Currently inside a tavern, I watch Varis eat. His appearance has changed—a lot.

  His once greenish skin? Practically gone, replaced with a dull, ashen tone. His features have sharpened, his muscles more defined. And his hair... He has hair now.

  At first, it was barely noticeable, just thin strands sprouting from his scalp. But now? It’s grown out enough to be unkempt, messy. Almost like a wild human’s.

  I lean forward, resting my chin on my hand. "You’re starting to look... different."

  Varis stops mid-bite, looking at me with narrowed eyes. "Different how?"

  I gesture vaguely at him. "Like... less goblin-y."

  He frowns, glancing down at his hands, then at his reflection in the metal surface of his knife. A strange expression crosses his face. "Huh."

  I raise an eyebrow. "Huh? That’s all you’ve got to say?"

  He shrugs and takes another bite of his food. "As long as I get stronger, I don’t really care."

  I exhale, shaking my head. "Right. Of course you don’t."

  Still, this is weird. Goblins don’t just... evolve like this. Do they?

  Since Varis is starting to look more human, I should probably get him registered as an adventurer and find him a mask to keep up appearances. It’ll make things easier in the long run—fewer questions, fewer problems.

  I glance at him, still eating like he hasn’t been fed in days. “We’re gonna apply you as an adventurer and get you a new outfit.”

  Varis pauses, his fork hovering mid-air, before slowly lowering it. He looks at me like I just suggested something insane. “...What?”

  I smirk. “You heard me. You’re getting registered. If people start mistaking you for human, might as well take advantage of it. Plus, this way, you can take quests on your own if needed.”

  He scowls, clearly not thrilled with the idea. “And the mask?”

  “We’ll get one that covers most of your face. Maybe a hood, too. Something to make you look mysterious.” I tap my fingers against the table. “People love that kind of thing.”

  Varis exhales sharply, picking at his food. “Tch. Fine. But I’m choosing my own weapon.”

  I grin. “Fair enough. Let’s get to it, then.”

  The Adventurers' Guild was bustling with activity, just like always. The air was thick with the smell of sweat, booze, and the faint metallic scent of weapons that had seen too many battles.

  Varis and I walked in, and just like before, heads turned. Not at me, but at him.

  He was still smaller than most humans, but the changes were undeniable—his greenish skin had faded into a more human-like tan, his facial features were sharpening, and his hair had grown past his ears. If you didn’t look too closely, he could pass as just another rookie adventurer.

  At the counter, Yuna glanced up from a stack of papers, her usual unimpressed look settling onto her face. “K.”

  I gave her a lazy wave. “Yo.”

  Her eyes flicked to Varis. “And this is?”

  “My new recruit,” I said. “We’re here to get him registered.”

  She raised an eyebrow. “You sure he can handle it? He doesn’t look like much.”

  Varis tensed slightly but said nothing.

  I smirked. “Trust me, he’ll be fine.”

  Yuna sighed, reaching under the counter to pull out a registration form. “Fine. Name?”

  Varis hesitated. I leaned toward him, muttering, “You should probably come up with a full name.”

  He shot me a glare before sighing. “Varis... Varis Eldrin.”

  Yuna jotted it down. “Race?”

  Another pause.

  I quickly interjected, “Half-human.”

  Yuna raised a brow but didn’t question it. “Alright. You’ll need to take a basic assessment before getting officially ranked. Go to the training hall, and someone will test you.”

  Varis nodded, clenching his fists.

  I patted his back. “Don’t hold back too much. Show them what you’ve got.”

  He scoffed. “I wasn’t planning to.”

  I grinned. “Good. Let’s go make you an adventurer.”

  We made our way to the training hall, a large open space behind the guild where rookies got their rank evaluations and veterans sparred to keep their skills sharp. The ground was a mix of dirt and stone, worn down from years of intense combat training. A few adventurers were already in the middle of practice fights, the sound of clashing steel and bursts of magic filling the air.

  A tall, burly man with a thick beard and a massive greatsword slung over his back stood at the center. His eyes immediately locked onto us as we approached.

  “You the new recruit?” he asked, his voice like gravel.

  Varis nodded. “Yeah.”

