They all stopped to camp as night slowly swallowed the horizon. The wind grew calmer, and the crackling of firewood soon filled the quiet forest.

  Akube took a silent stroll around the perimeter, activating Observed to scan the surroundings, while Dranexx joined the others in setting up camp.

  Uto: “Hey Dranexx, mind giving me a hand with this tent top?”

  Dranexx: “Sure, man.”

  They adjusted the support poles together.

  Uto: “So… what country are you guys from anyway?”

  Dranexx paused for half a second.

  Dranexx: “Oh, we came from a far deserted village called Jugelia.”

  (Oh man… I just made that up.) he thought calmly.

  Uto froze.

  Uto: “Jugelia…?! I’ve heard of that village before! It’s some kind of legendary Westland where high-level monsters like Blood Ogres are executed for rituals. They say the people there are extremely skilled.”

  Dranexx blinked.

  (Wait… it’s real? That was just a made-up name… I can’t believe there’s actually a place like that.)

  Soza: “Wooo, hold up! You two are from that village?”

  He looked visibly terrified.

  Uto: “I knew you guys were something special… but I never imagined you were from that deadly land. What are you even doing out here?”

  Dranexx forced a relaxed smile.

  Dranexx: “Oh, we just wanted to explore the outside world. Jugelia is… well, a desert paradise. Nothing much to do there except high-level training ing and monster hunting. We figured it was time for a change.”

  Uto: “I see… I can’t even imagine how strong you must be. Anyone from there could probably take on ten no, twenty Orgs alone without breaking a sweat.”

  Dranexx: “You think so?”

  Uto: “Of course! Blood Ogres are S-Rank monsters, and you guys execute them for fun. That’s insane.”

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  Idanru: “Just thinking about it gives me chills…”

  The fire crackled louder.

  Uto: “So what do you plan to do when we reach the city? You could join the Adventurers’ Guild, Merchant Guild, Mercenary Guild, Assassin Guild… If I had to recommend something, the Mercenary Guild would fit you perfectly.”

  Dranexx: “The Adventurers’ Guild suits me better. I’m here to explore, not fight for old geezers.”

  Amanda leaned forward slightly, cheeks flushed from drink.

  Amanda: “Hmm… confident and perceptive. I like that.”

  Dranexx: “Thank you.”

  She smirked lazily.

  Amanda: “If you’re gentle… I might even let you spend the night with me.”

  Uto: “Huh?! What are you saying? Oh no… she’s drunk. Please pardon her.”

  Dranexx grinned.

  Dranexx: “No problem… though I might take her up on that offer.”

  Uto: “You’re kidding, right?!”

  Dranexx: “Relax. But older women do have more experience… according to old logic.”

  Laughter erupted around the campfire.

  Soza: “Wait… how old are you anyway?”

  Dranexx: “Old enough to do whatever I want.”

  Uto: “Jeez, you’ve got some nerve. Well, what do I expect from a Jugelia citizen?”

  Everyone laughed again.

  Meanwhile, a short distance away, Akube lay on his back, staring at the star-filled sky.

  Footsteps approached.

  Dranexx: “Figured I’d find you here.”

  Akube: “Hey, bro.”

  Dranexx: “What’re you thinking about? Some scheme to destroy a Grandmaster?”

  Akube scoffed.

  Akube: “Woo, man, that’s too far. What grudge do you even have against the Grandmasters?”

  Dranexx’s expression hardened slightly.

  Dranexx: “Not all of them. Just… specific ones. For starters, yours. She’s too proud. It pisses me off. And the Grandmaster of Truth… and the Grandmaster of Faith. I want to see how far I can go against them.”

  Akube turned his head toward him.

  Akube: “You’re strong. I know that. But you saw it yourself they’re on a completely different level.”

  Silence lingered.

  Then Akube spoke again.

  Akube: “Dranexx… do you believe there are other universes out there?”

  Dranexx looked up at the stars.

  Dranexx: “I do. The Heavenly Palace alone proves it. That realm feels like an entirely separate universe different timelines, different laws. There’s no way one universe could contain nineteen Grandmasters at once. We’ve already seen that a single Grandmaster can threaten an entire universe.”

  Akube nodded slowly.

  Akube: “So you believe in multiple timelines… parallel universes?”

  Dranexx: “That’s exactly why I need to grow stronger. I want to see it all myself. You’ve read those Japanese novels, right? Look at how their cosmology is structured layered worlds, higher realms, outer gods. I have this feeling… our world is structured on an even larger scale.”

  His gaze sharpened.

  Dranexx: “And something deadly is waiting for us in the future.”

  Akube exhaled.

  Akube: “Maybe. But right now… we survive the present.”

  A quiet breeze passed.

  Then—

  A whisper.

  “I… am… waiting…”

  Dranexx stiffened.

  (That voice again… This makes it the second time now.)

  His eyes narrowed into the darkness beyond the skys.

  Something or someone is watching