...
{3rd Pov}
After several long days of traveling and making his way through the Karuna region, Ember finally arrived at Argon Town.
The moment his eyes fell on the familiar buildings and the streets he hadn't walked in nearly six months, he couldn't help but feel a wave of nostalgia.
The place hadn't changed much, yet the simple sight of it made him realize how much time had actually passed.
He had last returned half a year ago solely to update his parameters, and now it was time to do the same again.
However, this time he had already decided he wouldn't just leave immediately like before.
Instead, he planned to stay in Shawn Village for at least a full month to take a proper break from his usual intense routine before heading back to Altena.
He understood very well that traveling repeatedly between the two places wasn't something he could keep doing forever.
It was manageable for now, but once he began exploring the other regions and more distant parts of the world, it would only grow more troublesome.
The long journeys, the unstable routes, and the time lost in between made it unrealistic to go back and forth too often.
So he had mentally prepared himself to return to Argon Town and Shawn Village only once in a while, and whenever he did, he intended to stay long enough to make the trip worthwhile before departing again.
The very first thing Ember did upon returning was head straight for the guild.
His main reason was simple: he hoped to see his former teammates or at least hear any news about what they had been up to recently.
Since it was already evening, he figured it was the perfect time to run into them, as they would most likely be returning from their daily hunts around now.
With that expectation in mind, he pushed open the doors to the guild.
The moment he stepped inside, it took almost no time at all for the people inside to notice his presence.
Conversations quieted slightly, a few heads turned in his direction, and the usual busy atmosphere shifted just a little.
Among the first to respond was Disha, the guild staff member he had interacted with many times before.
The moment she recognized him, she waved cheerfully, her expression brightening with genuine happiness at seeing him again.
"Tet, you're back! I had a feeling you would return soon since it's been six whole months since the last time you visited," Disha said with a bright smile.
Ember nodded in acknowledgement, now noticing more clearly how much she had changed within that time.
Disha had reached her late twenties, and the small details showed it—her posture, her calmer expression, and even the way she carried herself behind the counter.
She had married a local blacksmith, someone well-known in town, and Ember had even attended their wedding two years ago.
Remembering that event now made him realize just how quickly time slipped by for others.
"Disha, can you tell me where I can find my party members?" Ember asked, keeping his tone polite but direct.
Disha's smile widened as she replied, "You just missed them, actually. Around twenty minutes ago they came in to exchange the materials they brought back for Valis. If I had to guess, I'm sure you already know exactly where they've gone now."
Ember nodded immediately.
He didn't need to think twice.
Every evening, without fail, his party members liked to head over to the old granny's place for booze and dinner before calling it a day.
It was practically a tradition they never broke, no matter how tired they were from hunting.
He thanked Disha for the information, and during the conversation he casually mentioned that the next time he returned might be much later—possibly after a full year or even a little longer depending on how things went.
Hearing that, Disha couldn't hide the brief look of disappointment on her face.
Ever since Ember had shifted from being a regular hunter who dropped by frequently into someone who spent most of his time traveling and improving himself, she rarely got to see him anymore.
Still, despite feeling a little sad, she genuinely felt happy for his progress and the path he had chosen.
She also understood something a lot of people often forgot—Ember was an Elf.
For him, the passing of time was simply different.
What felt like a full year to others was closer to the sensation of just a few months for him.
With Elves having far longer lifespans, their perception of time naturally stretched differently.
Disha reminded herself of this fact, realizing that even though his absences felt long to her, to Ember they weren't nearly as long as they seemed.
Ember thanked Disha once more before heading out, walking quickly toward Old Granny Naria's tavern, the usual gathering place for adventurers finishing their day.
As he approached the familiar building, he could already hear the noise leaking through the windows—the lively chatter, clinking plates, and occasional bursts of laughter.
The place seemed even more crowded than usual, bustling with activity from hunters returning from their daily hunts.
Stepping inside, Ember scanned the room and immediately spotted his former teammates—Amalda, Aika, Mika, Bosh, Newton, and even Chad, who surprisingly was present despite how busy he usually claimed to be as now a married man and a Dad.
They were sitting together at their usual long table, already halfway through dinner, plates full of steak and drinks scattered across the table.
They were so engrossed in their conversation and food that none of them noticed Ember walking in at first.
However, Mika, who happened to be facing his direction, froze for a second before her eyes widened.
She shot up from her seat slightly and yelled, "Guys! Is that Tet I'm seeing right now?!"
