The training grounds were quiet, with only the sound of Kazuha’s heavy breathing filling the air. She lay on the ground, exhausted from an intense training session. Sweat glistened on her skin, sliding down her forehead under the moonlight—silent proof of her effort. Beside her stood Arnato, silent, watching her with sharp eyes filled with both pride and caution.

  In a quiet voice laced with satisfaction, Arnato said, "You’ve gotten much better at controlling it. Just a bit more."

  Despite her fatigue, Kazuha smiled. She felt deeply satisfied to hear such words from her teacher—words rarely spoken. She looked up at the sky, trying to steady her breath, and said in a weak but excited voice, "I wonder… what I’ll be capable of in the next stage."

  Arnato stood quietly for a moment, taking in the scene. Then he stepped closer and extended his hand to her, gently helping her to her feet.

  "The next stage will require more focus and strength. Don’t rush the results. There could be serious consequences."

  Kazuha stood slowly, taking a deep breath as she held Arnato’s hand. "I’ll be ready, no matter the challenges."

  Arnato nodded and added gently, "Your potential is immense, but even a tiny bit of it could become catastrophic if you lose control. Be sure never to exceed your limits."

  The two stood in silence for a while. Kazuha looked at her mentor. She knew him well. He was distracted—something that rarely happened. He was usually calm and in control.

  "You’re still thinking about that girl, aren’t you?" Kazuha asked.

  Arnato didn’t answer right away. After a moment of silence, he said, "Yes."

  "But I didn’t sense anything from her," Kazuha replied hesitantly. "She’s just an ordinary girl."

  Arnato said, "I saw her spirit when she entered the shop. That girl…"

  Suddenly, Sai appeared with Vian, interrupting the conversation without warning.

  "Arnato, Kazuha. We have a mission."

  Arnato turned to him. "What is it?"

  Vian answered, "The mage. He’s been found."

  Arnato told Kazuha, "You shouldn’t come with us now. Go home and rest."

  Kazuha objected, "No way. I can help. Don’t worry, I’m not reckless. I know my limits."

  Sai said, "We’ll need Kazuha. The mage is strong. Now, let’s go."

  Arnato sighed. He knew that no matter what he said, nothing would change.

  And so, they headed toward the mage’s location.

  **The Following Day**

  The mage was restrained, breathing heavily, surrounded by the four adventurers and Haru. The room they placed him in was underground within the guild—an interrogation chamber with cold stone walls, dimly lit by flickering torches. The air was suffocating, and the faint scent of dampness only heightened the sense of unease.

  Haru stood near the mage, his expression grim, yet his cold eyes reflected an unshakable calm. He began the interrogation, while the others observed in heavy silence.

  Once the questioning ended, Haru turned to the group. He spoke in a quiet voice, yet it carried the weight of truth:

  "That mage… has nothing to do with the Silverine squad’s deaths. He doesn’t know any swordsman. He’s been working alone."

  Kazuha, standing beside Arnato, sighed and said, "I believe him. We had a hard time taking him down—it took all of Master Arnato’s magic arrows to subdue him. But despite his immense power, it’s not enough to wipe out an entire squad alone."

  Haru replied, "I feared this would happen. News about the assassination guild has been spreading over the past few weeks."

  Sai asked, "You mean the new member who joined them?"

  Haru nodded. "Exactly. Looks like you’ve heard."

  Sai said, "Yeah, the one who infiltrated a noble’s estate and killed him along with every single guard."

  Vian added, "So? Do you think he’s targeting monster hunting parties?"

  Haru answered, "There’s no solid evidence so far. But don’t let your guard down. Always be ready."

  Kazuha said, "A coward like him doesn’t scare me. In fact, I hope he shows up… I’ll show him a nightmare he couldn’t even imagine."

  Vian replied, "Don’t be so reckless, Kazuha. He might finish you before you even summon a spell."

  Haru said, "That’s enough. You’re all dismissed."

  The four left the interrogation chamber. The heavy metal door closed behind them with a loud clang, and the air became lighter after the tense moments inside. They made their way toward the guild’s main hall.

