The Celestars were finally on the road.
Lui led the way, his red cloak fluttering behind him. Beside him, Ishi walked with hands in pockets, eyes casually scanning the surroundings.
"I can't believe we're not E-ranked novices anymore," Rick said, skipping along the edge of the trail. "I feel like we should be delivering packages right now."
"You say that like you ever cared about missions," Izumi muttered.
Rick shrugged. "Touché."
Yuuv, walking in the back, had his hood up, gaze drifting lazily across the trees. He sipped from a warm juice bottle he'd picked up at a rest vendor before leaving Redvine.
"Look at this!" Iuro suddenly crouched beside a patch of moss. "Guys, this mushroom glows a little! Can I keep it?"
"No." —Lui"Nope." —Izumi"Depends, does it talk?" —Rick
"It might!" Iuro said, scooping it up with a proud grin.
By noon, they reached a resting field by a gentle riverbank. The water sparkled under the sunlight, and the sound of flowing water filled the air with peace.
Rick kicked off his boots and walked straight into the shallow river. "This is heaven."
Yuuv sat under a tree, arms folded behind his head. He stared up at the sky, expression unreadable but relaxed.
"Does it feel different?" Ishi asked, sitting beside him.
Yuuv looked at him.
"Being ranked," Ishi added.
Yuuv nodded slowly. "Not really. It just means more walking."
"You sound disappointed."
"No. Just sleepy."
"I'm not very used to see you not being silly," Izumi said.
"Rawr!!" Yuuv blinked at him.
Ishi smiled.
As the afternoon drifted on, the boys set up a small camp by the river. Iuro collected herbs, Rick tried to cook using steam spells (and failed twice), and Lui helped pitch their enchanted tent—a compact, travel-sized shelter that expanded once activated.
Izumi sat with a travel map unrolled on his lap, glancing between it and the floating compass orb hovering above.
"We'll reach Mournvalley in about three days," he said. "That's the next major guild route. There might be another ranking checkpoint."
"I hope it has better food," Rick muttered, poking his burnt pot.
That evening, they lit a soft campfire. No big monsters, no enemies—just six young adventurers eating half-burnt dinner and roasting spiced fruit over magical blue flames.
"I think we did great," Iuro said suddenly. "Not just in the tournament. As a team."
Everyone looked up.
"You're right," Lui said after a pause. "We've come a long way."
"Ishi doesn't even scowl at us anymore," Rick teased.
Ishi raised an eyebrow. "Keep talking and I will."
Yuuv chuckled quietly.
The stars sparkled above them. Somewhere far off, a creature howled, but none of the boys moved. They were used to these sounds. They were used to each other.
The next morning, they resumed their journey. As they climbed a small hill, they saw some workers trying to move a large broken cart off the road.
Lui walked forward without hesitation. "Need a hand?"
With the Celestars' help, the cart was moved in no time. Iuro used roots to brace the slope, Izumi steadied the wheels with gravity magic, and Rick cooled the overheated axle with a water spell.
"Thank you so much!" one of the workers said. "Are you boys from a guild?"
"We're the Celestars," Ishi replied simply.
"Well, the world's lucky to have you!"
After some quick goodbyes and a few shared snacks, the boys continued their journey.
Later that day, they set up camp again near a calm ridge. Ishi and Izumi were adjusting magical traps for safety, Rick and Iuro were messing around with floating stones, and Yuuv lay on a high branch taking a nap.
Rick looked up. "Hey Yuuv, how come you're always the one looking the most peaceful?"
Yuuv yawned. "Because someone has to be the background music."
"our sweet baby" Izumi teased with a small smirk.
Yuuv pouted and hummed lazily.
As evening painted the sky in soft orange, the Celestars sat around another fire.
"I hope this road never ends," Iuro said.
"It won't," Lui replied. "Not until we stop walking."
They didn't talk about enemies or rivals or responsibilities.
They just sat.
Together.
Adventurers on a quiet road.