The West Gate was always vast and imposing, just like all the other gates. Even during holidays, it was never without activity. That morning, horse-drawn carriages and steam-powered wagons gathered in front of it, weaving left and right, transporting goods and nobles alike.
Nila grumbled about the cold, despite her dark red coat, its color resembling faded autumn leaves. Still, she hadn't prepared for such biting frost. Beside her stood Ovend, wearing a dark green coat adorned with intricate patterns, sharing her discomfort. As they watched the busy morning rush, they wondered aloud, "Where's Ethan?"
Suddenly, a metallic clink sounded from Arthur's belt as he approached and saluted them from up close. No one knew him well; he was the man Ethan had hired just a day earlier. All they knew was that he was some ranked adventurer.
Ovend quickly realized that this must be Arthur—the guide Ethan had described as exceptionally tall—assigned to escort them beyond the walls of Azuria Academy.
Arthur returned their salute, gently prompting Nila to follow suit, though she seemed lost in thought, studying this unfamiliar man.
Arthur chuckled slyly and responded with a simple greeting, one typically used among commoners.
It was immediately clear to him that these were the children he would be escorting, especially after Ethan had tasked him with a mission involving the red onyx flower. Nodding at them to prepare for departure, Arthur strode away to arrange a cart that would take them to the nearest mountain, where a looted cave was rumored to be located.
He soon disappeared into the bustling crowd, while Ethan suddenly emerged from behind the massive gate, like the other students enjoying their day off. Breathless from running, he scanned the area before offering a casual greeting and apologizing for being late.
Ethan was carrying two steel swords borrowed from the training grounds: one for himself and one for Ovend, who, though skilled in magic, didn't mind bringing a sword along into a cave where danger might lurk.
"Did Arthur arrive before me?" Ethan asked anxiously.
"He showed up a little while ago," Nila replied sharply, "and went off to get transportation before we head out." Then, looking at him skeptically, she added, "Are you sure you know his rank?"
Without hesitation, Ethan answered, "Three gold stars."
Nila and Ovend froze; they hadn't expected an unknown adventurer to hold such a high rank. Nila muttered, "Is that even possible? Three stars for someone like him?" She frowned, explaining her doubts.
Unlike Ovend and Ethan, Nila had never been able to sense mana. Even though Ethan's mana flow was somewhat distorted, at least he had a faint pulse of it. But Arthur… Nila glanced away with clear disdain. "I didn't sense a single trace of mana in him!" she said. Ovend furrowed his brows, sharing her skepticism.
Curious, I asked, "How much did you pay him?"
Ethan hesitated before replying, "Two gold coins."
"That's insane!" Nila exclaimed, then added sarcastically, "You're a fool to hand that much to a stranger!"
On the continent of Arentia, the absence of mana wasn't unusual among commoners, but it was still seen as a curse from the gods, a mark placed on certain classes to prevent them from using magic.
Ovend shook his head, still doubtful. "He must have tricked us."
But Ethan insisted, "Arthur may not be worth every piece of gold, but the sense of prestige I felt from him alone is enough to justify his three stars!"
Before the argument could continue, they were interrupted by the sound of a rough horn blaring in the distance. They turned to see Arthur, who had finally reappeared, riding an old turn-of-the-century steamroller covered in remnants of vegetables and herbs. It seemed he had convinced the reluctant driver to divert his route toward the nearby mountain for an extra payment. Arthur then motioned for the group to hop onto the rickety cart.
They climbed into the rusty old vehicle, where crates of goods and fresh vegetables were stacked beside heaps of junk and scattered tools in the back. Arthur took his place in the front seat next to the driver, a man he recognized as Falk
In the rear, the boys endured the grating noise of the engine as the vehicle made its way through the crowds, leaving behind the edges of Sahal al-Qarafa village. In the distance, plumes of smoke rose from the small factories that dotted the outskirts.
Gradually, the path wound upward into the mountains until Azoria Academy came into view, its magnificent Azureth Tower gleaming in the north, casting its shadow over Crescent Hall the building that shone brightest during festivities. Soon it would shine even brighter for the Crimson Full Moon Celebration, marking the 130th anniversary of Azoria's founding, in accordance with the Crimson Moon cycle, which would soon reach its peak.
Nila smiled and gestured for Ovend and Ethan to look, as if to share the breathtaking sight with them.
Meanwhile, Arthur relaxed in his seat, enjoying the familiar crackle of the old radio, which played a song by Iredale a famous singer from the capital, whose voice filled the air every evening. He focused on the sweet melody, barely listening to Falk, who was rambling on about the rising cost of living, his seven children, his demanding wife, and his aging mother who needed constant care.
In the back, Ethan struggled to keep his balance as the vehicle jolted along the uneven road, clinging tightly to the hilt of his sword. He looked thoroughly miserable. Nila, on the other hand, showed no reaction at all, perhaps more accustomed to rough journeys than her companions or so she assumed. Maybe it was because they were nobles?
Despite the rough paths cutting through the forest, they eventually reached their destination though not exactly where they had intended. Falk, fearful of getting too close to the caves and risking an encounter with mana beasts or demons, dropped them off earlier than planned. He bid them farewell and left them to continue alone, deep in the forest.