  The usual noise filled the hall, a sign of daily life at the guild, with adventurers moving between the request board and the busy receptionists assigning missions and recording results.

  At that moment, as the four were heading toward the exit, Mirai and Hikari entered through the main doors.

  As soon as Arnato’s eyes met Mirai’s, he stopped in his tracks, as if something unsettling had caught his attention. There was something mysterious about her—something that didn’t sit right. He didn’t speak, but his gaze alone made it clear he felt something unnatural about her.

  "What’s wrong, Arnato?" Sai asked.

  Arnato resumed walking and said, "Let’s talk outside."

  The four exited the guild, while Mirai and Hikari stood in front of the request board. The board was covered with various missions—from monster hunts to herb gathering.

  At first, Mirai didn’t find anything interesting. But soon, her eyes were drawn to an A-rank mission: subduing a gang, with a strict condition that some members must be brought back alive.

  "We’ll take this," she said with calm confidence.

  Hikari looked over the mission details again and said hesitantly, "Hold on, we need an A-rank adventurer. You’re ranked B, and I’m F. They won’t approve it. Plus, it’s just the two of us."

  "Don’t worry," Mirai replied with a mysterious smile. "I was promoted to a higher rank before leaving Silverine."

  Hikari looked surprised. "Really? Well, in that case, no problem. But this looks dangerous—the details say one of the bandits is a powerful mage."

  "Don’t worry. I’ll handle it," Mirai said confidently as she walked up to the receptionist. She placed the mission slip on the counter and presented her new rank pendant.

  The receptionist checked the pendant and, after confirming it, said, "Alright. The mission is approved."

  Afterward, the two left the guild. Hikari studied the mission paper and said, "According to this, the gang is holed up somewhere in the southern forest. If we go on foot, we’ll reach it around eleven at night."

  Mirai replied, indifferent, "They might be more alert at night—but it doesn’t matter. We’ll finish the job quickly."

  Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

  Hikari said with concern, "You do mean we’re capturing them, right? One of the conditions is to bring some of them back alive."

  Mirai answered coldly, "Some will die. The rest will surrender."

  Hikari gave a faint smile. "You make it sound so simple. I hope everything goes smoothly."

  **In the Southern Forest**

  Darkness engulfed the forest. Tall trees surrounded them on all sides. The dim stars above provided the only light. Mirai led the way with steady steps, while Hikari glanced around nervously. A long time passed as they walked in heavy silence.

  "Wait," Hikari said suddenly, pointing to the ground.

  "What is it?" Mirai asked.

  Hikari answered cautiously, "Look at the footprints. They’re ours."

  Mirai examined them and said with focus, "Looks like we’ve passed through here before."

  "We’re walking in circles," Hikari said, his worry growing. "I think the mage set up an illusion barrier. We’ll need a higher-ranked mage to dispel it. I doubt an average one could handle this type of magic."

  Mirai looked around and said, "Wait."

  She slowly drew her original sword. Closing her eyes, she took a deep breath and focused her energy into the blade. She swung it in every direction, and the air around her seemed to crack.

  Without warning, something invisible shattered around them.

  "The barrier’s gone!" Hikari said in astonishment. "What did you just do?"

  Mirai, showing a hint of fatigue, replied, "Let’s move."

  She returned the sword to its place and continued forward with firm steps.

  Hikari understood Mirai was hiding something—but she didn’t want to talk about it. He chose not to press her and simply followed her in silence.

  The moment the barrier broke, the mage who had cast it sensed it immediately. He quickly alerted all the gang members to be on high alert.

  The bandits took their positions. As Hikari and Mirai advanced cautiously, their footsteps echoed faintly among the dense trees. Darkness loomed around them, and each step felt heavier than the last. Hikari followed closely behind Mirai, the tension thick in the air.

  Suddenly, a faint light appeared among the trees ahead, and figures began moving toward them.

  The gang had positioned themselves cleverly, using the darkness and forest cover to their advantage. The mage, standing at the front, gripped his staff tightly, his eyes glowing with confidence.

  He pointed his staff at them and unleashed a wind-based attack. The air turned into razor-sharp blades that sliced through trees and struck the ground around them. Hikari, standing behind Mirai, watched anxiously. Despite his fear, he trusted her combat skills.