  The man crossed his arms, giving Varis a once-over. “You don’t look like much, but I’ve been wrong before. Name’s Garrus, I’m in charge of testing newbies like you.”

  He turned to me. “And you?”

  I shrugged. “I’m just here to watch.”

  Garrus grunted. “Fine. Standard procedure—new applicants get a quick combat test. You win, you get ranked higher. You lose, well... try not to embarrass yourself.”

  Varis rolled his shoulders. “Who am I fighting?”

  Garrus cracked his neck. “Me.”

  I smirked. “Oh, this’ll be fun.”

  Varis, however, remained serious, stepping forward and taking a stance. Garrus unslung his greatsword, resting the massive blade against his shoulder.

  “You ready, kid?”

  Varis exhaled, his fingers tightening around the hilt of his blade.

  “Yeah.”

  “Then let’s begin.”

  With a sudden burst of speed, Garrus closed the gap, swinging his greatsword in a horizontal arc. The air howled from the sheer force of the attack.

  Varis ducked low, his movements precise, avoiding the swing by mere inches. In the same motion, he countered, slashing upward at Garrus’s exposed side.

  A metallic clang rang out—Garrus had blocked with the flat of his blade. He grinned. “Not bad.”

  Then, without warning, he drove his knee straight into Varis’s gut.

  The impact sent Varis skidding backward, coughing from the blow.

  Garrus didn’t let up. He lunged forward, bringing his greatsword down in a crushing overhead strike.

  Varis’s eyes flashed, his instincts kicking in. At the last moment, he sidestepped, narrowly avoiding the attack as the ground cracked where the blade struck.

  I leaned against the fence, watching closely. He’s holding back... He’s still unsure of how much power he actually has.

  “Come on, kid!” Garrus barked. “You got speed, but that won’t win you a fight. Hit me like you mean it!”

  Varis clenched his jaw. Then, something changed.

  His breathing steadied. His stance lowered.

  I recognized that look—it was the same one he had back in the mire.

  Garrus moved to attack again, but this time, Varis moved first.

  In an instant, he closed the distance, faster than before. His blade became a blur as he struck, aiming for the exposed gaps in Garrus’s stance.

  CLANG!

  Garrus barely managed to block, his expression shifting from amusement to focus.

  Varis didn’t stop. He weaved through Garrus’s defenses like a predator, striking with calculated precision. Each hit forced Garrus back, step by step.

  Then, Varis feinted left—only to suddenly switch, kicking Garrus’s leg out from under him.

  For the first time, the veteran stumbled.

  The surrounding adventurers murmured in surprise.

  Garrus, now on one knee, looked up at Varis and grinned. “Now that’s more like it.”

  But before he could continue, he raised a hand. “Alright, I’ve seen enough.”

  Varis hesitated. “What? But we’re not done—”

  Garrus chuckled. “Kid, if we keep going, I might actually have to try.” He stood up, dusting himself off. “I’ll be honest, you’re better than half the rookies that come through here. You’ve got the skills, but more importantly, you’ve got instincts.”

  He turned to me. “Where’d you find this one?”

  I smirked. “Let’s just say he’s got a unique upbringing.”

  Garrus shook his head, clearly intrigued. “Well, whatever the case, he’s earned it.” He turned back to Varis. “I’m ranking you at D-rank for now. Any objections?”

  Varis blinked, then shook his head. “No. That’s fine.”

  “Good. Welcome to the Adventurers’ Guild.”

  The crowd of onlookers clapped as Varis sheathed his sword. He walked back toward me, his expression unreadable.

  I patted his shoulder. “Not bad.”

  He exhaled. “I could’ve done better.”

  I grinned. “That’s the spirit. Now, let’s get you some gear. You need to look the part, after all.”

  Varis scoffed. “As long as it’s not something flashy.”

  I chuckled. “No promises.”

  With that, we headed back inside, ready to move on to the next step.

  Inside the guild, the usual bustling noise of adventurers filled the air—boisterous laughter, the clinking of mugs, and the occasional argument over rewards. We made our way toward the equipment counter, where an older dwarf sat behind the desk, meticulously polishing a dagger.

  He looked up as we approached, eyes narrowing at Varis. “New recruit, eh?”

