Two unsightly figures arrived at the town's edge, turning heads in disgust as they passed. The locals quickly averted their eyes, some covering their noses, others simply hurrying away. A motorized cart rolled past them, kicking up dust that only added to their already disreputable appearance. The two figures continued undeterred, making their way through the winding streets toward their destination: the Smith blood.

  They pushed open the heavy front door and stepped inside.

  It was Kuro and Fenric.

  The entire guild hall fell silent. Every conversation stopped mid-sentence. Every head turned. Every eye fixed on the two hunters who had just entered.

  Both men were covered head to toe in dried blood and caked dirt, their clothes stiff with gore. The smell that preceded them was indescribable—like rotten eggs mixed with death and something far worse. A few guild members actually gagged.

  Unbothered by the stares, Kuro and Fenric walked straight to the reception desk, their boots leaving dirty prints on the polished floor.

  Lovia looked up from her paperwork, and her expression cycled rapidly through surprise, relief, and joy before settling on mild exasperation. "Cute stuff! Fenric! You guys are alright! Thank the gods—you know how worried I was? You took your sweet time just to kill some korguls. What happened?"

  "Oh, if you only knew," Fenric muttered under his breath.

  "Fenric," Lovia called, her tone shifting to concern.

  "Yes!!"

  "What happened to your Rune? I tried to call you so many times yesterday and this morning. The signal just... nothing."

  Fenric's face scrunched up sheepishly. "Oh... I, uh, forgot to bring it on the mission. Hehe."

  Lovia sighed deeply, pinching the bridge of her nose in disbelief. "You forgot. Of course you did." She looked them both over more carefully, her concern returning. "But you're both alright, right? Korgul can be very tricky, especially in their territory. And this was your first real quest, cute stuff—" she directed this at Kuro, her eyes soft with worry—"were you at least able to kill some of them?"

  "Uhhhh..." Kuro hesitated, genuinely uncertain how to answer.

  Fenric, meanwhile, burst out laughing—a full, belly-deep laugh that echoed through the guild hall.

  "Fenric, don't be mean!" Lovia scolded, her protective instincts flaring. "It's his first quest! Even if he used to be a guild member before, he lost his memory, okay? Just because you're stronger and more experienced than him doesn't mean you have to be cruel about it!"

  Fenric's laughter intensified. His face turned red, tears streaming from his eyes. "Oh my god... I'm going to die..." He wheezed, struggling to breathe. "How... how naive can she be..."

  "YOU BASTARD! I told you to stop!" Lovia vaulted over the reception desk with surprising agility and wrapped her hands around Fenric's neck, beginning to strangle him in earnest. "If you’re going to laugh yourself to death, I’ll help!”

  "Ahnhhhahhh! S-s-s-t-o-p! I give up! Give up! Won't laugh...." Fenric flailed, his face going from red to purple. "Partnerr! Save me! This gorilla is going to kill me!"

  "What did you just call me?" Lovia's grip tightened dangerously.

  Kuro watched the scene with an unbothered expression, though those paying close attention might have noticed a slight glimmer of amusement in his otherwise cold eyes.

  While they were engaged in their life-or-death struggle, Master Rhanes entered the guild hall from the street entrance. "What's with all the commotion?" His voice cut through the chaos with natural authority.

  He noticed the group at the reception desk and his eyebrows rose. "Oh. Kuro, Fenric—you rats are back."

  "Senior," Kuro greeted with a slight nod.

  "Took you two a while." Rhanes approached, his experienced eyes scanning them both. His gaze lingered on Kuro, taking in the blood-soaked clothes, the dirt. "Look at you, drenched in blood. There must have been a lot of—"

  He paused mid-sentence, staring at Kuro with sudden intensity.

  "—korguls," Kuro finished smoothly, snapping Rhanes out of his moment of realization. "Yes. There were lots of them."

  Rhanes blinked, processing. "...Yes. Must have been tough." His voice was carefully neutral now. "Glad you two are okay."

  Their eyes met and held for a moment—a silent conversation passing between them.

  "Lovia," Rhanes said, breaking the tension, "I think whatever crime Fenric committed, that's more than enough punishment. Let him go. I can literally see his soul preparing to leave his body."

  "Yes, Master." Lovia released her grip reluctantly.