  Using only her standard sword, Mirai deflected the wind blades with precise and swift movements, one after the other.

  As the mage moved, the gang members launched their assault as well. But Mirai, with her speed and agility, danced around Hikari gracefully, protecting him and countering every strike.

  All at once, the gang attacked from every direction.

  Mirai dropped her regular sword and drew her original one. Suddenly, she vanished from sight, moving so fast she seemed to become part of the wind itself. In a blink, she descended upon each member of the gang. Her movements were precise and fluid, and her sword flashed like lightning—only its gleam was visible.

  In mere seconds, everyone who had tried to approach Hikari lay defeated on the ground, without a hope of rising again.

  The mage was terrified by the sight, suddenly realizing he was alone. His heart pounded violently as he stumbled backward. Mirai turned toward him and began walking slowly and steadily in his direction.

  He raised his staff and fired a barrage of magical attacks. Glowing lines traced the air as spells launched directly at her. They struck, but Mirai remained unfazed. No pain. Not even a flinch.

  She vanished. A flash—then she was behind him, as if she had slipped through the fabric of time itself. With one swift strike to the back of his neck, the mage collapsed, unconscious, unable to resist.

  Silence fell over the forest. For a brief moment, it was as if the entire woodland held its breath.

  Mirai returned her original sword to its place and looked toward Hikari as he approached her.

  "I killed the others, but I left the mage alive. He looked like the leader. The guild won’t object, right?" she said seriously.

  Hikari thought for a moment, then replied, "If he’s truly the leader, they won’t."

  Mirai nodded. "Good. Let’s take him back to the guild."

  "Wait," Hikari said. He opened his bag and pulled out a rope. Approaching the mage, he tied him securely.

  "Even if he wakes up, he won’t be able to do anything. This rope can seal magic."

  "Really?" Mirai said, sounding mildly surprised. "You really are prepared for everything."

  Hikari smiled lightly. "Not always. This rope isn’t that special. Royal knights have much better restraints for sealing magic."

  As they talked, Hikari noticed something unusual among the trees in the distance. His expression tensed as he narrowed his eyes, trying to confirm what he was seeing. Something didn’t feel right.

  Mirai, noticing his focused gaze, asked, "What is it...?"

  In that instant, Hikari caught a glimpse of a glowing white light streaking toward them from behind.

  "Watch out!" he shouted.

  Mirai turned, but it was too late.

  Hikari threw himself forward, shoving her aside.

  The magical arrow slammed into his shoulder, and he dropped to the ground.

  Mirai turned sharply toward the direction it had come from. She saw a figure approaching with a magical bow, followed by three others emerging from different directions.

  To make things worse, a large pack of monsters was advancing from all sides. But Mirai didn’t care about them—she turned to check on Hikari.

  Hikari, now on the ground, stood up slowly in confusion. There was no sign of injury. "That’s strange… I’m sure the arrow hit me, but nothing happened."

  Relieved to see he was unharmed, Mirai turned toward the archer and said quietly, "I’ll handle this. Stay where you are."

  Her voice was calm, but her eyes burned with rising fury.

  "Wait a minute," Hikari said quickly. He turned to the four figures and focused on one of them.

  "Excuse me… aren’t you Sai? The leader of the monster hunting squad from Antel?"

  Sai stepped forward and answered calmly, "That’s right."

  Hikari asked, puzzled, "Why did you attack us? I don’t think we’ve done anything wrong."

  Arnato stepped up, holding his magical bow. He pointed it at Mirai and said coldly, "I was going to erase you without questions—but now, you’ll answer me. Where exactly are you from?"

  Mirai stared at him sharply, ready for combat. Hikari realized things were about to escalate, and thought quickly.

  "This is bad. All of them are S-rank. Mirai can’t take them alone."

  Without hesitation, he stepped in front of her, shielding her with his body.

  He met Arnato’s gaze and said calmly, "We’re from the village of Elyria." His tone was firm, his posture unshaken—even with the weapon still aimed at them.

  Arnato replied harshly, "I didn’t ask you. Step away from the girl."