Her loud voice instantly drew the attention of the rest of the group. E
veryone turned to look where she was pointing, and when they recognized that it truly was Ember—Tithonus—they looked stunned for a brief moment before breaking into smiles.
Ember simply spread his arms out with a smug grin and said, "Well, I guess I'm busted… And here I was hoping to surprise Chad. That plan didn't last even a few seconds."
He added a deliberately mischievous smile at the end.
"Hey, hey! What do you mean by surprising me?! I'm a married man now!" Chad protested immediately, though the exaggerated panic in his voice made it obvious he wasn't actually upset.
"At least think about my health before giving me shocks like this! I don't want to drop dead in the middle of dinner!"
Despite the complaints, Chad still got up from his seat and walked over to pull Ember into a tight hug.
It was clear from the way he clapped Ember on the back that he genuinely meant it.
"Damn, man… I've actually been missing you. You have no idea," Chad said, pulling back slightly while still holding onto Ember's shoulders.
"What about you? Did you even miss us a little, or did you disappear so far into training that you forgot we even existed?"
Ember shrugged lightly, not bothering to hide his honesty.
"Well, I've been too busy to miss anyone… except Aurora."
Bosh grinned widely the moment he reached Ember and gave him a firm smack on the shoulder, the kind of friendly hit that almost made Ember stumble.
"Hah! So that's how it is, huh? You only remember your precious goddess now? Did you really forget your old party members that quickly?"
Aika crossed her arms and leaned forward slightly, her expression a mix of teasing and mild jealousy.
"Seriously. I guess he's already too busy running around with whatever new 'elite party' he's got these days. People change fast, don't they?"
"I knew it…" Mika sighed dramatically, shaking her head as if her heart had just been shattered.
"Tet really abandoned us. Look at him acting all important."
Amalda chuckled softly at their exaggerated reactions, clearly amused.
Newton, meanwhile, offered a simple but sincere smile and said, "It's really nice to see you again, bro. It feels like forever."
"Same to you, Newton. I genuinely hope an apple falls on you soon," Ember replied with a wide, innocent smile that made Newton stare at him blankly.
Newton rubbed the back of his head, looking genuinely confused.
"I still don't get why you always say that. I even tried dropping an apple on myself once, and absolutely nothing happened. Is it some kind of Elf tradition I just don't understand?"
Hearing that, Ember burst out laughing, unable to hold it in.
Newton, as straightforward as ever, had somehow managed to misunderstand that it was some sort of joke completely.
'Yeah… this version of Newton definitely isn't the genius type,' Ember thought to himself, amused by the familiar silliness.
Finally, Ember pulled out a chair and joined them at the crowded table.
"Miss Naria! Bring us another serving of your special dish! Tet finally came back!" Amalda called out excitedly, raising her voice so it could reach the kitchen over the noise of the busy tavern.
From behind the counter, the old woman responded immediately, loud enough for half the customers to hear, "Is that so? The polite boy is back? Well then! A special portion for a special boy is on the way!"
Ember felt a small twitch in his cheek.
He still wasn't entirely sure how to react whenever she called him a boy.
He was twenty-four years old, a full adult, and had seen enough danger to earn the right to be called a man.
Still, considering even humans saw twenty-four as relatively young—and the fact that Naria was practically old enough to be his grandmother—he decided not to argue.
It wasn't wrong from her perspective.
Chad, meanwhile, leaned back in his seat, holding a bowl of mutton soup as he spoke.
"Alright then, spill it. What've you been up to for the last six months? And don't say 'just adventuring.' We know you. You always end up doing something weird or unexpected."
Ember took a calm sip of water before answering.
"Actually, you might be surprised. I haven't been doing much adventuring lately. In fact… I have an official job now."
The moment those words left Ember's mouth, Chad choked so violently that he accidentally sprayed a mouthful of mutton soup all over Newton's face and shirt.
Newton froze in place, soup dripping down his chin, looking like someone had just thrown a bucket of warm broth at him.
The rest of the table burst into laughter, while Chad leaned forward, coughing and pounding his chest.
"You—official job?!" Chad wheezed, eyes wide.
"You? Since when do you settle down enough to take a real job?! Don't mess with me, man!"
"Damn it, Chad! When are you ever going to stop doing that?!" Newton complained loudly, pulling out a slightly crumpled handkerchief and wiping the soup that was dripping down his face.
He looked genuinely irritated, though everyone could tell this wasn't the first time Chad had done something like this.