  Fenric collapsed flat on the floor like a puppet with cut strings. He raised one hand weakly, shaking it in gratitude. "Thanks... bo-ss man..." His hand fell. "And now... I die..."

  A pause.

  "...or not."

  Rhanes turned his full attention to Kuro, and suddenly his demeanor changed entirely. His eyes lit up with childlike eagerness. "My perfection—Mosvmora! How did it cut? Tell me everything!"

  Kuro considered the question. "Like a sword. It cuts well. Thanks to you, senior."

  But it would be great if I still had my gun, he thought privately.

  Rhanes's smile faded instantly, replaced by a expression of profound disappointment. "I see. Haha..." His face fell into complete gloom.

  "Hm...?" Kuro tilted his head slightly, confused by the reaction.

  "Dude." Fenric had risen from his supposed grave and was staring at Kuro in disbelief. "What was that?"

  "What?"

  "What do you mean what? Boss man was expecting some praise, some genuine compliment for his work, and what do you say? 'It cut well'?" Fenric's voice dripped with mockery. "Of course it cut well! And what's this 'like a sword' business? Mosvmora is not like any other sword out there—it's one of a kind! You could even call it a legendary blade! I can't believe you sometimes."

  Kuro processed this, then turned back to Rhanes with what might have been an attempt at enthusiasm. "It could cut the moon with its sharpness."

  Rhanes's expression remained defeated. "You already said that before. Come up with something new."

  "Oh."

  "Well, forget it." Rhanes sighed, then raised his voice. "Lovia!"

  "Yes, Master?"

  "Register his quest achievement. Be generous with the star rating—he did significantly more work than the contract required."

  Lovia's eyebrows rose with interest. "Uhm... yes, I'll see to it immediately."

  "And Kuro—" Rhanes's tone shifted, becoming more serious—"come to my office. I have something to discuss with you."

  Kuro's expression tightened almost imperceptibly. Damnit, he thought, but he simply nodded and followed Rhanes toward the stairs.

  Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

  The Master's Office

  The office was exactly as Kuro remembered—cluttered with papers, his weapon library, and the small kitchen with coffee machine. Rhanes closed the door behind them and moved to stand by the window, looking out at the street below.

  "Did you hear the news?" "About Daro."

  "Daro?" Kuro's brow furrowed. "Who...? Oh, right. That bastard. Dora. Yes, what about him?"

  "Hmm... yes, 'Dora,' as you say." Rhanes turned to face him. "It seems he died in his cell early this morning. The official report says he was poisoned—likely from overuse of magic crystals."

  "Hm."

  "'Hm'?" Rhanes studied Kuro's face carefully. "What's with that look? I thought you'd wanted him dead. Did you suddenly grow a heart? Even though he clearly deserved it."

  Kuro's expression was cold and honest. "...It's not satisfying when I'm not the one who did it."

  ..........."Kuro." Rhanes's voice dropped, becoming deadly serious. The temperature in the room seemed to fall several degrees.

  "Yes."

  "Do I have to worry about you becoming a fugitive one day?"

  The silence stretched long. Too long.

  "No."

  "That's a very long pause." Rhanes took a step closer, and suddenly the friendly mentor was gone. This was the man who had burned someone to ash without hesitation. "Just remember—if that day arrives, and I pray to every god it won't, but if it does arrive—I'll kill you without a second thought."

  The fury in his eyes was real. Absolute. Undeniable.

  The pressure was immense. Kuro felt it like a physical weight—the genuine intent to kill radiating from the older man. He understood in that moment that Rhanes could absolutely make good on that threat. Kuro didn't speak. He simply stood still, acknowledging the warning with silence.

  "Good." The pressure vanished as quickly as it had appeared. Rhanes's demeanor returned to normal, as if a switch had been flipped. "Now that's out of the way, go enjoy the rest of your day. And... thank you. For doing work no one else would have been willing to do. And frankly, work that no one else would have survived." He smiled slightly. "Anyway, goodbye. I'll see you on the road.

  Flip... Tinnggg... flip...

  The sound of a coin being flipped and caught followed him outside the guild.

  Kuro and Fenric headed back toward Fenric's house as the sun began its descent toward the horizon, painting the sky in shades of orange and purple.

