The skies above Eisenvald were no longer burning.
All that remained was a thin veil of smoke, hanging over the ruined city like a gray curtain of ash.
But for those who had survived—
the war was far from over.
Amid the shattered remains of the main gate, Seraphina stood in silence.
Her white armor was now stained with ash, small cracks running across several sections.
The mana within her body was nearly depleted.
Yet her gaze remained as sharp as ever.
In the distance—
Hax was still moving.
No longer fighting grand battles.
Simply finishing off the scattered monsters that remained among the ruined buildings.
One slash.
One step.
One threat erased.
Efficient.
Without excess.
Without emotion.
Seraphina watched him for a long moment.
"...He truly doesn't kill without reason," she murmured quietly.
One of the soldiers approached her.
"Hero Seraphina... we need to begin evacuating the city immediately."
She didn't answer right away.
Her eyes remained fixed on the black-armored figure.
"...We'll report this to the capital."
---
Several days later.
At the heart of the Kingdom of Etravia—
the royal palace stood in all its splendor, surrounded by towering white spires and golden banners fluttering in the wind.
Inside the grand audience chamber, the kingdom's nobles had already assembled.
The atmosphere was heavy.
Unlike any ordinary council meeting.
Because the report about to be delivered was no ordinary report of war.
It concerned Eisenvald.
And something that could not be explained with a single word.
At the center of the chamber—
Seraphina stood calmly.
Her sword rested sheathed at her waist.
Even so, her mere presence seemed to weigh upon the room.
A high-ranking official broke the silence.
"Report the events that occurred in Eisenvald."
Seraphina drew a slow breath.
"...A large-scale monster invasion."
"Nearly fifty thousand units."
Whispers immediately spread throughout the chamber.
But she wasn't finished.
"...Their chain of command had changed."
She paused.
"...Something was controlling them."
Silence instantly fell over the room.
An elderly noble stepped forward.
"Hero Seraphina... are you saying they had a commander?"
She nodded.
"...Valtherion."
Several people visibly flinched.
That name had already appeared in military records as a high-level threat.
"But he wasn't the only problem."
Seraphina stared straight ahead.
"...There was another individual on the battlefield."
The atmosphere shifted.
"A Demon?"
She shook her head.
"...No."
A brief silence.
"...He wasn't like a monster."
"And he wasn't like an ordinary human either."
Several nobles exchanged uneasy glances.
Seraphina continued.
"...He appeared in the middle of the battle, but he never attacked us."
"...He killed monsters."
"...And secured the evacuation zone."
Whispers once again spread through the chamber.
"So he wasn't an enemy...?"
"Then what was he?"
Seraphina frowned slightly.
"...I don't know."
It was the first time she had ever uttered those words in an official report.
The Minister of Royal Security stepped forward.
"Did he bear the crest of any kingdom?"
Seraphina fell silent for a moment.
"...There was no clear identification."
"...Black armor."
"...Far too powerful to be an ordinary soldier."
"...Yet he showed no hostility toward us."
The room slowly began arriving at its own conclusion.
A young noble spoke quietly.
"...Perhaps... he isn't from this world."
Silence.
The words fell into the room like a stone dropped into still water.
The Minister of Royal Security turned toward Seraphina.
"...Hero Seraphina."
"...Is it possible he was an envoy from another kingdom?"
She wanted to answer, I don't know.
But before she could—
a royal scribe suddenly opened an additional report.
"Supplementary report from Eisenvald..."
He quickly scanned the page.
"...The black-armored individual stated that he had been sent to gather information regarding the Demon King."
The entire chamber erupted.
"Sent?"
"From which kingdom?!"
"We've received no diplomatic notice!"
Yet somehow...
that only made everything seem even more plausible.
An immensely powerful individual.
No official records.
Entering the largest battlefield in the kingdom.
Observing.
Never turning his blade against humanity.
An elderly noble slowly nodded.
"...He isn't an ordinary soldier."
"...He must be the Hero of another kingdom."
Seraphina didn't immediately object.
Because one thing continued to trouble her.
She remembered the way Hax had fought.
Not like a monster.
Not like a demon.
Too controlled.
Too disciplined.
...If he truly comes from another kingdom...
...then the military strength of the outside world is far greater than we ever imagined.
Her hand tightened slightly into a fist.
And I don't even know who he is.
Eventually, silence returned to the chamber.
King Etravia—who had remained quiet the entire time—finally spoke.
"If that individual truly is an envoy from another kingdom..."
"...then we must receive him as a diplomatic guest of the highest rank."
One of the ministers immediately added,
"Or perhaps... a foreign Hero."
No one questioned the statement.
Because every other explanation seemed even less believable.
The king gave a slow nod.
"...We will invite him to the palace."
"...Provided he is still within our kingdom."
Every eye turned toward Seraphina.
