By the time Crimson Blade reached the gates of the town, the sun had begun its slow descent, bathing the stone walls in warm gold.

  The massive wooden gates creaked open as the guards spotted them from afar.

  Recognition came instantly.

  The men straightened.

  Helmets removed.

  Spears grounded respectfully.

  “Welcome back!” one of the guards called out, voice filled with relief. “God bless you. Please enter!”

  Another guard bowed slightly. “We heard the tremors… and the explosion. We feared the worst.”

  Kaito gave a calm nod. “The Orc King is no more.”

  Murmurs spread along the wall.

  Relief washed across every face.

  “And the mountain?” a younger guard asked hesitantly.

  Serena exchanged a glance with Renna.

  “It’s… handled,” she replied with a soft smile.

  The guards didn’t press further.

  They stepped aside, allowing Crimson Blade and everyone to enter.

  As soon as they crossed into town—

  The atmosphere shifted completely.

  Warm light spilled from tavern windows. Merchants called out from street stalls. The scent of roasting meat, grilled fish, baked bread, and sweet pastries filled the air.

  Life.

  Normal life.

  Kael stirred on Kaito’s back.

  His nose twitched.

  Then again.

  He opened one molten-gold eye.

  “What… is that smell?”

  Renna smirked. “Awake already?”

  Kael slowly lifted his head, blinking as he looked around. Wooden houses, people walking freely without fear.

  His stomach growled audibly.

  Serena covered her mouth to hide a laugh.

  Kael pointed toward a nearby food stall where skewers of grilled meat sizzled over charcoal flame.

  “I want to eat something like that.”

  Kaito chuckled lightly. “Alright. Lunch first.”

  Behind them, Silver Dawn, Storm Breaker, and Shadow Fang began separating toward their respective headquarters.

  “We’ll meet at the guild after lunch,” Silver Dawn’s leader called out.

  Kaito raised a hand in acknowledgment. “See you there.”

  Serena stretched slightly. “It really feels good having a base to return to.”

  Renna laughed. “Yeah. After all that chaos, this feels comfortable.”

  Kaito adjusted Kael slightly on his back.

  “Let’s eat.”

  They settled at a modest street stall run by an elderly couple. The old man handled the grill while his wife prepared bowls of soup and rice behind him.

  The smell alone was enough to make Kael stare in open fascination.

  He sat beside Kaito, barely tall enough to see over the counter.

  “What is that?” he asked, pointing at a plate of glazed meat skewers.

  “Boar Meat Grill,” the old man answered with a grin. “Fresh this morning.”

  Kael’s eyes sparkled faintly.

  “And that?”

  “Spiced river fish.”

  “And that?”

  “Sweet bean buns.”

  Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site.

  Renna leaned closer to Serena and whispered, “He’s acting like a kid at a festival.”

  Serena smiled warmly. “Maybe this is his first time seeing something like this.”

  Kaito ordered several dishes without hesitation.

  When the food arrived, Kael stared at it for a moment as if analyzing prey.

  Then—

  He took a bite.

  His eyes widened.

  The subtle glaze of sweetness and savory meat melted on his tongue.

  “This… is incredible.”

  The old woman laughed. “You’ve never had grilled meat before?”

  Kael swallowed quickly. “Not like this.”

  Renna crossed her arms smugly. “See? Humans aren’t so boring.”

  Kael shot her a look. “I never said boring. I said predictable.”

  Serena tasted her soup, sighing contentedly. “It’s nice, isn’t it? Eating peacefully.”

  Kaito watched Kael closely.

  For a being who could summon meteors capable of destroying cities, he looked… small.

  Almost fragile.

  As Kael devoured his second skewer, Kaito asked casually, “Do you need to eat often in this form?”

  Kael wiped sauce from his mouth. “More than in beast form. Transformation stabilizes my mana but consumes energy.”

  “So you’ll be hungry a lot?” Renna asked.

  Kael grinned. “Probably.”

  Renna groaned. “There goes our savings.”

  After finishing, Kael leaned back, looking satisfied.

  “That was… acceptable.”

  Serena laughed. “That means he liked it.”

  Kaito paid for the meal and stood.

  “Guild next.”

  Kael stretched lazily. “Lead the way.”

  Report to the Guild

  The Adventurers’ Guild buzzed with activity when they entered.

  Conversations hushed slightly as Crimson Blade walked in.

  Word of the explosion had already spread.

  Kaito didn’t stop to explain to everyone.

  He went straight upstairs.

  Garrick, the Guild Master, was standing by the window when they entered his office.

  He turned slowly.

  “I was expecting you.”

  His sharp eyes scanned them.

  “You’re alive. That’s good.”

  Renna leaned against the wall casually. “Barely.”

  Garrick’s gaze shifted to Kael.

  “And who might this be?”

  Kaito closed the door behind them.

  “It’s a long story.”

  For the next half hour, Kaito recounted everything—the Orc King’s battle, the meteor, the Inferno Chimera’s arrival, and finally the transformation.

  Garrick remained silent throughout.

  Only his expression shifted subtly as details unfolded.

  When Kaito finished, the room fell quiet.

