Three weeks had passed since the village incident. The flames were gone, and the land had been restored. Yet, the scars in Ryo's heart lingered.
Ryo stood silently, gazing at the village, eyes filled with sorrow.
"I wonder, Ren... maybe we shouldn't have left the castle," he muttered, tears beginning to fall.
Ren said nothing. Instead, he gently embraced Ryo, letting him cry like a newborn who had just seen the cruelty of the world for the first time.
---
Three Weeks Later…
"Come on, Ren! We can't waste the journey. Let's go!" Ryo's tone was cheerful, almost too cheerful.
Ren narrowed his eyes, surprised. "Are you sure you're okay?"
Ryo replied with a firm gaze. "Don't worry. This journey must continue... We'll uncover the truth behind this world. Thanis... I'll be your successor!"
Ren blinked in disbelief. "You want to rule the world?!"
Ryo gave a playful grin. "Of course I will."
Ren finally smiled, understanding a bit more about human emotions, something he hadn't quite grasped before.
Together, the two spread their wings and soared toward the Kingdom of Valorye.
"I hate that kingdom more than anything," Ryo muttered.
Ren nodded. "I don't blame you."
---
Seven Years Later...
Ryo was now eight years old—but with the body of a fully grown man.
Ren, now thirteen, had grown stronger, sharper, and more composed.
"Ryo, behind you!" Ren shouted.
Ryo spun around and dodged the incoming attack in a flash. With a single motion, he dashed forward and sliced the monster into dozens of pieces.
"You need to focus on yourself, Ren! Don't worry about me!" Ryo scolded, locking eyes with his companion.
They were in the midst of a brutal battle—three massive dragons and their monstrous armies surrounded them.
Ryo stepped forward, breaking the sound barrier. He unsheathed his blade.
"Kagutsuchi: Century of Torment."
With one strike, he shredded through a thousand beasts like paper.
Ren, from a distance, chanted a spell. "Ice Wall." A protective shield rose around him. As the monsters closed in and shattered the barrier, a massive blue fireball erupted from his mouth, incinerating them all.
Ryo gave a firm nod. "Nicely done, Ren."
Ren smiled back. "Thanks."
Not wasting time, Ryo jumped again. "Element Fusion: Fire and Steel." His blade ignited, glowing molten red, melting the ground beneath his feet.
"Feel this—Infernal Melt!"
He raised his sword and slammed it into the earth. The battlefield split open, swallowing the remaining monsters in a sea of lava.
"All that's left now… are the dragons."
He activated his golden right eye.
"Eternal Eye…"
Everything became visible: weaknesses, strengths, energy flow. Nothing was hidden.
With a beat of his wings, he soared—breaking the sound barrier once more. A dragon spewed fire at him. He sliced it in half with ease.
"You should really hide your vital points better," he mocked, slashing through their pressure points and energy cores in a single, flawless motion.
The dragons crashed into the earth, defeated.
Ren approached and extended a hand. "Well done, Ryo. Let's head back."
Ryo laughed. "Yes, yes. Now then… how are you, Grandma?"
An old woman limped forward with gratitude in her eyes. "Oh, thank you, young men. I would've died without you."
Ryo puffed his chest with pride. "No need for thanks, ma'am. We're always ready to help."
She chuckled. "Such kind boys… I'm glad there are still people like you in this world."
With a smile, Ryo and Ren waved goodbye and flew off into the sky.
Ryo sighed happily. "What a sweet lady."
Ren looked uneasy. "We should hurry back… she's probably angry we took so long."
Ryo's expression shifted to panic. "You're right. She's going to deny us food!"
---
They returned to the Kingdom of Valorye and stopped at the doorstep of a small house.
Before they could knock, the door swung open.
Standing there was a beautiful silver-haired girl with piercing ocean-blue eyes and porcelain skin.
She didn't speak—she punched Ryo straight in the face.
"You two idiots… where have you been?!"
Ryo clutched his cheek, confused. "Why me?! Ren was with me too!"
She turned her glare on him, releasing a terrifying aura.
Ryo took a step back, visibly shaking. "Okay, okay, I'll shut up now."
Ren stepped in, trying to defuse the situation. "Come on, Yui, it's not that serious. We were just helping some villagers."
Yui calmed down slightly. "Fine. But your punishment… no lunch today."
Ryo collapsed to his knees in pure despair. "No… no lunch?"
Yui and Ren exchanged confused glances.
"...It's just food," Ren mumbled.
Ryo wailed from behind the house. "Food is the essence of life!!!"
The two just quietly walked back inside.
---
Three Hours Later…
Yui: "Alright, I'm heading to the guild. Ren, take care of Ryo."
Ren: "You too. Be careful."
Yui arrived at the Adventurers' Guild, handing over the corpses of the dragons and monsters.
The receptionist gasped, as did everyone nearby.
"Did she really do this alone?"
Yui smiled confidently. "Ahem..."
The receptionist handed her 10,000 gold coins as a reward.
Yui's eyes sparkled. "That's… a lot. So much money! All for me?!"
She skipped out of the guild joyfully, chanting, "Money! Money! So much money~!"
But suddenly, two large thugs blocked her path. Their faces were ugly, their smirks uglier.
"Well now, little miss… If you want to stay safe, hand over the cash," one of them growled.
Yui didn't even flinch. She walked past them with confidence.
They grabbed her by the shoulder. "Hey! Didn't you hear us?"
Yui's eyes sharpened, and her voice dropped to a cold, deadly tone.
"For your own safety… let go."
---
To Be Continued...