Chapter 17 — New Partner, New Party
Morning sunlight poured gently through the wooden window of the inn, painting golden lines across the small room. The town was only beginning to stir, distant footsteps and wagon wheels faintly echoing from the street below.
Kaito sat at the edge of the bed, tightening the straps of his gloves, preparing for another day of adventuring. Across the room, Serena hummed quietly while brushing her long silver hair, the morning light making it shimmer like flowing silk.
A knock suddenly came from the door.
Kaito opened it — and froze.
Renna stood there.
But today she looked different. Not like the lone traveler they had met before. Her crimson hair was tied neatly behind her head, her sword strapped firmly at her waist. Her expression was calm… yet determined.
“Good morning,” she said softly.
Serena open her door and looking at kaito and renna. Kaito and Renna looking at Serena then
Serena smiled brightly. “Kaito and Renna! Come in!”
Renna stepped inside and closed the door behind her. For a moment, she didn’t speak. Her eyes moved between Kaito and Serena, as if gathering courage.
Then she took a slow breath.
“I thought about it all night.”
Kaito tilted his head. “About what?”
Renna clenched her fist lightly against her chest.
“I don’t want to travel alone anymore.”
Silence filled the room.
Her voice grew softer.
“When I was fighting with you two… I felt safe. I felt like I belonged somewhere.”
She looked directly at Kaito.
“I want to travel with you both. Not as an acquaintance. Not as someone we occasionally meet on the road…”
She bowed her head slightly.
“As your party member.”
For a heartbeat, the room remained completely still.
Then Serena’s face exploded into excitement.
“YES!!”
She rushed forward and grabbed Renna’s hands.
“I was hoping you’d say that!”
Renna blinked, surprised.
“You… were?”
“Of course!” Serena beamed. “You’re cool, and you stronger than Kaito!”
“Hey—”
Renna let out a small laugh.
Her gaze moved back to Kaito.
“What about you?”
Kaito scratched the back of his head, smiling warmly.
“We’d be happy to have you.”
Relief washed across Renna’s face like sunlight after rain.
“There’s something I should tell you,” she said. “About my abilities.”
Serena leaned closer eagerly.
“I’m a sword mage. My attribute is fire.”
Kaito blinked.
A sword mage.
Magic and swordsmanship combined — a rare and powerful combat style.
Serena’s eyes sparkled. “That sounds amazing!”
Renna smiled faintly. “I hope I can be useful.”
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Kaito chuckled. “You’ll fit right in.”
And just like that, the future changed.
The Adventurer Guild
The guild was bustling with activity when they arrived. Adventurers gathered around the quest board, merchants negotiated contracts, and the familiar sound of metal armor clinking filled the hall.
Behind the reception desk stood Sofia, who looked up the moment she saw them approach.
Her lips curled into a teasing smile.
“Oh? Kaito forming a party already? That was fast~”
Kaito sighed. “We’re here to register a party.”
Sofia clasped her hands together happily. “How exciting! Please come this way.”
She pulled out a thick ledger.
“To register a party, you must choose a party name and assign a leader.”
Serena gasped dramatically. “A party name!”
Renna crossed her arms thoughtfully.
And thus began the most serious discussion of the morning.
“Campfire Lovers!” Serena declared.
Kaito nearly choked.
“No.”
Renna spoke calmly. “Silver Valkyries.”
Serena tilted her head. “We have a boy.”
“…Right.”
Kaito rubbed his temples. “How about… Travel Camp?”
Both girls stared at him.
“That sounds like a merchant caravan.”
He sighed.
Minutes passed as ideas flew across the table — some ridiculous, some heroic, some completely impossible to pronounce.
Finally, Renna spoke.
“What about… Crimson Blades?”
Silence.
Serena’s eyes widened. “That sounds cool!”
Kaito nodded slowly. “I like it.”
Sofia clapped happily. “Party name registered: Crimson Blades!”
She looked at them again.
“And the party leader?”
Serena and Renna pointed at Kaito instantly.
“WHAT?”
Serena puffed her cheeks. “You saved us countless times!”
Renna nodded. “You have leadership and judgment.”
Kaito tried to protest.
Failed.
Sofia wrote it down with a grin.
“Leader: Kaito.”
The party was official.
Crimson Blades had been born.
The First Party Quest
They stood before the massive quest board.
Kaito looking at the requests board carefully before he decide to choose.
Then one caught his eye.
