Three days had passed since the cataclysm that devastated the village of North.
The village no longer existed. Only ashes, dried blood, and the silence of the dead remained. Of the thousands of souls who once lived there, only five percent had managed to escape alive. The survivors, with hollow eyes, dragged themselves to the nearest capital, carrying nothing but the remnants of their lives.
In the central square of the capital, an agitated crowd pressed together. Anger and fear hung in the air like smoke.
"How could this happen?!"
"You were supposed to be stronger than them!"
"Useless!"
The leader of the knight squadron stood in the center, impassive, listening to the insults. Suddenly, his voice erupted like thunder:
"SILENCE!"
The weight of his voice instantly silenced everyone. He looked out at the crowd with a serious yet distant expression.
"You're right. We were stronger than them… However, our order was not tasked with protecting two places at the same time. I'm sorry… but it wasn't our responsibility," he concluded, his voice cold and devoid of any warmth.
A murmur of indignation spread through the crowd. His words sounded more like an insult than an explanation, and soon fresh insults were hurled at the leader. Nevertheless, he remained impassive. He turned his back and began to walk away, his face darkening slightly in silence.
***
Erick still hadn't gotten used to the unsettling silence of his new home. The place was so quiet that even his own voice echoed through the corridors, making him feel even more out of place.
"Wow… it's incredibly quiet here…" he murmured, scratching the back of his neck nervously.
He sighed and looked at the third door on his left. Determined, he approached and opened it, only to be greeted by an unexpected sight: a stunning woman with fiery orange eyes and long blonde hair cascading over her shoulders. She was wearing nothing but lingerie and stared at him with a defiant gaze.
"Ah, hey there, newbie!"
Erick felt his face burn. He slammed the door shut instantly, his heart pounding in his chest.
"Hey, why did you look away?"
The door opened again, and there she was, a mischievous smile playing on her lips.
"S-sorry! I didn't mean to! I swear!"
She laughed softly, clearly amused by his embarrassed expression.
"Relax. So you're… Erick, right?"
Erick stammered, still unsure how to react.
"Y-yes…"
She smiled charmingly and gently held his face.
"I'm Emily. If you need anything, just let me know, okay?" she said with a playful grin, softly caressing his cheek.
Erick felt heat rising up his neck. With a bold smile, Emily turned and went back into her room.
"Hope to see you again, Erick~"
The door closed behind her with a soft click.
"She… is really strange…" he muttered, instinctively placing a hand on his stomach, still remembering the sensation of being healed by her touch.
Still dazed, Erick looked toward the end of the corridor. Someone was standing there, gazing out the window. Curious, he approached.
"Hey, sir! Could you show me the exit—?"
When he got closer, the figure had vanished, like a mirage.
"Huh?" He rubbed his eyes with the back of his hands, incredulous.
Fortunately, when he looked out the window, Erick spotted the squad leader, Cosmo, sitting calmly and drinking his daily tea, seemingly oblivious to everything around him.
"Give up. When he gets like that, no one can get his attention…"
A soft voice interrupted his thoughts. He turned and saw a woman with a piercing yet serene gaze. Her long hair reached her waist, and her presence carried an aura of tranquility.
"You must be Erick, right?"
"Y-yes!"
"The captain has called everyone. Come with me."
Erick, unsure what to expect, followed her down the stairs.
The silence between them was heavy. Gathering his courage, he asked:
"I'd like to know more about you all… about your group and your leader…"
She stopped abruptly, looked at him for a moment as if assessing his intentions, then continued down the stairs before replying in a calm voice:
"We are a group formed with the goal of saving those who can be saved and exorcising souls corrupted by darkness… the Inverses."
Erick frowned, confused.
"Inverses…?"
"Cruel beings that destroy all forms of life," she replied, glancing at him. "They are the ones responsible for destroying your village, kid."
Erick felt a tightness in his chest. For a brief moment, images of the attack flashed through his mind like lightning: houses in flames, desperate screams, the guttural sounds of the creatures, and smoke covering the village sky. His body stiffened at the memory of that night's chaos.
When they reached the bottom of the stairs, the entire group was already gathered. Louis ran up to him, his expression relieved after getting lost inside the base.
"Nii!"
"Louis!"
"Oh! Looks like everyone's here!"
Looking to the left, Cosmo descended the stairs with a relaxed expression. He seemed calm, his presence radiating an aura of peace, almost serenity.
"Hey, everyone! What a wonderful day, don't you think?"
Reaching the center, Cosmo looked at the two brothers and smiled.
"So? What do you think of your new home? Pretty nice, right?"
"Y-yes, sir. It's just… a little complicated to get around…" Erick replied, a light sweat forming on his skin.
"Good to hear. That means you're already getting used to it," Cosmo said, gripping Erick's shoulder approvingly.
He clapped his hands together and returned to the matter at hand:
"Well, without further delay, let's start the introductions! I am Cosmo, First Path, and captain of this squad."