Arthur, now fully responsible for the children, led the way as they began their search for the elusive red agate flower.They walked for about fifteen minutes, Arthur humming an old tune while the others followed without complaint—except for Nila, who began to show signs of fatigue. Beads of sweat formed on her forehead, and Ethan, noticing her struggle, moved to support her until they finally arrived.
Arthur knew they had to be cautious from this point forward. The cave ahead had been plundered many times before, yet demons always seemed to find their way back to it. They had little hope of discovering any valuable treasure, but even so, despite their doubts, everyone relied on Arthur's expertise—especially considering he wielded no magic at all.
At the ancient mouth of the cave, Arthur paused and turned to them, a sly grin on his face.
"Years ago," he said, "I went with a copper-ranked adventurer a kid barely older than you on his first ever cave expedition. Despite his lack of experience, he fought bravely..." Arthur chuckled. "But he still wet his pants in front of me!"
He laughed at the memory of "Little Orlick."
None of the others laughed, but Ethan smiled quietly, recalling his own embarrassing encounter when he served as a guard dog for one of the Vermouth Knights.
Without realizing it, they had ventured deep into the cave. Its walls were lined with luminous stones, beautiful but nearly worthless. The cold crept into their bones, but Arthur pressed forward without hesitation, pausing only when he spotted a patch of small plants infused with mana, known for their healing properties.
Nearby, Nila knelt down to gather the plants with careful hands, while Ovend helped, though he looked less than thrilled about it.
Ethan stood beside Arthur, who leaned casually against the wall, smoking a cheap cigarette without a care. Without any preamble, Ethan asked whether the gendarmes had given him the scar on his chin.
Arthur chuckled and replied,"Yeah, I challenged him to a duel that day after he insulted his masters during a casual encounter on the road it was raining hard over Iron Plateau City, like the sky itself was confused by the misunderstanding."
Arthur went on to describe how tough that guard was, calling him a real monster, but proudly added that he hadn't let him walk away without a scar. Then, with a sarcastic grin, he said:"If you want the full story, you can ask him yourself when you meet him."
At that moment, Ovend finally waved for them to continue after he and Nila had finished gathering the plants she planned to sell later to Quddis.
Arthur smiled faintly in the cavern's flickering light, admiring Nila's business-minded spirit.
Ethan was sharpening his sword when he suddenly sensed something strange. He wasn't alone; Arthur felt it too a subtle pressure from above.
Arthur's lips curled into a wry grin as five massive wings, each spanning a meter and a half, unfolded above them, their red necks flexing fiercely.
Ovend froze, clutching his trembling sword as he instinctively pulled Nila behind him, shielding her from the threat looming overhead.
Arthur exclaimed excitedly,"Red-necked bats... kings of the dead caves' rooftops!"He hadn't expected to run into so many at this time.
He quickly signaled Ethan and Ovend to retreat while stepping forward himself.Nila's face tensed with worry Arthur had no magic, and against the red-necked, silver-starred bats, he could be dead within seconds.
Still, Arthur chuckled as he strode under the circling swarm, ignoring their shrill cries.
From his brass belt, he drew a heavy metal pistol and fired two quick shots into the air, scattering the swarm instantly.
Steam hissed from the muzzle as Arthur smoothly pulled out another pistol with his left hand, ready for the next wave.
The bats came rushing in from both sides.
Arthur held his ground, shining under the dim cavern light. He fired two heavy rounds the first pierced a bat's wing; the second shot cleanly tore the head off another, sending its body crashing lifelessly to the ground.
At the same moment, his ammo canisters dropped in perfect rhythm with the gunfire.
Arthur didn't budge, smiling confidently.
"Two down... Three left correction, make that two," he said, noticing the third bat had flown closer than expected and took a bullet straight through the skull.
Blood spattered him as he moved with skillful agility, the confident smile still etched on his face.
Ethan stood stunned, watching Arthur's unique fighting style wielding just two pistols, each seemingly holding eight rounds.
Above them, the two remaining giant bats juggled in the air before descending unpredictably, ready to rip Arthur and everything around him apart.
But Arthur was quicker he dodged to the side, sprinted alongside one of the beasts, and fired a clean shot into its wing, knocking it off balance.
Before it could recover, he delivered a final shot, putting it down for good... without any sweet dreams.
Arthur had done it he had wiped out the swarm, leaving only one red-necked bat alive.
The last bat hesitated, looking ready to flee but instead, it suddenly landed heavily, blood dripping from its wounds, and charged toward Nila and Ovend.
Ethan rushed after it, pulling his sword from his belt and trying to cast a spell from a distance.But the spell fizzled out almost instantly his poor blood color nearly causing a disaster for his friends.
The bat was fast, dangerously close to devouring Ovend until the "melody of death" rang out.Arthur's shot pierced through the bat's heart with deadly precision.The creature convulsed violently, then fell completely still, collapsing right at Ovend and Nila's feet, leaving them stunned and breathless.
Arthur repeated with a cold smile,"As I told you before, demons always find their way back to the dead caves."
He turned around and caught sight of Nila frozen in place, completely awestruck... perhaps by him.