The Author's POV

Khhhhh—!

The static sound of the radio sounded.

"...I guess he hung up."

A trace of pity flashed across my eyes as I put the radio transmitter away.

Standing up and putting my coat on, I nudged the others to follow me.

"Alright, let's go."

Now that I had taken care of the annoying flies swarming on my back, I could now go to my destination without too many worries.

"Ren, how long do we have left?"

Ryan asked from behind.

"We're almost there."

Our current destination was Henolur, the dwarven capital.

After travelling for the past four months, we had almost arrived at the location.

"Precise time?"

"About one more week of travel, I would say."

Originally we were supposed to take a lot less time to arrive; however, to slow down Xavier and the other's pursuit, I decided to take a slight detour and travelled near the elven border.

Fortunately, during our fight right now the elves didn't get involved, but in all likelihood, they were already aware of our presence.

"Let's go before we run into trouble."

"Are you talking about the elves?"

Smallsnake arrived by my side and followed along.

"That's right."

Playing with the dimensional spaces that he had collected from the people we had just killed, Smallsnake handed them to me.

"...Do you think they'd attack us? I heard that they don't attack humans."

"Sort of, but you can never be too safe."

With humanity's advancement these past few decades, all three races started viewing humans in a more 'favourable' light.

That being said, this didn't mean that they still fully trusted us.

This was why a conference was going to be held soon.

It was made with the purpose of talking about the potential third cataclysm that was soon going to hit the earth and the possibility of allowing humanity to join the alliance.

Well, that was well into the future.

Right now, my goal was to enter the dwarven domain and increase my strength by leaps and bounds.

"Let's hurry for now. I don't want to meet any trouble along our way."

***

A few kilometres away from where Ren and the others were, Gazing at them from a distance, were two obscured figures.

With each breath the two figures took, the mana in the air would follow their breathing rhythm. Almost as though they were in complete synch with the mana in the air.

"Should we attack?"

Looking right, one of the figures asked as a melodious voice rang out.

Judging from their subservient tone, it was evident that the figure they talked to was higher ranked.

"...no"

The other figure shook its head.

"What about the demon?"

The higher-ranked figure pointed towards the distance, revealing a delicate white hand devoid of imperfection.

"Did you sense the mana of the people they were fighting?"

"Mhm, it was tainted with demonic energy."

"Right, for that female demon to work with humans and kill multiple contracted individuals, we can assume that she is no longer on the same side as the demons."

Although most demons worked with each other, in the end, what they cared for most was their self-interest.

Just because they were from the same race didn't mean that they had to help them.

This was a natural occurrence that occurred in all races.

"...That's true. However, I've also noticed that the demon follows that human with long hair. Strange."

The whole time they observed the fight in the distance, they noticed that everything revolved around a specific human with long black hair and blue eyes.

was the one being targeted, to how the

strange; let's observe a little

faded,

***

Amanda sat on her desk and

boring route that she had grown accustomed to over the last year or so in her new position in the demon

Hunter guild, Board

nameplate reflected the sunlight coming

—Knock! —Knock!

A knocking sound sounded.

"Come in."

opened her

"You called for me?"

with long light brown hair and a

It was Melissa.

what did you call me

the neatly organized

she crossed her legs and

"..."

the stack of papers down, Amanda wordlessly stared at Melissa,

until Melissa could no longer take

You just called me here to admire my beauty? Sorry,

is the project

Melissa's comments, Amanda finally

well; why? Has

"No."

prompting Melissa's brows to

you asked me to come here to find out about how the project is

as she rested her cheek on her

know phones

"It's not that."

her hand, a small barrier appeared, enveloping the two of

"What are you doing?"

barrier that

much of a reaction. She knew Amanda well. She wasn't one to do stupid

know, I was joking about the previous comments

"Here."

resting on her desk, a holographic video

the image mid-air, the video soon

began playing, multiple different

there was a common thing:

difference was the last video, where

felt in Melissa's voice as she took her eyes away from the video and

this? Are you perhaps looking for a partner to look at dramas with

"No, look carefully."

pointed towards the middle-aged man playing with the

"That's Ren."

"..."

moment, silence enveloped the

and closing her mouth multiple times, Melissa didn't know

was dumbstruck by Amanda's

her

all the work you've been doing finally fried your

"It has not."

Amanda calmly replied.

Melissa snorted in response.

So you are telling me that Ren has now become some weird middle-aged man that plays with

"I have proof."

"Proof?"

stopped and raised

a small key, Amanda inserted the

slid the drawer back. After taking

"Here."

"What's this?"

the papers with a confused look on

while, alternating her gaze between the

profiles of the people in the

"Mhm, they're Ren's parents."

of her head, Melissa

names, and the fact that his father looks similar to him...but this isn't

at this as

slid another paper

a detailed profile of the middle-aged man who visited them in

investigation, that man in the video has long disappeared ten years ago. This was the first time

"..."

the paper, Melissa carefully

to read her expression. Instead, she

after a couple of minutes had passed

sure are you

"Very sure."

Amanda replied.

the power of her guild, this kind of investigation was a piece

check on them prior to when they first met and when Ren had asked

better idea of who the people

another note, Nola's recent behaviour had given Amanda another reason to

"I see..."

muttered underneath her

on the armrest of the sofa,

what you said is true; why did you tell me? Aren't you a little too