  “You’re telling me,” Garrick said slowly, “that an S-rank Inferno Chimera killed the Orc King… and chose not to attack the town.”

  “Yes.”

  “And that he is now—”

  Kael interrupted, leaning forward with mild irritation. “Kael.”

  Garrick raised an eyebrow.

  “Kael,” he corrected. “—is now traveling with you?”

  Kael nodded once.

  “I have no interest in destroying your town.”

  Garrick studied him carefully.

  “I’ve heard of rare high-rank monsters capable of speech. But this…”

  He exhaled slowly.

  “Well. If what you say is true, then this region just gained a hidden guardian.”

  He walked to his desk and opened a ledger.

  “Regardless, your handling of the Orc King threat, coordination with allied parties, and intelligence report on the mountain is worthy of commendation.”

  Serena blinked. “Commendation?”

  Garrick closed the book with a firm nod.

  “Effective immediately, Kaito and Serena are promoted to B-rank.”

  Serena’s eyes widened.

  “B-rank?”

  Renna clapped once. “About time.”

  Kaito nodded respectfully. “Thank you.”

  Garrick’s gaze hardened slightly.

  “But remember. Rank brings responsibility. The higher you climb, the heavier the burden.”

  “I understand.”

  They exited the office and returned downstairs to the reception area.

  Sofia greeted them with her usual bright smile.

  “So? How did it go?”

  “We’re B-rank now,” Serena said softly.

  Sofia gasped. “Already? That’s amazing!”

  She reached beneath the counter and placed a heavy pouch on the table.

  “Here is the official reward for the Orc King suppression and regional protection assistance.”

  Kaito lifted the pouch.

  It was heavy.

  He opened it slightly.

  Gold coins gleamed inside.

  “Fifty gold coins?” he muttered in disbelief.

  Serena stared. “Fifty…?”

  Sofia nodded proudly. “Yes. The guild council approved it immediately. Considering the scale of the threat, it’s justified.”

  Renna nudged Kaito’s shoulder. “Take it. That’s part of our journey.”

  Kaito bowed his head slightly. “Thank you, Sofia.”

  She smiled warmly.

  “Where’s the little one?”

  Kael was nowhere in sight.

  Sofia pointed toward the lounge area.

  “He fell asleep on the couch.”

  Serena blinked. “Again?”

  They walked over.

  There he was.

  Curled up peacefully on the guild’s leather sofa.

  Renna shook her head. “He really does sleep whenever he feels like it.”

  Kaito chuckled softly. “Back on the mountain, he was asleep when we first saw him too.”

  Serena crossed her arms thoughtfully. “Maybe conserving energy.”

  Kaito turned back to Sofia.

  “May we use the living room for a bit?”

  “Of course.”

  They sat around the small wooden table while Kael slept nearby.

  Kaito unfolded a regional map.

  “Our objective hasn’t changed,” he said quietly. “Grainford.”

  Renna’s eyes lit up. “Finally.”

  Serena traced the route with her finger. “Two days’ travel if we move efficiently.”

  “We’ll leave in two days,” Kaito decided. “Tomorrow we prepare—supplies, travel gear, maybe upgrade equipment.”

  Renna stretched lazily. “Yee. Finally we can move forward.”

  Serena smiled. “It feels like we’ve been here forever.”

  Kaito nodded slightly.

  “This town gave us our start. But we can’t stay.”

  They finalized their plan and stood.

  Kael stirred slightly but didn’t wake.

  Kaito carefully lifted him again.

  “Back to the inn.”

  The familiar warmth of the inn greeted them as they stepped inside.

  Ririna looked up from behind the counter.

  When she saw them, her face brightened instantly.

  “You’re back!”

  Kaito smiled. “We are.”

  She noticed Kael sleeping on his back.

  “And who is this?”

  Renna grinned mischievously. “Our new party member.”

  Ririna blinked. “He’s adorable.”

  Kael mumbled something incoherent in his sleep.

  Kaito stepped closer to the counter.

  “We’ll be leaving in two days.”

  The words landed softly.

  Ririna’s smile faltered.

  “So soon?”

  Serena nodded gently. “Our journey continues.”

  Ririna’s eyes shimmered slightly.

  “I’ll miss all of you.”

  Kaito’s voice softened.

  “I really enjoyed my time here.”

  Renna scratched her cheek awkwardly. “Yeah… don’t get too sentimental.”

  They shared dinner together that evening—simple but warm.

  Kael woke long enough to eat before falling asleep again.

  When night came, they returned to their rooms.

  Kaito placed Kael carefully on the bed.

  The boy shifted slightly, then settled.

  Kaito sat on the edge of the bed, staring at the ceiling.

  The events of the past days replayed in his mind.

  Orc King.

  Meteor.

  Inferno Chimera.

  Transformation.

  Agreement.

  Now—

  A two-hundred-year-old S-rank monster was sleeping peacefully in his room.

  “It’s time to move on to a bigger city,” he murmured quietly.

  Kael didn’t respond.

  He was already asleep again.

  Outside, the town rested peacefully under the stars.

  Unaware that its future had just changed.

  And in two days—

  Crimson Blade would take the next step toward destiny.

  To be continued…