Bosh let out a long sigh, rubbing his forehead.
"Seriously, Chad, you need to pick one. Either eat quietly like a normal person or talk without stuffing your mouth. Doing both is a hazard to everyone around you."
Once Newton was no longer drenched in soup, Bosh shifted his focus toward Ember, and the rest of the party did the same.
Their expressions reflected the same reaction—shock mixed with disbelief.
Ember having an official job was something that simply didn't match the image they had of him.
After all, Ember wasn't just an adventurer; he was practically a training-obsessed, monster-hunting fanatic.
In the seven years before leaving for Altena, he had probably slain more monsters than their entire group combined, and that wasn't even an exaggeration—it was closer to a fact.
The idea of someone like him setting aside constant combat and exploration to take up a stable role somewhere, especially in a region even more dangerous than their own, felt completely out of place.
Amalda, however, reacted differently.
Her eyebrows rose, but instead of confusion, she showed genuine curiosity.
Being an Elf herself, she understood Ember much better than the others.
Elves often pursued knowledge while adventuring, and they valued learning nearly as much as they valued long life and nature.
"So it's true? Tet, you actually got a job?" Amalda asked, leaning slightly forward.
Unlike the others, she didn't sound shocked—only intrigued.
To her, it made perfect sense that Ember, of all people, might pursue something related to knowledge or magic.
And considering he specifically traveled to Altena—a city famous for learning, research, and craftsmanship, with the literal Goddess of Wisdom residing there—it wasn't a stretch to imagine him picking up an occupation connected to those things.
In fact, for an Elf, that kind of path was normal.
For Ember, it seemed like a natural extension of what he had always been aiming for, even if the others were still struggling to process it.
Ember then began explaining everything in detail—how he had registered for the Magic Craftsman Exam, spent months studying intensely, and somehow managed to pass on his very first attempt.
As he spoke, his former teammates stared at him with expressions ranging from disbelief to plain shock.
One by one, their jaws practically dropped.
Before Ember had left for Altena, they had all been worried about him.
Altena was far from Argon Town, and the stories they had heard made it sound strict, competitive, and unforgiving.
Worried about how Ember would manage there, they had gone to the guild and asked Disha for whatever information she had.
That was when they first heard about the exam Ember was now mentioning.
Disha had told them that the Magic Craftsman Exam was one of the most difficult certification tests in the entire region.
The average person needed nearly a decade—sometimes even longer—to study, prepare, and finally pass it.
Only after clearing it did the path toward becoming a recognized Magic Craftsman begin.
And while the exam was notorious for being brutal, the benefits afterward were incredible.
Passing it opened the door to potential positions within Altena's government, which were some of the most prestigious and hardest roles to enter in the entire country.
The reason was simple: Athena Familia accepted tens of thousands of people, but only those who passed this exam were even permitted to attempt becoming part of the administrative circle.
It wasn't enough to be strong—you had to be intelligent, disciplined, and capable of solving complex problems.
It was a gateway exam that filtered out almost everyone except the best.
So hearing that Ember—someone they knew for years as a monster-slaying, training-obsessed madman—had not only taken the exam but passed it on his first try was something they never imagined.
"Are you doing this because you want to get an official government position in Altena?" Amalda asked.
She was the first to recover enough to form a proper question, and everyone else leaned in, wanting to hear his answer.
Ember shook his head calmly. "No, not really. My first Development Ability is Mage, remember? Since I was already going to Altena, I thought… why not try aiming for something that complements it? I want my next Development Ability to be Mystery."
He paused for a moment before continuing.
"And besides, if I manage to gain that development skill, there's a good chance I'll qualify for guidance under a Grimoire Maker."
His words caused an immediate reaction.
All of them were stunned, even more than before.
The possibility of receiving guidance from a Grimoire Maker was rare—almost legendary.
Grimoire Makers were not only master craftsmen but also individuals capable of creating enchanted books that shaped the foundation of countless mages' growth.
Being taught by one was the kind of opportunity that only a handful of geniuses in a century ever got.
To think Ember had already stepped onto such a path… it left all of them speechless.
"Why am I not surprised… Tet probably wants to awaken even more magic," Mika said with a sigh, already understanding Ember's personality far too well.
Among everyone present, Mika was one of the people who had spent the most time observing Ember during their years as a party.
She knew that although Ember was an incredibly skilled fighter—a dangerous magic swordsman who could hold his own even as a pure melee combatant—his true strength had always leaned toward magic.