  Varis nodded.

  The dwarf set the dagger aside, cracking his knuckles. “Alright, let’s see what we’re working with.” He eyed Varis up and down before stroking his beard. “You need armor, don’t you?”

  If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.

  “Preferably something light,” Varis said. “I don’t want to be weighed down.”

  The dwarf grunted. “Good call. Too many greenhorns slap on a full set of plate and wonder why they can’t dodge a damn arrow.” He turned and rummaged through a few crates behind the counter before pulling out a set of reinforced leather armor. “This should do. Sturdy, flexible, and won’t slow you down.”

  Varis picked up the chest piece, running his fingers over the material. It was high-quality, much better than the rags he’d been wearing.

  “What about a mask?” I asked.

  The dwarf raised an eyebrow. “You some kind of wanted man, lad?”

  I laughed. “Not yet. Just a preference.”

  The dwarf shrugged before pulling out a small wooden box. Inside were several masks, each with different designs. Varis scanned them before picking up a simple black one with a faint silver pattern running across the surface. It wasn’t flashy, but it had an eerie presence.

  “This one,” he said.

  The dwarf nodded. “A fine choice.”

  After paying for the equipment, we stepped out of the guild and into the streets. Varis adjusted his new gear, rolling his shoulders to test the fit.

  I smirked. “Now you actually look like an adventurer.”

  Varis exhaled. “Feels strange.”

  “You’ll get used to it.” I patted his back. “Now, let’s find a job that’ll push you even further.”

  "Something that can make you skip a few ranks—and maybe me too. I haven't gotten past B-rank for a while now," I added, scanning the quest board.

  As I glanced at Varis, I couldn’t help but notice how short he still was. Even with all his progress, he barely reached my chest.

  "Maybe if you eat a giraffe, you'll grow taller," I said with a smirk.

  Varis frowned. "What's that?"

  I paused. Right, this world probably didn’t have giraffes.

  "It’s like… a really tall animal with an insanely long neck,” I explained, holding my hand up high for emphasis. “If you eat one, you’ll probably grow a few feet overnight.”

  He squinted at me, clearly skeptical. “That sounds made up.”

  I chuckled. “Maybe.”

  Varis shook his head, deciding not to question it any further. Meanwhile, my eyes landed on a particular quest.

  "Wyvern Subjugation—B-Rank Required."

  I felt a grin creep onto my face beneath my mask.

  "A wyvern?" Varis read the request aloud.

  "Yep," I confirmed.

  He let out a slow exhale. "If I eat that… will I finally get wings?"

  “…Maybe.”

  ...

  "Hmm, there's a lot of them. More than usual," I muttered, scanning the sky as several wyverns circled in the distance. Their massive wings cut through the air, creating powerful gusts that rustled the trees below.

  I glanced at Varis, who was staring up at them with an unreadable expression. "Which one do you want to kill? We only need one."

  He crossed his arms, his gaze flicking between them. "The biggest one."

  I smirked. "Ambitious. I like it."

  Varis unsheathed his sword, tightening his grip. "If I’m gonna do this, I might as well go all in, right?"

  "Now you're thinking like a real adventurer." I readied my bow, activating [Weapon Transfiguration] just in case. "Alright then, let's make this quick."

  It barely even took Varis any effort—just like the time I killed one. Watching him take it down so easily made me realize something: eating demons had completely changed my perspective on what was considered strong.

  As Varis crouched beside the wyvern’s corpse, ready to take a bite, I grabbed his shoulder. "Hold on," I said. "Make sure to keep the head. That’s the most important part—we need to bring it back to the guild as proof."

  He clicked his tongue but nodded. "Fine."

  "Good. Now eat up, monster." I smirked as he dug in.

  As Varis tore into the wyvern’s flesh, I leaned against a nearby rock, arms crossed, watching carefully. The way he devoured his kills was unsettling at first, but by now, I was used to it. More than that—it was working. Every time he ate, he got stronger.

  After a few minutes, he stood up, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. His breathing was steady, but there was something different about him. His muscles tensed as if his body was still adjusting to the new power coursing through him.

  I called up my UI. "Let's see what you got this time."