  "Did boss man call you back because of Daro?" Fenric asked as they walked.

  "Hm."

  I just heard about it "Fucking idiot. After everything, he died by his own hand. Magic crystal overdose. Ha!" Fenric shook his head. "Poetic justice, I guess."

  "Hmm..." Kuro's eyes narrowed slightly. "I'm not sure."

  "What do you mean?"

  "It's nothing."

  "Seriously, come on, man. You can't just drop something like that and—"

  Kuro turned his head slightly back toward the direction of the guild, his eyes sharp and calculating. Flip...catch....flip...

  The sound of the coin continued its rhythm.

  "That coin you're spinning around—did Mr. Evandrous give that to you?" Fenric asked, curiosity getting the better of him.

  "Hm-mm."

  "Can I see it?"

  Kuro handed it over. Fenric examined it carefully, turning it over in his hands, holding it up to the fading light. Then he smelled it. Then, bizarrely, he bit down on it.

  "Dude, it's solid gold! Wow, this is worth way more than the actual quest payment! Nice!" He examined it more closely. "It doesn't look like regular currency, though. Maybe it was used in the old days? It has some weird carving on it... but hey, we can sell it! I know a place that deals in antique coins. They'd pay a fortune for solid gold."

  "Nah. I don't want to."

  "What? Why?"

  "I don't know."

  "Whaaa—" Fenric's face scrunched up in puzzlement. "Partner, you can be really weird sometimes, you know that?"

  They entered the house as twilight settled over the First City.

  Evening at Home

  That evening, after a simple dinner of bread, cheese, and leftover stew, both Fenric and Kuro settled in the small living area to watch the viewing crystal—essentially a magical television that broadcast from the capital.

  It was running some kind of singing competition. The same performer they'd seen during their last viewing was on stage again, singing the exact same song with the exact same choreography.

  "Dude, can't they show anything else?" Kuro snapped, his irritation evident. "This is the third time I've seen this guy sing this song."

  "Sorry, man, this is the only channel I can afford, you know? Being a half-beast means—"

  "Jesus Christ, please—I get it!" Kuro cut him off. "And it doesn't have anything to do with your beast nature. You're just poor."

  Jesus? "Hmph... whatever."

  After a few minutes of uncomfortable silence, broken only by the overly enthusiastic singing from the crystal, Fenric spoke up thoughtfully.

  "The Hrungnir and the Queen... I've been wondering why they descended from the Tall Forest. I've been thinking about it all day, but I can't figure it out."

  "Don't ask me," Kuro replied flatly.

  "Hm, of course not." Fenric sighed. "But seriously... the Queen. She was hurt severely, and those wounds looked recent. Like, within the last few days recent."

  "Yes. She'd clearly been in a major battle."

  "Exactly! Probably fought another beast—maybe another Abyssal creature, or even a high beast. Who knows? But the fact that she was wounded that badly..." Fenric's voice dropped. "I keep wondering what condition the other beast is in. It scares me just thinking about it."

  "Hmm." Kuro's eyes grew distant. "No. I don't think the Queen won that fight."

  Fenric turned to stare at him. "Why do you think that? Dude, you fought that monster. You should know better than anyone how powerful she was..." His eyes widened as understanding dawned. "Wait. You think she was running? That she came down to human territory because she was fleeing from whatever wounded her?"

  He started to sweat. "Oh gods. That makes perfect sense. What if... what if that thing follows her trail? What if it attacks the town?" His breathing quickened. "Kuro, we could be in serious danger. The whole town could be—"

  "Anyway," Kuro interrupted calmly, "bring out the beer."

  Fenric's panic transformed instantly into indignation. "Are you for real?! I'm telling you I'm scared—genuinely frightened—and you want beer?"

  "What's the point of thinking about 'what ifs'? You're just being an idiot. Now bring out the beer."

  Fenric's face turned red with anger. "I'm all out!"

  "What?" Kuro's disappointment was palpable. "Tch... What about that rum you're always drinking?"

  "In the battle with the Queen—that was the last bottle."

  "Damn. You're completely useless."

  "Do you think alcohol just magically appears?! I buy it from the guild from Lovia with my own hard-earned money! And now that you're living in my house, you need to start contributing too, you know!"

