Leo was lost in thought about the floating city, his mind drifting back to the movies and games he had seen in his previous life. He imagined towering spires, glowing bridges, and airships sailing between grand structures suspended in the sky. The thought filled him with both excitement and curiosity.
His daydream was suddenly shattered by a rising commotion from the crowd. The murmurs quickly turned into gasps and hushed whispers, drawing Leo's attention—along with everyone else's at the table—toward the entrance.
They turned just in time to see Ryan and Elric stepping inside.
Elric was shirtless. His muscular torso was covered in dust from battle. His confident grin showed he was unfazed by whatever had happened. Ryan, on the other hand, looked far less dramatic, his clothe only lightly scuffed.
Leo blinked and spoke without thinking. "What happened to his shirt?"
A knowing smile appeared on Henry's lips. "He always comes back like this after a tough mission. If he has a shirt when he leaves, it's a miracle if it survives."
Curious, Leo stood up, weaving his way through the bustling crowd toward them. People patted Elric on the back as he passed, some congratulating him, others shaking their heads in amusement.
Leo reached them and asked, "Is everything alright?"
Both men turned to look at him.
Elric let out a breathy chuckle. "Hah, of course it is! It was just an A-rank monster." He waved his hand dismissively before breaking into laughter.
His amusement, however, was cut short by a sharp, irritated voice.
"Hey…!"
Leo turned to see Katrine approaching swiftly, her boots clicking against the wooden floor. A human man and an elven girl trailed behind her, both carrying ledgers.
She crossed her arms and narrowed her eyes at Elric. "You tore your shirt again? How many times do I have to tell you—those shirts are made specifically for you from expensive materials! Stop ruining them!"
Her voice rose toward the end, drawing even more attention.
Elric, rather than looking guilty, simply said. "But it looks cooler this way." His tone was more like a child than a battle-hardened old warrior.
Katrine groaned. "Cooler? You're already cool enough!" She huffed, then jabbed a finger past them. "Look what happens when you walk around half-naked in the city."
Everyone turned to follow her gesture.
Across the street, a small group of young women—mostly adventurers and a few barmaids—stood gathered, whispering and giggling while stealing glances at Elric's bare torso. A few of them looked away shyly when they realized they had been noticed.
Elric scratched the back of his head. "Alright, alright…"
The surrounding adventurers burst into laughter.
As the group dispersed, Ryan and Leo made their way to the inn's dining area, where wooden tables stretched across the room. The scent of freshly baked bread and simmering stew filled the air, making Ryan's stomach growl in anticipation. They found an empty spot and sat down to order food.
While waiting, Leo leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table. "So, was the monster strong?"
Ryan shrugged. "Didn't even get a chance to fight. Elric killed it in just a few minutes."
Leo raised an eyebrow. "That fast? An A-rank monster? Just how strong is he?"
Ryan smirked, stirring his drink. "Among those who choose to be just warriors, he's the strongest. If it's a fight without magic, no one can beat him."
"The strongest warrior…" Leo murmured.
Ryan nodded. "No warrior has ever reached A5 without choosing a second path. He's the only one."
At that moment, a silver-haired elven waitress arrived, carefully balancing their plates. She set down a steaming bowl of stew in front of Leo and a platter of roasted meat and rice in front of Ryan.
Ryan wasted no time digging in. "What about you? What did you do today?"
Leo spoke while eating. "Took a mission with another group… but the intel was wrong."
Ryan scooped a spoonful of rice and meat into his mouth. "How so?"
"It was supposed to be a pack of twenty wolves. Turned out to be over forty."
Ryan raised an eyebrow but kept eating, listening intently as he continued the story.
They talked while they ate, exchanging details of their respective missions.
When they were finally finished, Ryan leaned back in his chair, patting his full stomach with a satisfied sigh. "Missions like that happen all the time."
"What are we going to do next?" Leo asked.
Ryan picked up his mug of beer and took a long gulp before answering. "We head to the next teleport tower, then use it to jump to the next one. After that, we'll have to walk for a while until we reach the next small village."
Leo frowned. "Why can't we just teleport straight there?"
Ryan set his glass down and leaned back. "There's a massive desert between the two towers. It's uninhabited, so the distance between this tower and the one near the capital is too far for a single teleport. On top of that, the natural disturbances in that area mess with teleportation. If you try to go straight through, you could end up somewhere completely different. That's why we need to reach the next city in the south first, then travel north from there."
Leo sighed. "Sounds like a hassle."
Ryan smirked. "That's just how it is. Now, go get ready and say your goodbyes—we leave in an hour."
Leo tilted his head. "Aren't you tired?"
Ryan shrugged. "Just hungry." He casually took another sip of his beer.
Leo nodded and left the inn.
He headed straight to his room, quickly gathering his belongings before making his way back to the main hall. Scanning the room, his eyes landed on Henry, who stood near the mission board, scanning the posted requests.
"Henry."
Henry turned at the call. "Hey, what's up?"
"I'm leaving in an hour. Just wanted to say goodbye."
Henry raised an eyebrow. "So soon? I was hoping to take on another mission with you." He extended a hand.
Leo shook it firmly. "Maybe next time. Where can I find Betty and Emily?"
"I think they went to take a shower."
Leo sighed. "Can you say goodbye to them for me?"
Henry smiled. "Sure thing."
Just then, a familiar voice spoke from behind him.