He gave a slight bow, conveying authority without stiffness.
"Emily Laine, Second Path," she introduced herself with a gentle smile. "Nice to meet you!"
The girl who had come down the stairs with Erick introduced herself with a subtle smile:
"Asahi Mei, Fourth Path."
Next, a young man with a serious expression introduced himself curtly:
"Angel Crown, Third Path. Just so you know, kid, I have zero interest in getting to know you."
And without another word, he headed to his room.
Silence.
"Uh…"
"Don't mind him. He's always grumpy. Oh, and I'm Wally Dreamster, the last of the Paths…" the boy added, laughing a little awkwardly.
Louis raised his hand with genuine curiosity:
"Why do you call yourselves Paths…?"
Cosmo smiled.
"We are the pillar that will create a new generation of heroes and adventurers. That's right! Our mission is to guide them toward the future."
Cosmo's words were soft but carried deep meaning, filling the air with determination. Erick, though still lost in thought, felt he could trust him.
"Now that the introductions are over," Cosmo said, pointing at the two brothers, "it's time to start your training. You need to get stronger because you're not ready for the world out there yet. Are you prepared for the toughest training of your lives?"
The brothers looked at each other for a few seconds before answering in unison:
"Yes, sir!"
***
In the darkest corner of the forest, by the riverbank, the man responsible for the destruction of North Village sat watching a family of rabbits resting peacefully in front of him.
A deep voice broke the silence:
"I didn't expect to see you again so soon."
Behind him stood the leader of the knight squadron, holding a bag full of gold coins. He tossed it at the hooded man's feet.
"You did an excellent job."
However, his expression suddenly hardened.
"But you failed your main mission!"
With a furious shout, he kicked a nearby tree, instantly knocking it down.
"Don't worry, they're under Cosmo's protection…"
"That's exactly the problem!"
He stepped forward and grabbed the hooded man by the neck, lifting him with crushing force as an intense aura radiated from his body.
"With Cosmo protecting them, getting close will be impossible!"
The hooded man remained calm, a faint smile curving his lips.
"How can you stay so calm in a situation like this?!"
"Ahh…"
In the blink of an eye, he vanished from the leader's grip and appeared behind him, placing a hand on his shoulder.
"I guarantee you they'll be dead soon."
Without another word, he disappeared into the darkness, leaving only the sound of the wind behind.
The leader sighed, narrowing his eyes.
"I really hope so…"
***
Two months had passed since the start of their training. Erick and Louis were resting near a small spring, exhausted from the intense challenges imposed by Cosmo.
"I must congratulate you both! You've improved a lot during this time. I'm impressed!" Cosmo said, crossing his arms as he observed them.
"Thank you, Captain!" Erick replied enthusiastically.
Louis, however, remained downcast. Erick noticed.
"What's wrong, Louis?"
"I just… feel useless. You all have incredible abilities, but I… I don't have magic, or energy, or anything that makes me special."
Erick frowned.
"Louis."
"That's not true."
Louis looked up, confused.
"Huh?"
Cosmo sat down beside him and placed a hand on his shoulder.
"What you lack is determination, young man. Thinking you're weak only destabilizes your soul. Believe in your own strength and keep moving forward."
Cosmo's words eased some of the weight crushing Louis's heart. The captain took a deep breath, stood up slowly, and walked toward the door.
"I'll be waiting for you when you're ready."
From inside, Cosmo looked out the window, watching Louis in the distance.
"He really is a good kid, isn't he, Cosmo?"
Emily, leaning against the wall behind him, smiled softly.
Cosmo smiled back confidently.
"Without a doubt. But he still doesn't know his true potential."
"If you say so, I'll trust your words…"
Emily shrugged and went up the stairs, leaving Cosmo alone with his thoughts.
A few hours later, Erick and Louis were in the room with Cosmo, who was holding a crude map.
"You'll head south. There you'll find a village inhabited by the Herwolfys."
Erick raised his hand, curious.
"Captain, who are the Herwolfys?"
"Descendants of the great Wolfys, the lunar wolf. They say his claws were so sharp they could cut the day and bring forth the night. But it's just a legend… Ah… how disappointing."
Cosmo sighed, frustrated. Erick, however, pressed on:
"And why do we need to go to that village?"
"I want you to bring back some specific people..."
***
Some time later, the brothers were walking through the dense forest, guided by a revised map drawn by Emily.
"Good thing Miss Emily redrew the map for us. The captain's was… pretty much impossible to read…"
Louis laughed.
"The captain really is weird."
Suddenly, Erick stopped.
"Look, Louis!"
Both were surprised to see a beautiful village surrounded by enormous trees. It was an impressive, almost magical sight.
"Who are they?!"
"Intruders!"
The villagers, armed with spears, pointed their weapons at the brothers. Erick tried to calm the situation:
"Hey! We're not enemies!"
