1 Week Later
-----Narrator-----
As we began climbing the rise toward the entrance of the Red Dragon Mountains, two figures on horseback galloped toward the village of Montanus
The redhead lifted his gaze to the giant mountains dominating the horizon with quiet admiration.
"They are sooo big!"
The blue‑haired girl smiled at his excitement and began sharing her knowledge.
"These northern mountains are home to the tallest and biggest peaks in the central continent."
"Woooah!"
"Home of the Red Dragons long before the Great Demon–Human War. These mountains became the motherland's shield, a natural barrier, blocking the demon kin from pushing in through the northern lands."
"Natural barrier?"
"Yes, natural barriers are -"
REEEEIGH
The horse jolted, hooves skidding against the dirt as it stopped dead in its tracks. Its ears shot forward as a massive shape stepped into their path.
"What's wrong, Mankese?"
The blue mage leaned forward, one hand sliding up the horse's long neck stroking it gently. Her other hand tightened around the reins as she slowly lifted her gaze toward the figure blocking the road.
The creature stepped into the light. Matted black fur clung to its frame, broken by scars carved deep across its hide. Its shoulders rose and fell with each heavy breath, rolling with raw muscle as it advanced another step.
The blue mage's brows drew together as she tightening her grip around the small red‑haired child seated in front of her.
"C‑rank monster… Mountain Bear."
"W‑what should we do, Roxy?"
The creature's head snapped toward them, nostrils flaring as it caught their scent. Its eyes narrowed.
Roxy's hand darted behind her—only to realize her staff was just out of reach, tucked before Matheus's seat.
"Matheus…"
"Eh?"
Rourhmmm…
A deep, guttural snort rumbled from the bear's throat as its massive frame shifted toward them, muscles bunching beneath its scarred hide.
"Pass me my staff!"
"R‑right!"
ROOOOOAR!
The bear lunged forward, the ground trembling under its weight. The shock ran up through the horse's legs and into their bones.
Matheus threw himself forward, snatching the staff with both hands before hurling it toward Roxy.
Roxy pushed up from the saddle, rising into a half‑standing stance like a cavalry archer. She caught the staff mid‑air, spinning it into position.
The bear thundered closer, ferocity in every step.
Roxy pointed her staff, mana gathering at its tip—condensing into a massive, spear‑shaped cone of ice.
"Ice Lance— ngh!"
REEEEEEIGH!
The terrified horse reared, front hooves kicking skyward. Roxy's balance broke—her spell flickering as she was thrown backward.
Oh no! I can't hit the bear!
The bear lunged at the horse, swinging its massive maw with crushing force. Just before the blow connected, a sudden gust of wind slammed into the beast, knocking it sideways and hurling it across the trail.
Wind magic?
Roxy's curiosity sparked, but she refused to waste the opening.
She yanked the reins hard, steadying the panicked horse and forcing its front hooves back to the ground. Once it faced the fallen bear, she lifted her staff.
Again, Roxy gathered a surge of mana, channeling it to the tip as she aimed at the creature struggling to rise.
"Icicle Field!"
A storm of giant, cone‑shaped ice shards erupted forward, tearing through the air toward the Mountain Bear.
Despite its massive size, the bear moved with surprising agility—twisting, rolling, dodging most of the barrage. The shards that struck carved deep, bloody grooves across its hide.
ROOOOOAR!
The bear charged again, barreling straight toward the blue mage as she shifted into her next spell.
Sensing the danger radiating from the small mage, the beast began weaving side to side, its massive body zig‑zagging to throw off her aim.
Startled by the erratic movement, Roxy gritted her teeth, struggling to keep her staff aligned with the creature's frantic path.
Tch.
Realizing she wouldn't land a precise mid‑range spell like this, she cut off the chant and switched to a short‑range spell with a wide blast radius.
But the bear seemed to read her intent. It abruptly stopped its zig‑zag pattern and charged straight down the center line.
Roxy's eyes widened—the sudden shift caught her completely off guard.
The bear launched itself at the horse again, swinging its massive maw in a killing arc—
—and then a towering figure stepped between them.
A broad back, thick with muscle, filled Roxy's and Matheus's vision.
THUD!
The impact hit like two giant boulders colliding, a shockwave blasting outward and knocking Roxy's and Matheus's hats clean off as they nearly slipped from the saddle.
When the dust settled, a man stood before them—bracing himself, arms locked around a bear twice his size in a raw contest of strength.
The Mountain Bear thrashed wildly, claws tearing at the air as it tried to break free. But the man only tightened his grip, planting his feet and dragging the beast in a wide arc. The bear stumbled, then spun—faster and faster—as he swung it around him like a living, roaring whirlwind.
"MHHHHNNNNNHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"
With a final heave, the man released his hold.
The bear blasted through the forest with brutal force, tearing everything in its path. Trees snapped as it slammed through them, branches cracking loud enough to echo through the woods.
By the time it disappeared into the deeper forest, a wide path of destruction was left behind.
Roxy and Matheus stared after it, mouths hanging open as their heads slowly turned towards the man.
He simply stood there, grinning, scratching beneath his nose with the side of his index finger as if he'd just finished a casual chore.