It wasn't just because he was an Elf, though that certainly played a major role.
It was also because Ember had an almost obsessive enthusiasm for magical theory, spell experimentation, and overwhelming magic.
To Mika, Ember wanting to gain more magic wasn't surprising at all.
If anything, she felt it was predictable.
She knew he was practically "magic-hungry."
If it were possible to awaken four or five magics instead of the usual limit, she honestly believed Ember would try without hesitation.
The others in the party shared this sentiment; they all agreed Ember was an all-rounder who could fill roles as a warrior, a magician, or a magic swordsman depending on the situation.
But no matter what other paths he could take, his magical talent was undeniably his greatest asset.
It had always been like that, and now that he had obtained the Mage development ability at Level 2, his magical potential had only grown even further.
Of course, Ember had revealed this part of his status for a reason.
It wasn't something he blurted out impulsively, nor was it something he wanted to brag about.
He revealed Mage intentionally.
First, he needed a logical and believable explanation for why his magic was so overwhelmingly strong.
There was no universe in which he could let people know that his parameters had already surpassed the S-rank threshold before he even reached the level required for such stats.
That would raise too many questions—dangerous questions.
Exposing Mage allowed him to avoid suspicion.
It perfectly justified his exceptional magic output in a way people would easily accept.
Second, by showing a visible development ability, he naturally diverted attention away from everything else he was hiding.
If people focused on him having Mage, then no one would ever imagine that he had something even more outrageous waiting at Level 2—especially not the extremely rare and powerful 'Mystery' development ability.
With Mage drawing all the attention, the existence of any second ability became invisible.
And lastly, Ember wanted his Argon Town friends to know the truth about at least one part of his growth.
Even if outsiders never realized his full potential, he trusted his old party enough to reveal this much.
Besides, having Mage as his development ability didn't give enemies much of an upper hand anyway.
Knowing that he was a magician didn't matter when he fought as a magic swordsman—someone capable of switching between close combat and long-range spells at any moment.
If anything, revealing Mage only strengthened the image he wanted others to believe.
In simpler terms, Ember revealed one truth so that he could safely hide several others.
As the group continued chatting, Naria finally walked towards their table carrying a large wooden tray piled with Ember's special portion.
The aroma alone made half the tavern glance in their direction.
Chad immediately complained the moment he saw it, "Granny! We've been eating for ages already! Why did you bring Tet's food so late?!"
Naria didn't hesitate—she smacked Chad on the back of his head with surprising force for an elderly woman.
"Brat, stop whining. I wasn't going to serve him cold leftovers. This boy finally came back after half a year, so of course I waited to give him something fresh out of the pot!"
Ember couldn't help smiling at her words. He accepted the tray with both hands and said politely, "Thank you, Grandma Naria."
The old woman chuckled in amusement, waving her hand dismissively even though she was clearly pleased.
"I barely get to see you nowadays. Before, you used to drop in every week without fail. Now you disappear for months at a time. Giving you a proper meal is the least this old lady can do."
Hearing that, Ember felt a surprising warmth in his chest.
He had always been polite and respectful, but realizing that he had actually created a meaningful place for himself in the hearts of people here—it genuinely moved him.
"Thank you again," he repeated, this time with deeper sincerity.
Once Ember began eating, the others gradually shifted the conversation to other topics.
Bosh leaned back in his chair and announced, "By the way, apparently Goddess Aschelois has outright refused to leave Argon Town. So… our original plan of eventually relocating? Yeah, that's pretty much dead now. Looks like we'll be staying here indefinitely."
He said it as if he was revealing an important conspiracy.
Aika, Newton, and Mika all reacted with varying degrees of resigned expressions.
Mika scoffed dramatically and rolled her eyes.
"Well, duh. Did anyone seriously expect her to leave? The adventuring industry here is exploding. Every year new monster, new hunting routes, and more merchants show up. The economic growth is insane. Why would she abandon a town that's basically becoming a hub for both adventurers and traders?"
She gestured around the busy tavern as proof, where dozens of adventurers were laughing, clinking mugs, and discussing hunts.
"And besides," she added, "we're already deeply rooted here. Our connections, our work, our entire livelihood—it all makes way more sense here than anywhere else."
Her words weren't wrong, and Ember—while quietly eating his fresh meal—could only agree silently.
Argon Town had changed a lot in the past few years, and seeing how much it had grown made him realize just how important this place had become for everyone, himself included.