  Hikari stood his ground and responded with more resolve, "I won’t. Guild law forbids attacking another adventurer without cause. You’ll face punishment for this—rank S or not."

  Kazuha smirked and said threateningly, "See all those monsters around you? I’ll let them devour your corpses until not a trace remains."

  Sai stepped forward again, his tone calmer. "We came based on suspicion. Our comrade attacked without orders. We only meant to investigate. I apologize for the misunderstanding."

  Hikari felt some relief, but Sai continued firmly, "Still, we won’t leave until we confirm the truth behind our doubts."

  He added, "The arrow my elven companion used? It came from an artifact called the Bow of Light—created specifically to slay demons. We suspect the girl behind you is a deadly demon."

  Hikari responded with a calm smile, "That’s nonsense. One of you can sense magic, right? Mirai was born without any magical power. And you know what that means."

  Sai said, "Then let us fire the arrow at her. If you’re telling the truth, she won’t be harmed."

  Mirai stepped forward, placing herself in front of Hikari, her hand still inside her left sleeve. She spoke quietly and confidently, "If that will settle things, then go ahead. Your comrade may fire."

  Sai nodded. "Very well. I apologize for this."

  Then he turned to Arnato and said, "Do it."

  Arnato fired, saying, "This will reveal your true form."

  Mirai didn’t move. The arrow struck her directly in the forehead—only to vanish the moment it touched her.

  Vian said, "Looks like you were wrong, Arnato."

  Arnato, now slightly shaken, replied, "Something’s not right. I’m sure of it. I’ll fire another."

  But Sai stepped forward angrily, blocking him. "Enough. You accused her without proof. She has no magical power, and your artifact arrow had no effect. That means she isn’t a demon. You’ve wasted our time."

  Arnato tried to defend himself, "Believe me, Sai. That girl isn’t human. You saw her power. She destroyed the barrier and wiped out the gang in seconds. She wears an A-rank pendant, but her strength far exceeds that. I’m certain she’s hiding her true power."

  He added in a lower voice, his eyes filled with unease, "I saw her spirit. It’s worse than any demon lord. I’ve never seen a soul so black."

  Kazuha shifted uneasily. "Wait… maybe we shouldn’t fight. And… Arnato might be right. How could she do all that without magic? No one fights like that without it."

  Hikari interrupted, raising his voice, slightly flustered, "Excuse me!"

  Everyone turned toward him, including Mirai.

  He explained, "Actually, the sword Mirai uses is an artifact. When she wields it, it enhances her strength and speed."

  Arnato shouted, "That’s ridiculous! No artifact does that."

  Hikari replied more calmly, "Actually, yes. Surely you’ve heard of the swordsman Seijiro. He was born without magical powers, yet possessed a similar sword. Artifact swords are among the rarest in the world—there are only a handful."

  Vian paused, thinking about the name. "He’s right. Seijiro was one of the most famous swordsmen in history. Ranked among the world’s top five despite having no magical power."

  Sai nodded firmly and said to his team, "Return to the city. No further objections."

  The group began heading back toward Antel, though Arnato looked deeply unsettled.

  Sai approached Mirai and Hikari, offering a sincere apology. "I’m sorry again for what happened. I’ll make sure you’re compensated."

  Hikari quickly replied, trying to ease the tension, "No need. No harm done in the end."

  Sai repeated his apology, then turned and walked away. "Take care."

  Once the group and their beasts disappeared from view, Mirai took a deep breath and whispered to herself, "If Hikari hadn’t pushed me out of the way, I wouldn’t be standing now. Lucky for me, I unsheathed my original sword just a few millimeters before that second arrow hit."

  "Mirai, are you okay?" Hikari asked, genuine concern in his voice.

  She looked at him with a grateful smile and said softly, "Thank you… I truly appreciate what you did."

  Hikari smiled back, "It was nothing worth mentioning."

  Mirai approached the unconscious mage and slung him over her shoulder.

  "Let’s head back."

  Without another word, they began walking back toward the city, their mission complete.

  But in the shadows behind them… not everything had settled.

  And in Mirai’s eyes, a quiet, murderous fire still burned.

  (To be continued in Chapter 7: Bahamut)