"What's going on here?"
The murmurs ceased when the village leader, the great Gur, appeared. He had an imposing posture despite his age, and his feline features were clearly visible. Erick handed him a letter from Cosmo.
"Hmm, interesting… It seems Cosmo has come for them…" he murmured in a low voice.
Gur carefully examined the letter while Erick wondered how he could even read Cosmo's messy handwriting.
"Follow me. I'll take you to them."
As they walked through the village beside Gur, he shared the history of the place.
"This village was founded about 6,000 years ago by the great Wolfys-sama. As his descendants, we carry his blood and his responsibility. We must be perfect to honor our creator, no matter the cost… or the circumstances."
The brothers listened attentively, absorbing every detail of the fascinating story.
Looking to his left, Erick noticed many people locked in cages, staring at him with expressions ranging from emptiness to contained fear. The sight left him uneasy.
"Why are they imprisoned?"
"That is the consequence of being deemed defective. It is the punishment for tarnishing the Wolfys name."
Louis also noticed that many of the prisoners lacked ears, and some didn't even have tails. Among them were children, which seemed like an unimaginable act of cruelty.
After a long walk, they finally reached their destination.
"Well, we part ways here. Ah, I almost forgot."
Gur handed two cards with room numbers to Erick and Louis.
"Have a good day…" he said, though his tone was reluctant.
The old Gur waved and began descending the mountain.
"Well, let's go in," Erick said, ready to move forward.
But Louis grabbed his arm, stopping him.
"What is it, Louis?"
"Do you remember what Mei-san told us?"
Erick put a hand to his chin, thinking.
"If I'm not mistaken, something like 'if you go in, keep your head down and keep walking.' Why?"
Looking to the right, Erick noticed a sign on the wall: "Succubus Bar: Satisfy Yourself However You Like."
"So that's why…"
He took a deep breath, placed his left hand over his chest, and opened the door.
Inside the bar, the two kept their heads down as they walked.
"Hey, kittens!"
"Don't you want to spend some time with us?"
"I promise I'll be gentle."
"Aww, how cute!"
Several girls watched them attentively, wearing provocative smiles. Muffled sounds of excitement echoed from the rooms, and the air was thick with lust.
"Focus, Erick! Even if you want to, don't look!"
Erick took the card Gur had given him.
"Looks like I'm going to room 57. What about you, Louis?"
"Room 7."
"So unfair…"
The two separated and went their own ways. Erick climbed several stairs to the second floor, while Louis headed for room 7.
After a short walk, Louis stopped in front of the door to room 7.
"Well… what should I do?"
He held the doorknob, which opened by itself. As soon as he entered, the door closed behind him.
"How strange…"
"W-welcome…"
A soft voice made him turn around. There stood a girl with long hair and bright green eyes.
"T-this is my first time, s-so…"
She spoke timidly, slowly approaching him.
"W-wait, this is a misunderstanding!"
Cornered against the wall, Louis felt his heart race as the girl's face drew closer.
"Help me, nii!"
Their lips were almost touching when suddenly:
"I can't!"
The girl pulled back, kneeling on the floor in shame. She covered her face with her hands.
"I-I'm sorry, but I can't do this, sir…"
Tears began to stream down her face.
Louis, unsure how to react, sat down beside her and started wiping away her tears.
"Are you feeling better now?"
"Yes…"
He picked up a blanket and gently placed it over her shoulders.
"Th-thank you… It's the first time a boy has treated me like this… I'm Lilith."
Louis observed her carefully. There was something deeply sad about her.
"Why do you work here?"
Lilith gripped the blanket tightly at the question.
"S-sorry, I didn't mean to bring up bad memories!"
"It's okay… I was sold here just a few days ago. Even if I wanted to, I could never leave… I'm a disgrace to my clan."
Her voice was low and melancholy. Louis noticed that Lilith, like many of the prisoners he had seen earlier, had neither ears nor a tail.
"My sister saved me, but she ended up trapped here because of me…"
Her tears kept falling. Louis hugged her tightly.
"Don't worry… My brother and I will get you out of here."
Lilith remained silent, simply resting her head on Louis's shoulder.
Meanwhile, Erick finally reached the second floor, exhausted.
"Ahhh… Finally! I'm dead…"
He walked to room 57 and opened the door. The room was completely dark.
"What? I climbed all that for nothing?"
"I've been waiting…"
A soft voice emerged from the darkness. A girl with short hair and an enchanting gaze appeared before him.
"Are you ready?"
"W-wait! That's not why I came!"
Before he could react, she pushed him against the wall, firmly holding his arms.
"Here I go…"
Erick tried to resist, but he noticed something strange.
"Hm?"
The girl stopped and looked at him intensely.
"It looks like it didn't work… Ah…"
"H-huh?"
She stepped back and extended her hand to help him up.
"Tell me, human, who are you…?"