1 Week Later
Reinheardt hefted his traveling gear onto his back, the weight shifting heavily across his shoulders as he walked toward the two small figures gathering darkmor from the shattered ground.
"You boys alright?"
The dark‑haired kid wiped the sweat from his forehead.
"We're good… Just need to fill a fill more of these bottles."
He glanced at the red‑haired boy, who was bent over with his hands on his knees, catching his breath before pushing himself upright.
"Are you heading back, Reinheardt?"
Reinheardt tightened his grip on the strap of his pack.
"Yes… We need to collect as much darkmor as we can. Thanks for helping us out, Matheus."
He gave the redhead a brief smile and ruffled his hair.
Matheus awkwardly accepted the gesture, trying—and failing—to push the big hand away.
Sebastian stepped closer, worry tightening his expression.
"Is Alice… going to get better?"
Reinheardt's lips trembled for a moment, but he hid it behind a cheerful tone.
"We've got a Saint Mage looking after her. You don't see that often in these mountain villages!"
With that, Reinhardt turned and began the walk back towards the village.
"Remember what I've taught you boys! I'll be back soon to harvest another haul, so stay sharp!"
The towering giant disappeared into the fading snow, his silhouette swallowed by the white haze.
Matheus picked up his shovel and drove it back into the soil, breaking through the frozen layer.
Sebastian glanced at the boy he'd only met a week ago that had already become part of their daily routine.
For a while, the only sounds were shovels striking earth and the soft crunch of snow under their boots. Then Matheus paused, eyes drifting toward Sebastian.
"What's wrong with Alice?"
Sebastian paused his digging and looked at Matheus, meeting the concern in the boy's eyes.
"Alice has a chronic disease… it makes her too weak to do any real work."
"So these mushrooms we've been gathering... Will they cure her?"
"That's what the village has been using for the past two years. Ms. Eir's been taking care of her all this time, but her symptoms suddenly got worse recently."
"If it's a disease, can't Roxy cure her?"
Sebastian shook his head.
"Turns out magic doesn't work on her…"
The redhead frowned, then both of his hands gripped the shovel as he sank it back to the dirt.
For a moment, Sebastian stared at the ground in deep thought as Matheus worked relentless.
"What are you doing looking like an idiot? You gonna make me do all this myself?"
"I was just thinking… I've heard of something like this before."
"Well have you ever heard of getting it together? It's freezing out here let's finish this already."
Matheus drove his shovel deep into the soil, venting his frustration with the motion.
"I saw you using magic the other day. Why don't you cast us some fire?"
"It's not that simple…"
"How?! Roxy told me that's a beginner‑level spell that even low ranking adventurers use!"
Sebastian scoffed.
"Heh… don't tell me…"
Matheus raised an eyebrow, genuine concern creeping into his voice.
"Wait… you can't even cast a simple spell like that?"
A vein twitched on Sebastian's forehead.
"OF COURSE I CAN!"
He threw his shovel aside and marched toward Matheus.
"I DON'T HAVE ENOUGH MANA TO CAST FIREBALL ALL THE TIME, IDIOT!"
Matheus yanked the shovel up from the ground and shoved Sebastian in the chest, pushing him back.
"WHO ARE YOU CALLING IDIOT?"
Matheus flared his touki, the air around him tightening as a faint shimmer rippled across his skin. His feet slid apart in the snow, grounding his stance. One hand shifted along the shovel's handle like it were a sword.
Sebastian's anger surged in response. His breath hitched, then deepened as mana rushed through his body. Heat pulsed through his veins, rising from his core to his fingertips. Sparks of raw magic flickered around his hands, the air trembling as he prepared to unleash a spell big enough to blow the red‑haired brat off his feet.
But then—
That heat.
That familiar burn threading through his blood vessels.
It wasn't just anger. It was memory.
A sensation he hadn't felt since before the time‑traveling phenomenon.
His eyes widened slightly.
"I remember now…"
The mana around him wavered, then softened.
Matheus noticed the shift instantly. His touki dimmed, the tension in his shoulders easing. He exhaled through his nose, dropped the stance, and planted the shovel into the ground with a dull thunk, leaning on it like a support pillar.
"What now, Sebas?"
"You see… I had the same disease Alice has."
Matheus frowned, eyes narrowing as he looked Sebastian up and down.
"You look extremely healthy to me."
"No. Back then I was really sick. No priest could cure me."
The word cure hit Matheus like a spark. His eyes widened.
"So you got cured?"
"Yeah… My grandfather made a special tea for me. I had to drink it every month."
"Heh? And why didn't you tell us sooner?"
Matheus swung the shovel up onto his shoulder and started walking toward the trail leading back to the village.
"Wait."
Sebastian grabbed the back of Matheus's collar, stopping him mid‑step. Matheus turned, seeing the worry tightening Sebastian's expression.
"It's a tea made from special leaves. You won't find them anywhere in these mountains."
"What do you mean? Don't you have some with you?"
"Uh… I did when I first got here… but I lost most of it."
"Well, we can always look for it. Do you remember when you lost it?"
Sebastian's gaze drifted towards the mountain peak where a pack of Red Dragons circled lazily in the cold air.
Matheus followed his eyes. His grip on the shovel tightened.
"Deep inside their nest… that's where I dropped most of my supplies…"