After Rei and Tenko reached Midgard, Rei stepped into the small living quarters inside the cart. Midgard, though a vehicle, had become a home to him—a quiet shelter from the world's chaos. Once inside, he pulled out a wooden box hidden beneath the floorboards of his room. It was an old box, worn with use, and within it lay the few possessions he considered valuable for future plans.
He opened it gently, the scent of old wood and parchment rising from within. His hand brushed over a small stick carved from a pale, luminous wood—Maris wood, known for its resilience and Qi-conductive properties. Similar to the dark, mystic Drasil wood from which his Chaos Scepter was crafted, the Maris wood had a softer glow, almost like moonlight filtered through mist.
Rei studied it quietly, then used a thin carving blade to hollow out a small section of the stick. He fitted another fragment of wood inside—one he had treated earlier with a special resin. Tenko, sitting nearby with his head tilted, gave a curious bark. His red-marked ears perked up, clearly intrigued by Rei's delicate work.
"Are you curious?" Rei smiled, not looking away from the stick. "Well, when a man mocked me, saying I was nothing special, I started to wonder... maybe I am. Maybe Midgard is, too. It's strong, no doubt—but not enough. The world out there isn't forgiving. So I'll make it stronger. I'll pour everything into it, piece by piece." He paused, testing the fit of the two pieces of wood.
"Still, crafting and enchantment materials are costly," he added, his voice quieter. "I need coin. I've set aside money for my studies—can't touch that. So... Hunter work it is."
Tenko gave a soft, approving bark, his tail swishing with understanding. He admired Rei's resolve. After all the cruelty Tenko had endured under the bandits, having a partner who always sought control—not out of dominance, but for protection—brought him peace. He knew Rei carried shadows in his heart, a desire to shape the world around him into something predictable. Safe. And Tenko liked that. It made him feel safe, too.
Later that evening, Rei sat in his room reading thick tomes on foreign languages, eyes tracing symbols of the language with unbroken focus. Tenko padded softly to the door, ears twitching. He sensed a presence.
With a soft growl, he stepped outside.
From the shadows emerged Luc, the spy cloaked in subtlety. He stepped forward, his hands raised in peace. "Looks like I can't hide from a Navarion after all," he said with a faint smile.
Tenko growled again—softer, questioning.
"Don't worry," Luc said. "I'm not here to harm Rei. Quite the opposite. The kingdom has an interest in him. His knowledge. His gifts. I'm here to ensure he stays safe."
Tenko narrowed his eyes but eventually turned away, allowing Luc to melt back into the shadows. He didn't fully trust him, but he knew Luc wasn't lying.
The next morning, Rei strapped a leather bag to his shoulder and headed toward the outskirts of the village. The sky was still tinged with dawn's golden hues. He stopped in a clearing.
"Tenko, today you practice wind spells again," Rei said.
Tenko barked confidently, eyes glinting with excitement.
Rei smiled. "Good. Keep refining that tornado. After you master that, I'll show you how to shape it into a wind bomb."
With that, he turned and made his way into town.
The Hunter's Tower loomed with its five squat towers connected by bridges. Unlike the four-tiered tower from before, this one had a simpler structure—yet bustled with activity. Inside, kids and young adults gathered, eyes scanning task boards, chattering.
Rei stood among them, ignoring the flinching glance of a cloaked child nearby. He felt a strange tug of intuition. Something about the child seemed... off. But he didn't press it.
He browsed the board and chose a herb-gathering quest. Seemed simple enough.
He brought the slip to the receptionist—a cold-eyed woman with a sharp voice. "You shouldn't take this task," she said. "Reports mention a Hegaroar in the area. Dangerous boar-like creature."
Rei had read about Hegaroar, it was a boar-like creature that charges whenever it saw someone. A hegaroar is twice as big as a normal adult and was a deadly beast. According to Rei's own estimates, he had a 100% chance to win against a Hegaroar
Rei raised an eyebrow. "Any bandit activity nearby?"
"None. A group of bandits was recently found dead in a warehouse. That area will be quiet for a while."
Rei's heart skipped. "Dead? But I left them tied up... who killed them?" he thought.
Outwardly calm, he said, "Then I'll take the task."
The receptionist scoffed inwardly. "He's cocky. Probably thinks he's some hero."
Nearby, a few older teens chuckled.
"Who does he think he is?"
"He'll get eaten by that boar and no one'll care."
"Another dead wannabe."
But Luc watched from a distance, amused. He could hear the mockery, see the thinly-veiled disdain.
But he also saw the truth behind Rei's calm movements.
"So many fools here," Luc mused. "They don't even realize who they're mocking."
Even the quiet man from before stood silently, watching Rei with calm eyes. He knew.
Rei moved through the forested edges of the region, flipping through his herbology book. He found the herbs listed in the task—broad-leafed greens and purple-stemmed roots. Kneeling by a patch, he read how to pluck them without harming their core.
He worked efficiently, filling his pouch. There was no sign of the Hegaroar, and while part of him was relieved, another part was disappointed. He wanted to gain an upper level in the hunter's tower to stay in power over those below him.
High in the trees, Luc watched silently, hidden by shadow magic. His disappointment matched Rei's.
"Not even a challenge today," he sighed.
Rei returned to the tower by noon. He handed the herbs to the receptionist. She examined them, nodded stiffly, and passed him the reward money.
No one spoke. Most thought he got lucky. Others assumed someone else cleared the area.
Rei didn't care.
At sunset, he returned to Tenko.
The fox was still in the clearing, tongue out, panting—but triumphant. Before him spun a miniature wind tornado, no larger than an apple but stable, spinning like a dancer.
Rei's eyes lit up. "Well done, Tenko. Tomorrow, I'll teach you the wind bomb."
Tenko barked proudly and leapt to Rei's shoulder.
Together, they walked back toward Midgard, the golden light of dusk following them, two shadows in perfect sync—one in pursuit of mastery, the other wanting power.