"...Hero Seraphina."
"...You were the one closest to him."
"...Find him."
Somewhere beyond the capital—
the night sky was split apart by a black silhouette streaking above the clouds.
Hax never slowed his pace.
He didn't know—
or perhaps simply didn't care—
that far below,
he had already been given a new title.
The Hero from another kingdom.
And far behind him—
an entire world had begun rewriting its understanding of who he was.
----
Three days later, Hax walked alone along the mountain road leading toward the capital of the Kingdom of Etravia.
The decision wasn't prompted by anyone's request. It was simply the result of a logical conclusion.
Every clue he had gathered over the past several days—the Church, the Adventurers' Guild, and even the rumors surrounding the Demon King—ultimately pointed to the same destination.
If he wanted to understand how this world functioned, then the heart of the kingdom was the best source of information.
The stone road leading to the capital had grown increasingly crowded with merchants, horse-drawn carriages, and adventurers returning from their missions.
No one recognized the black-armored figure, but his appearance alone was enough to make people instinctively step aside and clear a path.
A small child even tugged on his mother's sleeve and whispered in admiration.
"Mom... that knight looks so cool."
His mother quickly pulled him away.
"Don't stare for too long."
Hax showed no reaction.
Interactions of that nature held no informational value.
At that moment, a thin notification appeared before him.
[Population Density Increased]
[Information Acquisition Efficiency: +340%]
The denser the human population, the greater the opportunity to acquire new information.
After reaching that conclusion, Hax came to a stop in front of a modest-looking tavern bustling with merchants, couriers, mercenaries, and adventurers.
The place held no appeal because of its food or drinks.
Rather, it interested him for a far more useful reason—
information.
The moment he pushed open the wooden door, a wave of conversations washed over him.
"...They say Hero Seraphina nearly fell at Eisenvald."
"...There were tens of thousands of monsters."
"...I heard another Hero showed up."
"...Not from our kingdom."
"...The one wearing black armor?"
"...They say he slaughtered hundreds of monsters all by himself."
Hax paused before taking another step.
Not because of what they were saying—
but because of how quickly the rumors had spread.
Even before the official report had reached the capital, stories already mixed with speculation had begun circulating from one person to another.
Rumors spread faster than facts.
He immediately recorded the conclusion.
In a world without the internet, taverns served as the greatest communication network humanity had ever created.
A waitress approached his table with a friendly smile.
"What would you like to order, sir?"
"Bread."
She blinked.
"Just a bread?"
"Yes."
A short while later, one medium size bread with wood plate was placed in front of him.
Hax sat in the corner—not to enjoy the drink, but to listen to the conversations surrounding him.
"I'm telling you, he's definitely a Hero from another kingdom," an adventurer at the neighboring table said.
"What kind of Hero travels alone?" his companion scoffed.
"If he isn't a Hero, then who else could kill that many monsters?"
"No idea."
Hax remained silent.
Behind the black visor of his helmet, however, another conclusion slowly took shape.
Humans disliked informational voids.
When answers were unavailable, they filled the gaps with assumptions.
And more often than not, an assumption repeated enough times became far easier to believe than reality itself.
Hax remained seated in the corner of the tavern for several more minutes.
The glass of water before him remained untouched as the adventurers' conversations continued to flow.
Most of them were still discussing the battle at Eisenvald.
The number of casualties.
The unprecedented scale of the monster army.
The mysterious black-armored knight who was rapidly becoming an overnight legend.
He had gathered sufficient information.
Slowly, Hax rose from his seat.
"Sir, that'll be three copper coins."
The waitress smiled politely as she placed a small tray on the table.
Hax fell silent.
He looked at the waitress for a few moments before slowly reaching beneath his black robe.
From within, he pulled out an ordinary-looking dark leather pouch.
It wasn't large.
In fact, it was even smaller than the bags most adventurers carried.
No one paid it any attention.
To them, it was nothing more than a Magic Bag.
Hax opened the pouch.
Then slipped his hand inside.
What was actually happening—
wasn't Hax rummaging through the pouch.
Instead, his fingers were touching the hidden Inventory interface concealed just beyond its opening.
The small pouch was nothing more than a disguise.
A simple cover to ensure that no one would ever discover the existence of his Spatial Inventory.
Without hesitation, he reached inside.
The first item he pulled out was a crimson crystal the size of a human head.
Heat radiated from within it, causing the air around the table to grow noticeably warmer.
The waitress froze.
Hax looked at it briefly.
"...Not this."
The crystal disappeared back into his Inventory.
Next came a golden longsword engraved with dozens of intricate dragons along its blade.
Even without being fully unsheathed, the immense pressure of mana it emitted caused two nearby adventurers to instinctively turn toward him.
"...Not this either."
The sword vanished.
Then came a black crown adorned with violet gemstones.