  It's finally time for the stolen money. Kuro reached into his pocket and pulled out a small pouch, tossing it to Fenric. The distinctive clink of coins sounded as Fenric caught it. "Here. Go buy some."

  Fenric hefted the pouch, feeling its weight. "Since when did I become your errand boy, hm? You go buy it. Why do I have to?"

  "Someone's salty for no reason."

  Knock knock.

  Both Kuro and Fenric turned toward the main door.

  "Are you expecting someone?" Kuro asked.

  "Nooooo."

  Knock knock knock.

  "Coming!" Fenric called out. He opened the door to reveal Lovia standing on the doorstep, holding a large bag that clinked promisingly.

  "Oh!" Fenric's face lit up. "What brings you here at this hour, Lovia?"

  "I noticed you two left the guild pretty quickly," she said with a warm smile, and I figured you probably ran out of drinks. Thought I'd bring some over."

  Kuro, for the first time in his life, felt like he was witnessing a deity. The Goddess of Drinks had descended upon his humble abode.

  "Wow, perfect timing!" Fenric exclaimed, ushering her inside. "Then let the party begin!"

  After two rounds of drinks, Lovia's cheeks were flushed and her eyes had taken on a slightly glazed quality.

  "So, cute stuff—" hic "—let's hear the story." hic

  "What story?"

  "Your first quest! How it went and all the minute details—" hic "—lay it all out. I'd like to know more—" hic "—about you." She leaned forward, her eyes unfocused but earnest.

  "Wow, she's already begun her journey to Dreamland," Fenric commented, his own face bright red from the alcohol.

  "Like you're any different," Kuro observed dryly.

  "Well, Lovia..." Kuro considered his words carefully. "If I have to say what you want to hear, it was very easy. But if you want to hear the truth—"

  Lovia's face shifted to immediate concern, her intoxication momentarily forgotten.

  "Dude, are you serious?" Fenric hissed.

  "—the truth is, it was very easy and tricky."

  Lovia's expression transformed into sunrise relief, a big smile spreading across her face.

  "It all began like this," Kuro started, settling into storyteller mode. "The Hrun—korguls are smart. Smarter than people give them credit for. They hide exceptionally well in the snow—you can't see them at all, even when you're standing right on top of them. And they pull these pranks, coming out of nowhere to scare you. 'Boo!' And then they dive back into the snow before you can react. Tricky bastards..."

  As Kuro continued his carefully watered-down version of their adventure—transforming the Hrungnir pack into extra-clever korgul, the Abyssal Queen into a particularly large and aggressive pack leader—Lovia watched him with dreamy eyes. She wore a huge smile, blushing deeply, hanging on his every word as if he were recounting the greatest epic ever told.

  Fenric watched this display and had to suppress another fit of laughter. She has no idea, he thought. Absolutely no idea that we nearly died a dozen times.

  The night wore on, drinks flowed, and stories were embellished (though in Kuro's case, significantly downplayed). Eventually, Lovia fell asleep on the couch, still smiling, her head resting on kuro's shoulder.

  Fenric and Kuro sat in companionable silence, both too tired and too drunk to make conversation.

  Outside, the moon remained hidden behind a thick blanket of clouds, rendering the night unusually dark.

  In the Wilderness

  Far from the town, in a region of wilderness a mysterious group had begun establishing their camp.

  The shadows cast by their campfires revealed figures that were decidedly not human. They were large—significantly larger than any man, standing perhaps eight or nine feet tall. Great horns curved from their heads, ranging from simple points to elaborate spirals. Their builds were massively muscular, designed for power rather than speed.

  Dozens of weapons lay scattered around the camp—massive war axes, spiked clubs, enormous swords that no human could hope to wield. These were clearly warriors, and they were clearly preparing for battle.

  Then, a deep voice arose from the largest tent—a voice that resonated like thunder, like the earth itself speaking.

  "THE KING HAS WOKEN."

  A roar of joy erupted from the gathered warriors. Weapons were raised. Fists pumped into the air.

  "YES! YES! LET THE HUNT BEGIN!"

  "THE TIME OF WAITING IS OVER!"

  "BLOOD AND GLORY! BLOOD AND GLORY!"

  The chanting continued, growing louder and more fervent, carrying across the wilderness like a promise—or a threat.