  His stats had jumped again. Increased strength, agility… and—

  I blinked. "You got wings?"

  Varis frowned. "Huh?"

  As if responding to my words, black, leathery wings sprouted from his back, tearing through his cloak. He twisted his body, trying to look over his shoulder.

  "Well, that’s new."

  I smirked. "I think we just found a way to make you skip a few ranks."

  As I watched Varis hover above the ground, flapping his new wings with surprising control, a thought crept into my mind.

  He's definitely stronger than me now.

  I clicked my tongue. This whole time, I had been focused on making Varis stronger, but if I kept slacking on my own growth, he might actually surpass me. That wasn't going to happen.

  I clenched my fists. "Alright, enough showing off. Let’s head back to the guild and cash this in. After that, it's my turn to power up."

  Varis landed with a heavy thud, his wings folding neatly against his back. He looked down at his hands, flexing his fingers as if still getting used to his own strength.

  "You're acting like a kid with a new toy," I smirked.

  He shot me a glance but didn’t argue. Instead, he lifted the wyvern’s severed head onto his shoulder like it was nothing. I remember struggling to carry one back when I first fought a wyvern, and now here he was, carrying it like a sack of flour.

  We made our way back to the guild, drawing plenty of stares along the way. Some adventurers whispered among themselves, others openly gawked at the massive wyvern head. I ignored them. Let them talk.

  Yuna stood behind the counter, already rubbing her temples before we even got to her.

  "You again..." she sighed. "I swear, every time you show up, you bring something ridiculous."

  I dropped the quest paper on the counter. "Wyvern subjugation, complete."

  Varis followed up by tossing the head onto the counter with a loud THUD. The entire guild fell silent.

  Yuna stared at it, then back at us. "...You were only supposed to bring proof of subjugation, not the whole thing."

  "Consider it a bonus," I said with a grin.

  She sighed again, muttering something about headaches and paperwork before getting to work.

  I crossed my arms. "So, how many ranks do we skip for this?"

  Yuna let out a long, tired sigh as she shuffled through the paperwork. "Well, for you, Kelvin, you're still stuck at B-rank," she said, giving me an exasperated look before turning to Varis. "And as for you, Sir Varis—congratulations, you've officially been promoted to B-rank as well."

  She placed two stamped documents on the counter in front of us, along with a small pouch of gold as a reward for the wyvern subjugation.

  I raised an eyebrow. "Wait, still B-rank? After everything we just did?"

  Yuna pinched the bridge of her nose. "Yes, still B-rank. Killing a single wyvern isn't enough to push you to A-rank, Kelvin. You need to demonstrate consistent performance, reliability, and, I don’t know, not cause headaches for the guild?"

  I sighed, crossing my arms. "So what, are they expecting me to slay a dragon or something?"

  She scoffed. "Honestly, at this point, even that might not be enough."

  I glanced at Varis, who was inspecting his new rank with a calm expression. "What about you? How do you feel about this?"

  "B-rank means stronger prey, right?" he asked, his voice steady.

  I smirked. "That’s one way to look at it."

  Yuna rolled her eyes and shoved the gold pouch toward me. "Just don’t get yourselves killed, alright? And maybe consider taking normal quests once in a while, instead of treating every job like a personal death wish?"

  "No promises," I said, grabbing the gold as Varis and I turned to leave.

  As we stepped out of the guild, I stretched my arms. "Alright, next goal—find something even stronger to kill."

  Varis cracked his knuckles, his faint smile barely visible under his mask. "Sounds good to me."

  Just as we were about to turn to leave, a thought hit me like a brick to the face.

  "Wait a damn minute," I muttered, stopping in my tracks.

  Varis tilted his head. "What is it?"

  I slapped my forehead. "The demons! The ones we killed back in Korthyn Mire! If we had brought their bodies back as proof, we probably could've ranked up way faster!"

  Yuna, who was about to shoo us away, froze for a moment before slowly turning to glare at me. "You're telling me... that you killed demons—multiple demons—and you didn't bring back a single corpse as proof?"

  I awkwardly scratched the back of my head. "Uh... yeah."