Followed by an ancient magic scroll whose sealed surface still radiated a terrifying aura.
The waitress was beginning to sweat.
"S-Sir..."
"One moment."
Hax continued searching.
Several seconds later, he finally withdrew a small leather pouch.
He looked inside.
Then poured its contents onto the table.
Clink.
Clink.
Clink.
Three copper coins rolled gently across the wooden surface.
The entire tavern fell silent.
"..."
"..."
Hax stared at the three coins for several seconds.
Then, in the same perfectly flat tone as always, he said,
"It appears my financial situation is rather concerning."
The silence lasted only a moment.
No one knew who started it, but several nearby adventurers immediately turned away, struggling to suppress their laughter.
One bearded man nearly choked on his drink.
The waitress blinked repeatedly, still unable to process what she had just witnessed.
Someone who had casually pulled out treasures seemingly worth more than everything inside the tavern...
...possessed only three copper coins.
Hax slid the coins toward her.
"Is this sufficient?"
She hurriedly nodded.
"Y-Yes, sir."
Hax gave a slight nod in thanks before returning the contents of his Inventory.
Before leaving, he asked another question.
"Is there an Adventurers' Guild in this city?"
"Huh?"
The waitress was still somewhat dazed.
"Y-Yes, sir. It's not far from the town square. Just follow the main road, and you'll see a sword-and-shield emblem hanging in front of the building."
"Do they exchange monster materials for money?"
"Of course. That's one of the Guild's primary services."
Hax nodded.
"That is sufficient."
He turned toward the exit.
But after only a few steps, a loud voice called out from behind him.
"Hey! Black Armor!"
Hax stopped.
A large adventurer stood with his arms crossed and a broad grin on his face.
"If you're really that short on money..."
he chuckled,
"...why not sell that golden sword? You could probably buy this entire city with it."
Several people laughed.
Hax considered the suggestion.
"...That is not possible."
"Why not?"
"The sword is bound to its owner."
"Oh..."
"Furthermore," Hax continued in the same emotionless tone, "there is a ninety-seven percent probability that it would destroy the storage facility if handled improperly."
The laughter vanished instantly.
The adventurer slowly sat back down.
"...Let's just pretend I never asked."
Hax didn't understand why the atmosphere had suddenly become awkward.
As far as he was concerned, he had merely stated a fact.
Without another word, he walked out of the tavern.
The afternoon breeze greeted him as the wooden door closed behind him.
Inside, silence lingered for several moments.
Only after the black-armored figure had completely disappeared from sight did one adventurer finally let out a long breath.
"...Do you guys think..."
He swallowed hard.
"...we just joked with someone who could buy an entire kingdom if he wanted to?"
No one answered.
Because ever since rumors about the "Black-Armored Hero" had begun to spread...
they were starting to realize those rumors might have been...
far smaller than the truth.
----
The sun had begun its descent toward the western horizon when Hax arrived at the town square.
Compared to the mountain road he had just traveled, this district was far livelier.
Merchants lined both sides of the streets.
Children chased one another through the square.
Adventurers came and went from various equipment shops, weapons still hanging from their waists.
At the far end of the square stood a three-story stone building with a silver sword-and-shield emblem hanging above its entrance.
The Adventurers' Guild.
Without hesitation, Hax walked inside.
The main hall buzzed with conversation.
Some adventurers were browsing quests on the notice board, while others relaxed with drinks, exchanging stories from their travels.
But the moment the doors opened and the black-armored figure stepped into the hall, the atmosphere gradually quieted.
"...Black armor?"
"...Could it be..."
"...The one from Eisenvald?"
Rumors truly did travel fast.
A female receptionist promptly approached him with a professional smile.
"Welcome to the Adventurers' Guild. How may I assist you today?"
"I'd like to sell monster materials."
"Certainly. Please take out whatever you'd like to sell."
Hax gave a small nod.
He pulled out his pocket called Magic Bag once more before slipping his hand inside.
Several pairs of eyes turned toward him.
One by one, he placed monster materials onto the counter.
Goblin ears.
Dire Wolf fangs.
Orc claws.
Several medium-sized Monster Cores.
The receptionist continued writing calmly.
"These materials are all in excellent condition. We can purchase every one of them."
"Good."
But Hax wasn't finished.
He opened the Inventory interface.
The items he had accumulated since arriving in this world appeared one after another.
Potions.
Monster materials.
Various pieces of equipment.
Then—
an icon far larger than all the others.
"..."
Only then did Hax remember.
Before the Red Dragon's body had crashed into Ashen City, the system had already reacted.
[Passive Skill: High-Value Auto Collection Activated.]
Because it qualified as a high-ranking monster, the dragon's corpse had been transferred directly into his Inventory before it could hit the ground.