B Rank Quest
Exterminate 2 Rock Birds
Reward: 1 Gold Coin
Renna’s eyes sharpened. “A flying monster… that won’t be easy.”
Serena swallowed nervously. “C Rank… already?”
Kaito smiled.
“It’s the perfect test for our new party.”
They took the quest.
The journey began.
Into the Rocky Highlands
The terrain changed as they traveled. Grasslands gave way to steep cliffs and jagged stone formations. Wind howled between the rocks, carrying distant cries that echoed across the mountains.
Renna rested her hand on her sword. “Rock Birds nest in these cliffs.”
Serena looked up nervously. “They attack from above, right?”
Kaito nodded. “Stay alert.”
The wind suddenly shifted.
A shadow moved across the ground.
Renna shouted.
“Above!”
A massive creature dove from the sky — wings like jagged stone, talons sharp as spears.
The first Rock Bird had appeared.
“Serena!” Kaito shouted.
“I know!”
She raised her staff.
“Wind Cutter!”
A crescent blade of wind launched upward — slicing through the air toward the diving monster.
But the Rock Bird twisted mid-air.
The attack missed.
Its screech shook the mountains.
Then Rock Bird wave it wing and many rock fall down then serena “Wind Shield” the protect the team.
Kaito stepped forward and raised his hand.
“Flare Rain!”
The sky ignited.
Dozens of blazing fireballs formed above the creature and rained downward like a meteor shower.
The Rock Bird flapped wildly, dodging through the fiery barrage.
But it never noticed Renna.
Her sword glowed crimson.
“Crimson Slash.”
Flames wrapped around the blade like a roaring dragon.
She leapt forward and swung upward.
A massive flaming sword wave erupted from her strike — tearing through the sky.
The attack cut off the Rock Bird’s left wing.
A deafening crack echoed.
The monster crashed to the ground.
“Earth Bind!”
Stone erupted from the ground, wrapping around its legs and pinning it in place.
The creature thrashed violently.
“Serena!”
“I’m ready!”
She raised both hands.
“Frost Dominion!”
Cold exploded outward.
The air froze.
The ground crystallized.
The Rock Bird turned into a statue of ice.
Renna dashed forward, flames blazing around her sword.
“Fire Slash!”
Her blade flashed.
One clean strike.
The monster’s head separated and slid across the frozen ground.
Silence returned.
Their first victory as Crimson Blades.
But it wasn’t over.
Minutes later…
A thunderous screech split the air.
A second Rock Bird descended like lightning.
It struck before anyone could react.
Its talon slashed across Serena’s shoulder.
“Ah—!”
She fell to her knees.
Kaito’s eyes burned with fury.
“FIRE SPEAR!”
A blazing spear formed instantly in his hand.
He hurled it with full force.
The spear pierced the Rock Bird’s right wing.
The monster fall to the ground then it wave it wing and many wind cutter come out from it wing toward renna.
Renna stepped forward, eyes blazing like fire.
“Thousand Inferno Blade!”
Her sword blurred.
Dozens — no, hundreds — of flaming slashes erupted, tearing through the forest like a storm of fire and destroy wind cutter and wave toward the rock bird.
The Rock Bird’s wings were shredded.
Its body carved with burning wounds.
It crashed to the ground in agony.
Serena stood slowly, clutching her shoulder.
“I can still fight…”
She raised her trembling hands.
“Frost Dominion.”
The world froze again.
Ice spread across the battlefield.
The Rock Bird became trapped in a frozen prison.
Kaito formed a spear of pure ice.
“Ice Spear.”
He inhaled deeply.
Then threw it with everything he had.
The spear pierced straight through the monster’s chest.
The Rock Bird collapsed.
The battle was over.
Then kaito use healing rain to heal serena.
After put rock bird in item box they move and find a big lake near by and camp there.
Serena and Renna taking a bath in the lake and wash their dirty clothes while kaito set up the tent and fire the campfire then prepare ingredient and meat to cook.
Night fell quietly.
A warm fire crackled between them.
Boar steak sizzled above the flames. Meat soup bubbled gently in a pot.
Serena leaned back against a log, smiling tiredly.
“We did it…”
Renna nodded. “Our first quest as a party.”
Kaito handed them plates.
“To Crimson Blades.”
They clinked their cups together.
Above them, the stars shimmered.
And for the first time, they truly felt like a party.
A family.
Their journey had only just begun.