  She let out the longest, most exhausted sigh I’d ever heard. "Kelvin. You do realize that demons are incredibly rare, right? And that proving you've killed them is one of the fastest ways to rise in the ranks?"

  "Yeah, yeah, I figured that out about five seconds ago," I admitted. "In my defense, I was kinda busy not dying at the time."

  Varis crossed his arms. "Next time, we bring proof."

  Yuna pinched the bridge of her nose. "You two are hopeless."

  I grinned. "But efficient."

  She waved us off. "Just get out of my sight before I lose the last bit of patience I have left."

  As Varis and I stepped out of the guild once again, I exhaled. "Alright, new next goal—kill something stronger and actually bring the damn body back this time."

  Varis simply nodded. "Understood."

  Wait… why did Yuna say demons were rare? If I remember correctly, Finn mentioned that they were abundant in Korthyn Mire.

  Something isn’t adding up.

  Either the guild doesn’t know about the true number of demons in that area, or there’s something—or someone—keeping that information hidden. If demons were actually rare, then why was I able to find so many in just a short time?

  I glance at Varis, who seems unfazed. Maybe he hasn’t realized the contradiction yet.

  Should I push further and ask Yuna, or should I investigate this on my own?

  Ah, shit.

  If I’m right, this part of Aurewyn is the closest to Korthyn Mire… which means—

  "I'm hungry," Varis suddenly interrupts my train of thought, his voice cutting through the storm of thoughts in my head.

  I glance at him, then look back down at the guild floor, my mind racing. Something doesn’t add up.

  Korthyn Mire is inside the Great Divide. The barrier should have kept demons trapped on their side, separated from the human territories. And yet, we fought demons there. Not just weak ones, either—things that could tear through most adventurers like paper.

  That shouldn’t be possible.

  Shit.

  Shit, shit, shit.

  I grit my teeth. This isn’t just some random coincidence. If demons are getting past the barrier, that means something is letting them through. Or someone.

  The worst part? No one in the guild seemed even remotely concerned about demon sightings. Yuna straight-up said demons were rare. If they were rare, then how the hell did we run into so many in just a few nights?

  That means the kingdom has no idea.

  Which means...

  This place is going to get attacked.

  And nobody's ready for it.

  I snap out of my thoughts as Varis pokes my cheek, barely able to reach it. His expression is a mix of confusion and mild concern.

  "Why are you thinking so hard?" he asks, tilting his head.

  I glance down at him, debating whether to tell him or not. He might not fully get the weight of what I just realized, but then again… he’s not stupid. He’s survived this long, and he's stronger than most adventurers now.

  I sigh, rubbing my temples. "Because, Varis… if I’m right, we have a big problem."

  He crosses his arms. "Bigger than you overthinking everything?"

  I flick his forehead. "Yes, bigger than that."

  Varis scowls, rubbing the spot I flicked. "Then spit it out."

  I exhale, glancing around to make sure no one’s eavesdropping before leaning in. "The demons we fought in Korthyn Mire? They shouldn’t have been there. If the Great Divide was working properly, we wouldn’t have run into a single one. But we did. And not just one or two—we fought an entire pack of them."

  Varis's eyes narrow slightly as he starts to piece it together. "So… something’s wrong with the barrier?"

  "Exactly," I say, nodding. "Either it’s breaking on its own, or someone is messing with it. And if demons are already slipping through, then it won’t be long before a full-scale invasion happens."

  Varis stays quiet for a moment, digesting the information. Then, he grins.

  "Well, that just means more things for me to eat."

  I pinch the bridge of my nose. "That’s not the point, dumbass."

  Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.

  I can't answer this alone. This is too big—way too big. I need to tell someone, but who? Who the hell do I even trust with this?

  My breathing starts to pick up, and suddenly, the world around me feels... louder.

  "—did you hear? The merchant’s caravan got raided again—"

  "—that bastard still owes me two silver, I swear to the gods—"

  "—I told you, I saw something in the woods, it had glowing red eyes, I swear—"

  "—if the crops keep failing, we won’t survive another winter—"

  "—Varis is eating way too much again, I swear he's not human—"

  "—hey, look, that masked guy's acting weird—"

  Shit. Shit. Why am I hearing everything? Why is it so loud?

