The next morning greeted them with the gentle orange hue of sunrise cutting through the forest mist. Dew clung to leaves, boots thudded against the softened dirt, and the boar's massive tusks were now secured on Varek's back like trophies. The group moved in practiced formation—silent, efficient, and alert.
Akito kept pace near the center, eyes flicking between his new companions and the scenery. The forest seemed calmer now—less haunted, less hunted.
After a moment of quiet, he cleared his throat. "So… you guys have a name for your party, or do I just keep calling you 'forest murder squad' in my head?"
Kael snorted. "Forest murder squad's not bad."
Ruva rolled her eyes. "We're officially registered as Silver Hearth."
"Silver Hearth," Akito echoed. "Warm, comforting… and full of hidden daggers."
Varek grunted approvingly and smirk a little.
Caldus didn't look up from the map he was checking. "We used to be a different kind of group. Hearth still fits… just not the cozy kind."
"Sounds like there's a story behind it," Akito said.
"There is," Ruva said, her tone cool but not dismissive. "Another time."
Akito nodded. He didn't press.
The path widened gradually as they neared the outer rim of Leyfir, where roads grew clearer and trees thinned. Akito took in every turn and landmark. A mental map wasn't just survival anymore—it was foundation.
"You said we're heading to a guild, right?" he asked.
"The Westwatch Adventurer's Guild," Kael replied. "It's the hub of the Elban province's western side. Paperwork, payments, postings, politics… the usual."
"If you're serious about understanding this world," the mage said, "you should visit the academic library in the west district. I teach there when I'm not out on field assignments."
Akito raised a brow. "So, you're a field mage and a scholar?"
Caldus gave a tired shrug. "I don't like being bothered… but I do like answers. The library has archives on magical theory, recorded phenomena, even empire history. You might find something relevant about that eye of yours."
"And maybe," he added, "we can test your ability more. Get some control over it before it triggers at the wrong time."
Akito nodded slowly, something sparking in his chest.
A place with books. Data. Research. Theory. Finally—solid ground to stand on.
He smiled faintly to himself.
"Yeah," he said. "That sounds exactly like what I need."
"Then the guild's the best place to begin, you still need an ID to travel between towns or working." Ruva said. "We'll vouch for you."
"That means a lot," Akito replied, genuinely. "I owe you guys."
Kael gave him a sideways glance. "Don't worry. We'll collect eventually."
Akito laughed.
The journey continued, the forest finally giving way to open plains. In the distance, stone walls stretched along the horizon—Westwatch, a city built on the border of civilization and wild. Towering gates, banners fluttering, and the faint sound of metal striking metal in the training yards.
Akito's chest tightened—not with fear, but anticipation.
A guild. A city. An academy.
More pieces to the puzzle.
More chances to understand the strange mark in his eye… and the world he now walked in.
"The first step to collect information is going on. I should use this chance as much as possible." He murmured.
Information.
It was everything.
In his old world, it built empires. Code, data, algorithms—they didn't just power machines; they directed the lives of millions. The person who knew more? Who saw one step ahead? That person won. Every time.
And here?
It wasn't any different.
He didn't have mana. He didn't have a sword. He didn't even have a class, or a stat sheet, or whatever this world used to define power. But what he could have—what no one could take from him—was understanding. And his weird eye....
The lay of the land. The power structures. The rules of magic. The limits of mana. The tendencies of monsters. The politics behind provinces. The social cues, the guild system, the economy of a single enchanted tusk.
Every bit of knowledge was a weapon, a shield, or a key.
Survival wasn't strength. It was strategy. And strategy needed fuel.
Fuel spelled with eleven letters: i-n-f-o-r-m-a-t-i-o-n.
Akito glanced at the Silver Hearth as they walked through the busy streets of Westwatch, the noise of city life wrapping around them like a second skin. Carts creaked. Merchants shouted. Mana lanterns flickered to life overhead as dusk slipped in.
"So," he asked casually, "what happens now for you guys?"
Ruva was the first to answer, her voice cool but not distant. "I'll be heading back to Teyra—my hometown. It's been a while. My parents will want to hear the news."
"The promotion?" Akito guessed.
She gave a small nod. "A-rank. Official now. About time."
"Congrats," he said with a soft grin. "Though I'd hate to see what an S-rank looks like if you're just A."
Varek chuckled, a low sound like grinding stone. "She's earned it. As for me? I'll be sticking around. My armor took more of a beating than I expected. Gonna get it reforged."
"Reforged and then what? Hit the guild bar?" Kael teased, elbowing him.
"Obviously," Varek grunted. "Ale. Maybe three."
Kael smirked. "You're modest. I'm thinking ten."
"And you?" Akito turned to Kael.
Kael ran a hand through his messy hair. "I've got my eye on a solo job. Something light. Maybe escort duty or information retrieval. You know, quiet work. Unless the payout's good. Then I don't mind noise."
Their pace slowed as they neared the Guild Hall—a towering stone-and-oak building that buzzed with light, laughter, and the faint aura of activated enchantments. Even from the street, Akito could hear the commotion inside.
Kael raised a brow. "Huh. Sounds like they already know we're back."
"News travels fast when you bring down a mana-mutated beast with intact tusks," Ruva said dryly.
The massive front doors swung open and a wave of warmth, noise, and cheering rolled out. Adventurers, staff, and patrons crowded the hall. Tankards were raised. Plates piled high. Someone had already started playing a lute near the corner fireplace.
"Welcome back, Silver Hearth!" someone shouted. "A-rank now, eh?"
Varek nodded, accepting the hearty clap on the shoulder from a burly dwarf with a huge grin on his face.
Akito lingered near the doorway, watching as the party stepped into the celebration like veterans returning from a war. Cheers followed them. A few people pointed at Ruva's bow or the cracked pieces of boar tusk Varek carried like trophies.
They're respected. Feared, even, Akito thought. This isn't just hype—it's history being added to.
He let the energy of the room wash over him but stayed slightly back, out of the main circle.
This is their moment, he thought. And mine's just beginning.
Still, he smiled.
He wasn't a part of their world yet. But he was learning the rules.
And eventually?
He'd make his own place in it.