The sky was dark, but not completely black. It had an orange hue to it, which gave off a strange feeling. The moon was hidden behind the clouds, giving it a dim light. Two figures could be seen conversing under the night sky. One was a young woman wearing a pink dress with a pair of white gloves, while the other was a man wearing a dark robe. "I don't like it," the woman said as she stared at the clouds above them. "It's too bright. Not even the dark of night is enough anymore" "You're probably just tired," the man replied calmly. "Come on, let's go back home. We can talk about this another time, right?" "No, I want to stay here for a bit longer. This is where I belong. Besides, there are no clouds up there anymore." "What do you mean?" The man looked up and saw the clouds beginning to move away from the moon. He also noticed that the moon itself was becoming larger and brighter. It was almost as if the moon was growing bigger every second. As he continued watching, the moon grew

Gratefully accepting the chance, they both make their way to the nearest Inn. Inside, Cyrus looks down at the menu of unfamiliar foods before looking back up to the girl. "uh, excuse me lady""My name is Hannah,"she answers him gently.Smiling sheepishly, he introduces himself as wellHannah smiles warmly at him."So Hannah, what exactly does this menu say anyway?"Hannah giggles softly at his question. "You must not have been given the ability to read this world's writing, huh?"He blushes embarrassingly. "yeah... Sorry."Hannah chuckles fondly. "Don't worry about it. I'll make sure to pick something good for you. What kind of food did you want?" She inquires curiously."Umm, I really don't mind. Whatever you think tastes best.""Alright then, let's go with this one. It has meat in it." She suggests.After ordering, the pair sit together awkwardly while waiting for their meals. Whilst enjoying the meal, they talk more about the tournament.Cyrus learns that the rules are simple: the

Three months pass as Cyrus continues to work with the company. Finishing his training period, Cyrus receives his silver pendant and is now ready to go on his first mission. During this period Cyrus had managed to meet up with Darius and along with Hannah had become quite the trio. Taking on requests together and growing closer as a team. Hannah had shown her expertise in support magic, while Darius had shown his skill in battle, providing Cyrus with advice and tanking for the group. All the while Cyrus worked on improving his skills in both magical and physical combat. Taking up a few jobs here and there, they had earned enough money to buy some basic supplies. Having made a small fortune over the last few months, Cyrus had decided it was time to upgrade his attire to something that could provide a bit more protection. Returning to the shop that he had bought his rod from. He was pleasantly surprised to see that the same man was working here once more. "Well hello there, You've s

Over the course of the next few days, Darius and Hannah help the townsfolk with their repairs, while Cyrus tries to come up with a plan alongside the mayor on how to capture the demon.Hearing a knock on the door, She motions for the guards to allow the visitor entrance.A Blonde haired woman with tanned skin steps through the doorway carrying a satchel.Cyrus notices that she is the same woman who had saved him previously."Hello, My name is Eryn. I'm a member of the royals sent to assist you alongside my team. I apologize for the short notice, but I figured it would be best to get started as soon as possible."Eryn greets the group as she steps into the room."Thank you for coming so quickly, I appreciate it." The Mayor says."Don't mention it. We weren't aware of the situation until a few days ago." Eryn responds."It's alright, we understand. I'm just glad you were willing to come all this way to help us out. Honestly, we're lucky to have you." The Mayor says."I'll take that as a

"Don't worry. We will be out of this place sooner rather than later." Darius assures them.As the group is walking out of the village towards their carriage, they notice a woman sitting on the top of the hood."You guys are really starting to get on my nerves." She says.She jumps off of the hood and lands in front of them."Akuji! What are you doing here?" Cyrus asks."pffft, Nice tail!" Akuji snickers. "I'm surprised that you are still of sane mind even after being infected."What do you mean?" Cyrus asks."I mean, you haven't changed into a monster. You've maintained your humanity while still reaping the benefits of my work. If you weren't the one who murdered all of my pets I would have given you a comfy spot on the winning team. But alas, I have to deal with you pesky humans. You need to pay me back somehow." Akuji says."So what, are you going to take care of us yourself now? Cyrus says."That is exactly what I'm going to do. You four have made a mockery of me among the rest of