.
Then she said the words that made my stomach drop.
“I can.”
Lyra froze. “Mina.”
Roth’s eyes sharpened. “Do you have that miracle.”
Mina swallowed. “Yes. Once. The Church gives priestesses assigned to the Hero a revival rite. For emergencies.”
Lyra’s voice went softer. “This is an emergency.”
The guild official shook his head quickly. “You cannot use resurrection in the street. That requires permission.”
Mina’s eyes flashed. “Then arrest me after. I will not let them stay dead for pride.”
Valeblade whispered, smug, “Yes. Bring them back so they can witness my greatness.”
Mina whispered, angry, “Quiet.”
Valeblade whispered, “No.”
Mina stepped into the center of the alley and placed her symbol on the ground.
Guards backed away instinctively like they felt the air change.
Lyra grabbed my sleeve. “Stay close. Do not touch anything. Just stay.”
I did.
Mina took a deep breath.
Then she looked at us, eyes wet but steady.
“This is not free,” she whispered.
Lyra froze. “What.”
Mina swallowed. “Resurrection never is. It takes levels. It takes everything you earned and burns it like oil.”
Roth’s jaw tightened. “How many.”
Mina’s mouth trembled. “I do not know. It depends on how many I bring back.”
The guild official shook his head. “You cannot use resurrection in the street. That requires permission.”
Mina’s eyes flashed. “Then arrest me after. I will not let them stay dead for pride.”
Valeblade whispered, excited even through the liner. “Yes. Drama.”
Mina’s voice went flat. “Quiet.”
Valeblade whispered, “No.”
Mina began chanting.
The air filled with light.
Not warm light like healing.
This light felt heavy.
Like a door opening somewhere it should not open.
The system flickered in my vision without my permission.
> [DIVINE MIRACLE DETECTED]> Spell: Resurrection Rite> Caster: Mina> Warning: High mana event
The dead adventurers’ bodies twitched.
Light wrapped around them like threads.
Mina’s voice shook but did not break.
Her hands glowed.
Her eyes were wet.
Then the light surged.
All four bodies jerked like puppets given strings again.
They gasped.Coughed.Vomited.
Alive.
The alley filled with sound.
One of them screamed. Another sobbed. The leader stared up at Mina like he had seen the edge of the world and did not like it.
Then the light snapped inward.
Not fading.
Collapsing.
Mina’s symbol went dull in an instant like someone blew out a candle.
Mina swayed.
Her knees buckled.
I caught her automatically.
She was cold and hot at the same time.
Her breathing was ragged.
Her hands were trembling like they did not belong to her anymore.
Lyra whispered, almost respectful, “That took everything.”
Mina tried to speak.
Her voice came out in a cracked whisper.
“It took my levels.”
My stomach dropped.
The system chimed again, and this time it felt like a sentence.
> [DIVINE COST PAID]> Resurrection Rite: Complete> Revived targets: 4> Cost: Level Drain (Severe)> Mina: Level 22 -> Level 1> Status: Resurrection Sickness (Major)> Note: Recovery will require time and EXP.
Lyra stared at the blue text like she wanted to claw it off the air.
“No,” she said.
Mina’s eyes fluttered.
“I am sorry,” she whispered, and that was the worst part. She was apologizing.
Roth’s voice was iron. “Do not apologize.”
Valeblade whispered, suddenly less smug. “Priestess…”
Mina’s eyes tightened. “Not now.”
The resurrected adventurers were still on the ground, shaking, stunned, alive.
The leader’s eyes locked onto me.
Not rage anymore.
Fear.
He whispered, hoarse, “Monster.”
Lyra stepped forward, voice sharp. “Leave. Now. Before I change my mind about resurrection being generous.”
The adventurers scrambled to their feet and staggered away into the crowd, humiliated, terrified, alive.
The guild official stared at Mina, pale.
“You just used a miracle in the street,” he whispered.
Mina’s voice was weak. “Yes.”
He looked at me. “Hero. This cannot happen again.”
Roth’s voice was cold. “Then keep your adventurers from attacking us.”
The official swallowed, bowed awkwardly, and hurried away like the whole situation was above his pay grade.
I held Mina up.
Her eyes were half closed.
Lyra’s voice went low. “We need to move. Now.”
Roth nodded. “Return to barracks. Secure the gold. Then repair gear.”
Mina tried to lift her symbol.
Her fingers slipped.
She could not even make it glow.
That sight scared me more than the bodies.
Then my system chimed.
Not a level.Not loot.
A skill.
> [NEW SKILL ACQUIRED]> Healing Magic (Rank F)
I froze.
Lyra saw my face. “No.”
I stared at the blue text like it was mocking me.
I had not chosen healing as a cheat.
I had never studied it.
I had just stood near Mina while she dragged souls back into bodies.
And the system decided I learned something.
> [NEW SPELL ACQUIRED]> Minor Heal (Lv. 1)> Effect: restores small HP> Cost: low MP
My throat went dry.
Mina’s breathing hitched like she might pass out.
I did not think.
I just put my hand over her shoulder and pushed MP the way Mina pushed light.
A weak glow formed in my palm.
It sank into her.
Her breath steadied by a fraction.
Mina blinked at me, dazed.
“Kenta,” she whispered, “you…”
“I do not know,” I whispered back. “But I can hold you up.”
We moved fast.
Back to the floodgate barracks.
We locked the gold chest in the guard captain’s safe, because sleeping with fifty gold sounded like a way to die.
Roth sat with his broken shield pieces on the table and stared at them like he was planning revenge.
I took the Ridgebreak hide, my tools, and started working.
Reinforced straps. Edge patching. Temporary buckler made from hide and wood.
Not perfect, but something.
The system chimed as I worked, soothing and familiar.
Mina lay on a cot, face pale.
Her presence felt different.
Smaller.
Like her strength had been shaved down to the bone.
Lyra sat beside her, unusually quiet.
Valeblade was buckled to a chair beside Mina like a prisoner.
Even he seemed subdued.
Outside, festival noise drifted through the window.
Music. Shouts. Celebration.
People cheering for a hero who had won games and had no idea he had killed four people in an alley and watched them come back from death.
My stomach turned.
Then a sound cut through everything.
A roar.
Not human.Not beast.
Too big.
Too deep.
The barracks windows rattled.
Guards shouted outside.
“Up!” Roth snapped instantly.
We moved like a reflex.
Lyra ran to the door, fire already forming.
Pyon blinked from under my bed to my shoulder, ears flat.
Thought: …danger.
Mina tried to stand.
She swayed hard.
She was level one now.
Her legs did not trust her body.
I caught her.
Then the system screamed in my vision.
Not a cheerful chime.
A warning.
> [BOSS ALERT]> Rampaging Drake detected.> Location: Rillhaven outer wall.> Threat: HIGH> Recommended Level: 30+> Immediate action advised.
Lyra opened the door.
Hot wind blasted in.
Smoke rolled over the street.
People were screaming now.
Above the rooftops, a shadow swept across the moonlit sky.
Wings.
Huge.
A drake’s head rose over the wall, eyes glowing, scales reflecting firelight.
It roared again.
And the town answered with panic.
Roth’s voice was iron.
“Formation.”
My heart slammed against my ribs.
Mina’s hands shook.
Her symbol did not glow.
My healing magic window hovered in the corner of my vision like a cruel joke.
And Pyon’s thought was small and clear.
…run?
I looked up at the drake.
Then at my party.
Then at Mina, level one, barely standing.
My mouth went dry.
“We cannot,” I whispered.
Roth’s eyes were hard.
“We must.”
The drake inhaled.
The air in front of its mouth glowed.
And the world held its breath with it.