As the discussion continued, Aika suddenly leaned forward, her voice dropping into a more serious tone.
"But honestly, I don't think this whole situation is actually good overall. If the adventuring industry is booming this much, then it basically means there's been a larger inflow of monsters than ever before." Her words made everyone at the table fall silent almost instantly.
Ember paused mid-sip, his hand slightly trembling, and the spoon slipped from his fingers and clattered softly back into the bowl.
"Is this related to the Dungeon again?" Ember asked, his brows furrowed.
Considering the Dungeon at this point in history hadn't been fully sealed yet, and monsters often leaked out through hidden passages, it wasn't an unreasonable concern.
"More like the great monsters are getting involved this time…" Mika exhaled tiredly, rubbing her temples as if the topic had already been stressing her for days.
Amalda exchanged a meaningful glance with Mika before turning toward Ember.
"The Behemoth has been rampaging across the regions near the Empire. Entire villages and small towns have fallen, turning into monster nests. Because of that, the number of monsters drifting outward and eventually reaching this region has increased dramatically."
Her serious tone and the heavy nature of the information made Ember's frown deepen.
Ember only knew a bit about the Behemoth—mainly that in the future it would be slain by the Zeus Familia, specifically by Zald, at least according to what he remembered from the Danmachi anime back in his previous life.
He also remembered the battle taking place in a desert-like region, definitely nothing close to the lush green territories near the Empire.
The inconsistency bothered him, and the fact he couldn't confirm anything made him uneasy.
Thinking about this unpredictable difference between the world he remembered and the reality he was now living in made Ember tense up.
His worried expression didn't escape the eyes of the others. Chad, noticing the shift in Ember's mood, reached over and patted his back firmly.
"Tet, why are you overthinking all this stuff? Relax. Disha already told us that both the Zeus and Hera Familia have officially gone on a quest to deal with the monster. They're already on the case."
Hearing that, Ember finally felt some of the heavy tension lift from his chest.
If those two top-tier familias were already moving, then there was hope the situation would be controlled before it escalated further.
The last thing Ember wanted was for Shawn Village or Argon Town to face a sudden monster attack.
The thought alone made him grip his bowl a little tighter, silently hoping everything would settle down soon.
"With this news, I honestly feel a lot better. You bastard, you should've told me that earlier," Ember said with a relieved grin.
Mika's eyes widened dramatically.
"Wow, Ember actually cursed. Seriously, Chad, you have this supernatural talent of making other people curse without even trying."
Her exaggerated reaction made the rest of the group burst into laughter, and Chad shot her an annoyed glare while everyone else continued laughing at the exchange.
"Anyway, Ember, hurry up and finish your food before it gets cold. We'll keep talking until you're done," Amalda said, nudging him lightly.
Ember nodded and kept eating at a steady pace, while the others casually chatted among themselves. Every now and then, they threw him a question or comment, and the entire atmosphere remained warm and lively as they continued enjoying each other's company.
The next day, after a long round of goodbyes filled with teasing, smiles, and promises to meet again soon, Ember finally departed for Shawn Village.
He managed to catch a ride on a wagon heading toward the Shawn region, and he recognized the driver as a local merchant he had seen several times before.
The man greeted him casually, and Ember responded before settling in at the back.
As the wagon rattled along the dirt road, Ember lay down on his back, staring up at the wooden planks of the wagon's rear wall.
While the scenery slowly passed by outside, Ember's mind drifted back to yesterday's conversation.
The words came back vividly, as if someone had whispered them beside his ear.
"Behemoth, huh?" Ember muttered under his breath, his fingers curling tightly.
'I'm still not strong enough,' he thought, clenching his fists even harder.
Even if Shawn Village and Argon Town weren't in immediate danger, the mere fact that something as terrifying as the Behemoth was destroying settlements—entire villages—far away still filled him with a cold, uncomfortable dread.
The idea of such destruction creeping closer made him feel powerless.
That familiar, suffocating feeling stirred inside him again—the same one he had felt many times in the past—before he took a slow, deep breath to steady himself.
He didn't know why, but the image of a massive black dragon suddenly surfaced in his mind, uninvited and vivid enough to make him swallow hard.
'One day… I'll kill them. Every last one of them… with my own hands,' Ember promised in the silence of his thoughts, determination burning beneath the fear.
After that, he quietly closed his eyes and allowed his mind to rest as the wagon continued rolling steadily toward Shawn Village.
To be continued...
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