As a result, what had actually struck the city had been nothing more than the aftermath of Comet and the rain of mana that followed.
"...I forgot."
He stared at the Red Dragon icon for a few moments.
An entire dragon.
Its scales.
Bones.
Fangs.
Claws.
Horns.
Even its mana core remained perfectly preserved.
According to the database he himself had designed, dragon materials were always among the most valuable commodities in existence.
"...I suppose I could sell it."
He paused.
"...If I take out the entire body, this room is too small."
After organizing his Inventory, he retrieved only a single scale.
It was nearly the size of a small shield.
Its surface reflected light like polished metal, while the lingering mana contained within made the air around the counter noticeably heavier.
The receptionist froze.
"..."
"..."
She stared at it for several long seconds before slowly raising her eyes.
"S-Sir..."
"Yes?"
"I-Is this..."
Hax glanced at the scale.
"A dragon scale."
He answered as casually as if he had just said,
"A deerskin."
The hall, which had merely grown quieter before, now fell completely silent.
One adventurer nearly spat out his drink.
"A dragon?"
"I heard that right... didn't I?"
"Who sells a dragon scale at the regular counter...?"
The receptionist swallowed nervously.
"P-Please wait a moment."
She practically ran toward the staircase at the back of the hall.
Moments later, hurried footsteps echoed from the second floor.
An elderly man with a white beard descended, breathing slightly harder than usual.
The Guild Master.
"What's happened that—"
His sentence stopped the instant he saw the dragon scale resting on the counter.
His aged eyes widened slightly.
He approached slowly, examining its surface without touching it.
"...There's no mistake."
"A Red Dragon's scale."
Several adventurers immediately rose from their seats.
A Red Dragon?
A Calamity-Class monster whose very existence was considered a rarity.
The Guild Master looked up at Hax.
"Where did you obtain this?"
Hax thought for a moment.
"The monster attacked me."
"..."
"I killed it."
The Guild fell silent.
There wasn't the slightest hint of pride in his voice.
He had merely stated a fact.
Silence returned.
Then—
"Hahaha..."
Someone let out a small laugh.
"That's a good one."
Several other adventurers smiled awkwardly.
No ordinary human could kill a Red Dragon alone.
Impossible.
Even the Guild Master didn't believe him immediately.
But as he inspected the scale once more, his expression gradually grew serious.
The cut marks.
The residual mana.
The thickness of the scale itself.
Everything...
was genuine.
He let out a long sigh.
"Then..."
he asked carefully,
"How many dragon scales do you have?"
Hax considered the question.
"Quite a few."
"Five?"
"No."
"Ten?"
"No."
The Guild Master began to develop a very bad feeling.
"...How many?"
Hax answered in his usual flat voice.
"Almost all of them."
"..."
"..."
"..."
Once again, the hall lost all sound.
Meanwhile, Hax calmly asked,
"How much are they worth?"
The Guild Master stared at him for several long moments before finally letting out a quiet laugh.
It sounded far more resigned than amused.
"...Our Guild can't afford to buy them."
Hax tilted his head slightly.
"You can't?"
"We might be able to manage... one dragon scale."
The old man pointed at the massive scale on the counter.
Hax genuinely considered that.
"..."
"What about the kingdom?"
The Guild Master's eyes widened.
"...The kingdom... probably could."
Hax nodded.
"Then I'll wait until later."
He paused, silently calculating.
"...In that case..."
He returned the dragon scale to his Spatial Inventory.
"I'll just sell these."
He pointed at the Goblin materials, Dire Wolf fangs, Orc claws, and ordinary Monster Cores.
The Guild Master released a sigh of relief.
"...Those we can still afford."
Not long afterward, a heavy pouch of coins was placed on the counter.
"The total comes to twenty-eight gold coins and fourteen silver coins."
Hax lifted the pouch briefly.
It was heavier than he had expected.
"Sufficient."
Just as he was about to leave, the Guild Master spoke again.
"Forgive me... may I know your name?"
"Hax."
"Just Hax?"
"Yes."
The Guild Master slowly nodded.
The name meant nothing to him.
But the black armor.
His appearance at Eisenvald.
And now...
a Red Dragon's scale.
Together, they painted an increasingly clear picture.
He looked at Hax with newfound respect.
"In that case... Sir Hax."
Hax made no attempt to correct the title.
To him, titles possessed no practical value.
What mattered was that he finally had enough money.
Meanwhile, without Hax realizing it, nearly every adventurer in the Guild had reached the same conclusion.
This man was no ordinary adventurer.
And if the rumors had previously claimed that a black-armored knight had come to Hero Seraphina's aid...
Then from that day onward, a new rumor began to spread.
About a man clad in black armor...
who casually walked into the Adventurers' Guild to sell a Red Dragon's scale—
only to leave because the Guild was simply too poor to buy it.