Lira was enjoying one of those rare, peaceful moments behind the guild counter.
Paperwork stacked neatly.
No shouting adventurers.
No explosions.
No Rex-related incidents.
She was just finishing stamping a report when she felt it.
That presence.
"…What could ruin this day," she muttered.
The guild doors opened.
Rex walked in.
He looked… wrong.
Not tired.
Not injured.
Not traumatized.
Nervous.
That alone set off every alarm bell in Lira's head.
She leaned forward. "How you holding up after the fire elemental?"
"Fine," Rex replied immediately.
Too immediately.
"I'd like to accept a mission."
Lira narrowed her eyes.
"…You sure you've recovered?"
"Yes."
She stared at him. Hard.
Then, very slowly, very deliberately:
"Something easy. Right?"
Rex swallowed.
"…Yes."
She held that stare for another second, like she was daring reality itself to betray her.
Then she slid a paper across the counter.
"Simple investigation quest."
The word simple sat there a little too long.
Rex took it, nodded, grabbed his light armor, sword, gauntlet, and the small pouch where he kept his focuses.
And left.
Lira watched him go.
"…I don't like that."
The Mountain
A day later, Rex stood at the base of a mountain.
He looked up.
"…I really don't want to climb a mountain."
If you want to complete the mission, Noir said dryly, you better.
Rex sighed and started climbing.
By the time he reached near the summit, night had fallen.
The sky was breathtaking — stars scattered like shattered glass across the dark.
Rex leaned against a rock, panting.
"The reward better be really good."
At least the night is beautiful, Sage said calmly.
"…Yeah," Rex muttered, finishing the climb.
Then he froze.
At the top wasn't jagged stone.
It was flat.
Perfectly circular.
And carved into the ground was a large magical circle, old and humming faintly.
Rex's eyes narrowed.
Something scraped against the stone behind him.
Not footsteps.
Something heavier.
Rock grinding against rock.
He turned just in time to see it —
A golem climbing the cliff with unnatural ease.
And riding on its shoulder was a person in purple-black battlemage robes.
The golem reached the top and set the mage down.
The mage groaned. "Man, why did they put the ritual circle on top of a mountain?"
He stretched. "I get the whole 'direct lightning' thing, but come on—"
Then he noticed Rex.
They stared at each other.
Rex lifted a hand.
"…Hi."
The mage blinked. "…Were you also sent here to do the ritual?"
"What ritual?"
The mage froze.
"…Ah."
He sighed. "I said too much."
He pulled out a staff.
"Oh well. I'll just kill you before you can run."
Rex blinked. "What—why?"
"Nothing personal," the mage said, walking toward the circle. "Wrong place, wrong time."
He slammed his staff into the ground.
The carved circle ignited.
Lightning began crashing down around the platform.
Rex pulled his sword and slid the gauntlet onto his left hand.
"…Okay," he muttered. "Time to fight."
"I don't think this is a fight," the mage said, twirling his staff. "More like you getting singed."
He swung.
Lightning tore through the air.
Rex rolled aside.
"…Okay, that escalated fast."
He sprinted, debating.
Fire or earth?
"Mind your head," the mage called.
Rex looked up—
—and barely ducked as the golem's massive arm smashed down.
He slid under it.
"That's it."
He slotted the fire focus.
"IGNIS!"
He punched the golem's back.
Fire exploded.
The golem staggered forward slightly.
Smoke rose.
…And that was it.
The mage laughed. "That's it? Magic through a gauntlet? I'll pry it from your corpse later."
Rex clicked his tongue.
He switched focuses.
"Terra."
He charged it briefly and swung.
A wall of stone spikes erupted toward the mage.
The mage sidestepped. "Impressive. So you're not a nobody."
Rex ran, jumped onto the golem's back, slammed his hand down.
"Terra!"
Spikes burst along the golem's body, locking its joints, pinning it in place.
The mage scowled. "Enough. You're making me late."
Lightning slammed into the immobilized golem.
The construct shattered.
"…Oh no," the mage said flatly. "My golem."
He shrugged. "I'll remake it."
More lightning followed.
Rex took cover behind the crumbling stone.
"What now?!"
Blank focus, Sage said. Draw a redirect rune.
"…WHAT DOES THAT EVEN LOOK LIKE?!"
Sketch it.
Rex pulled out the focus.
Froze.
Then his eyes glowed faint green.
His hand moved on its own.
He didn't speak.
When it was done—
"Now what?"
Absorption rune.
"You said I couldn't overlay runes!"
Too bad.
Green light flared again.
The runes settled.
Fight.
Noir growled. "Kill him."
Another lightning bolt flew.
Rex jumped as the golem finally exploded.
He slotted the focus.
"Please work…"
The mage smirked. "Done hiding?"
Lightning struck.
Rex raised his gauntlet.
The bolt hit—
—and vanished.
Redirected sideways in a violent arc.
Both of them stared.
The mage's smile slowly faded.
Rex didn't wait.
Fire focus.
"IGNIS!"
He leapt and punched the mage square in the face.
The mage flew back, ragdolling across stone.
"…Okay," he wheezed. "Did not expect that."
End him, Noir hissed.
Rex slammed his hand down.
"Terra!"
Spikes erupted — impaling the mage.
The circle shut down.
Lightning faded.
Silence returned.
Rex collapsed to the ground, breathing hard.
He stared at his hands.
The fight.
The control.
The kill.
And instead of fear—
He felt drive.
A dangerous, burning motivation.
I need to get stronger.
And for once—
Both voices agreed.