  The voices crash into my skull like waves, overlapping, twisting, growing louder and louder until I can’t even tell who’s speaking. Every whisper, every murmur, every goddamn heartbeat—I can hear all of it.

  My fingers dig into my head, my nails scraping against my scalp as I try to block it all out.

  Breathe, Kelvin. Focus.

  But I can’t. My heart is hammering. My body feels stiff, heavy, like I’m sinking into the floor.

  "Kelvin?"

  Varis's voice barely cuts through the noise, but it’s enough. I look up, my vision swimming, and see him staring at me, concern flickering in his eyes.

  "Are you okay?"

  I force a breath through my teeth, nodding sharply. "Yeah. Just... give me a second."

  I press my palms against my temples, squeezing my eyes shut. I need to get my shit together. I can't break down now. Not with everything happening. Not when I just realized how fucked we are.

  But one thing is clear—this isn’t normal. Something is happening to me.

  As the overwhelming flood of voices pounds in my skull, I force my trembling fingers to navigate my UI. My breathing is ragged, my vision swimming as my heart pounds in my chest.

  [DAOZ COMPANION MODE: ON]

  A soft chime echoes in my mind. Then—silence. Blessed, absolute silence.

  A gentle, soothing voice follows, warm like a breeze on a quiet night.

  “Breathe, Kelvin. I’ve got you.”

  I exhale shakily, the pressure in my head finally loosening. “Daoz… what the hell was that?”

  “You were drowning in too much information at once,” she says softly. “Your mind was trying to process everything, but it was too much. You need to be careful.”

  I rub my temples. “So… this isn’t a skill?”

  “No, love. At least, not one you’ve unlocked before. Something inside you is awakening.”

  I freeze. “Awakening?”

  “Yes,” she hums. “And if you don’t learn to control it, it will consume you.”

  A chill runs down my spine.

  Varis pokes my cheek, barely reaching. “Why are you thinking so hard?”

  I glance at him and force a smirk. “Just trying to figure something out.”

  “Then don’t do it alone.” Daoz’s voice is gentle but firm. “I’m here, Kelvin. You don’t have to face this by yourself.”

  For the first time in a while, I actually believe that.

  But what can I do? What should I do?

  I’ve been given a second fucking chance at life—something countless people could only dream of. And yet, somewhere along the way, I lost sight of why I wanted it in the first place.

  My main goal… wasn’t this. It wasn’t fighting. It wasn’t constantly looking over my shoulder, wondering what new threat lurked in the shadows. It was supposed to be simple. To live a peaceful, carefree life. No grand ambitions. No unnecessary struggles. Just freedom.

  So how did I forget that?

  My hands curl into fists. My breathing is heavy, uneven. If the only thing standing in my way are demons, then fine—I’ll train like hell. I’ll push myself beyond my limits. I’ll carve a path through every last one of them until nothing stands between me and the life I want.

  No more distractions. No more hesitation. If this world refuses to let me live in peace, then I’ll force it to.

  I take a deep breath, steadying myself before speaking.

  "Doaz, one last thing before I turn off companion mode again… What’s the best way to level up?"

  A brief pause. Then, her voice echoes in my mind, smooth and calm.

  "While I can’t answer that directly, Kelvin, I can offer guidance."

  I sigh. Of course, restrictions.

  "The most efficient way to grow stronger depends on you. Simply defeating enemies won’t always be enough. The key is to challenge yourself—face stronger opponents, overcome greater odds, and push past your limits. True progress comes from adversity, not repetition."

  Another pause. Then, a softer tone.

  "However… recklessness will only lead to ruin. Train strategically. Adapt to your enemies. Learn from each battle. And most importantly—stay alive."

  Her words linger for a moment before the presence fades, leaving me with only my own thoughts.

  "When will they attack? How much time do I have?"

  My thoughts are spiraling, racing faster than I can keep up with.

  FUCK.

  I slap myself hard across the face, the sting snapping me back to reality. I need to focus. Panicking won’t solve anything.

  Varis tilts his head at me, his expression unreadable. "Are you okay?"

  I take a deep breath, steadying myself.

  One thing’s for sure.

  "I won’t let them take this kingdom."