"Leo, Mr. Law is waiting for you in the president's office."
He turned to see Katrine standing there, arms crossed.
"President?" Leo asked.
"Mr. Elric. We call him that too."
Leo nodded and made his way toward Elric's office.
When he reached the door, he knocked before stepping inside.
He barely managed to resist the urge to say, "Mr. President."
Before Leo could say anything, Ryan stood up. "Then we're leaving now."
Elric nodded and stood as well. They shook hands, and then he turned to Leo.
"Remember, you always have a place here. Don't forget to visit us." He raised his hand.
Leo shook it firmly. "Thank you."
Together with Ryan, Leo made his way to the main hall, where they bid farewell to familiar faces before heading toward the other entrance of the city.
"Where is this other tower?" Leo asked as they walked.
"Near the city entrance," Ryan replied.
As they moved through the white, beautifully paved streets of Raiwood, Leo's curiosity got the better of him. "By the way, what were those natural disturbances you mentioned before?"
Ryan glanced at him. "In the desert near the mountains, there's an enormous amount of mana swirling around—almost like a tornado."
Leo frowned. "Can mana just gather like that on its own, without any living being nearby?"
"No, that's exactly the problem." Ryan's expression darkened slightly. "Mana comes from living things. That means there's something out there—something so powerful that the mana leaking from its body fills the entire area."
A chill ran down Leo's spine. "What is it?"
Ryan sighed. "The Kingdom of Magic has already sent multiple groups to investigate, including A-rank adventurers, but any team that ventured too deep into the desert..." He paused for emphasis. "Never came back."
Leo's eyes widened. "Even A-ranks?"
Ryan nodded grimly. "Yeah. No one knows what it is."
Leo glanced toward the distant mountains. "Any theories?"
"Some believe it's a massive creature hiding beneath the sand. Others think it's coming from a monster in Mount Oromond. But whatever it is, it has to be an S-rank threat."
Leo let that sink in before asking, "What about S-rank adventurers? Have they sent any?"
Ryan shook his head. "There are too few of them. Plus, most kingdoms won't risk sending one of their strongest warriors on a mission like this. If they do, it could leave their borders vulnerable, giving rival kingdoms an opportunity to attack."
Leo exhaled. "So no one's willing to take the risk."
Ryan nodded. "Exactly."
While Leo imagined the creatures in his mind, they arrived at the tower. After Ryan paid for two tickets, they stepped into the teleportation circle and vanished in a flash of light.
When they reappeared in the next tower, Leo glanced around. The building was nearly empty, with only four people inside—all of them staff.
"Why does this place look deserted?" he asked.
Ryan smiled. "You'll see soon enough."
As they stepped outside, a blinding light hit Leo's eyes. He instinctively raised a hand to shield them. Once his vision adjusted, his eyes widened in shock.
Before him stretched an endless, golden desert.
"Didn't you say this place was uninhabited?"
Ryan chuckled. "I said the area near the mountain is uninhabited. We're in the southern part of the desert. Only a god's mana could fill this entire desert."
He pulled two sun-colored robes from his bag and tossed one to Leo.
"Wear this. It'll protect you from the desert climate."
As Leo slipped it on, he frowned. "We have to walk?"
"Yes, but only for a few hours. There's an oasis ahead with a village and a teleportation tower to the capital."
Ryan adjusted his robe, then started walking. Leo followed close behind.
"Stay close," Ryan warned. "If you get lost in the desert, it's over."
This was Leo's first time in a desert, and it was even harsher than he expected. Walking was exhausting, the scorching air was dry, and the heat pressed down on him like a heavy blanket. As they trudged through the sand, a strange feeling prickled at the back of his neck.
Something was watching them.
The sand around them shifted, as if something beneath it was following.
"I think something's tailing us," Leo muttered.
Ryan didn't even glance back. "Desert giant scorpion. Don't worry, it won't attack—it knows who's stronger."
Leo raised an eyebrow. "Then why is it following us?"
"It's waiting for us to get separated."
Leo's frown deepened. "You mean I'm its target?"
"Yep."
Leo exhaled. "That's both terrifying and slightly insulting."
Ryan chuckled. "Don't underestimate it. You're only seeing glimpses of it when parts of it break the surface, but these things grow up to ten meters long. They're C-rank monsters—sometimes even more dangerous."
Leo swallowed hard. "Okay, I take it back."
For the next hour, he kept his eyes locked on the shifting sands, tracking the hidden predator beneath them.
After hours of walking, the scorching heat had faded, replaced by a creeping chill as night fell over the desert. The air had turned sharp and cold, sending a shiver through Leo's body.
Finally, they arrived at a small village. It consisted of about twenty houses, clustered around a single stone tower that stood in the center like a silent guardian. The streets were nearly deserted, with only a few distant figures hurrying into their homes. The entire village was eerily quiet, bathed in the dim glow of a single large magic lamp affixed to the tower, its soft light casting long, flickering shadows across the ground.
Without hesitation, they made their way straight to the tower.
Inside, Ryan spoke briefly with one of the staff members. When he returned, his expression was unreadable—somewhere between mild irritation and concern.
"The teleportation circle isn't working until tomorrow," he said with a sigh. "We'll have to stay here for the night. First thing in the morning, we head to the capital."
Leo stretched his aching shoulders. "What was the name of the capital again?"
Ryan's lips curved into a nostalgic smile, as if recalling an old, cherished memory. "Aclisa."