Chapter 106: Friends

Chapter 106: Chapter 106: Friends

"A leader is a dealer in hope." — Napoleon Bonaparte

The three months following their first contract transformed the group from a ragtag trio into a more disciplined and increasingly competent team.

Under Riven’s quiet, observant direction, each of his companions had found their stride.

Fen no longer fought like a warrior relying solely on brute strength. Sera had reshaped her entire archery style around speed and precision. Mira had expanded her perception and defensive magic until she could monitor an entire battlefield almost by instinct.

And Riven had become the invisible center holding them together.

In the training yard behind the Guild hall, the sharp ring of steel against steel echoed beneath the crisp morning air.

Fen wiped sweat from his brow, his blue hair damp and spiked from hours of training. His breathing was heavy as he reset his footing.

His heavy greatsword was held lower now.

It no longer swung with the wild, reckless momentum it once had. Instead, Fen kept the weapon anchored close to his center of gravity, exactly as Riven had demonstrated weeks earlier.

"Keep your left heel down when you pivot," Riven said smoothly.

He leaned against a wooden fence post with his arms crossed, watching Fen’s stance.

"If you float on your toes during a heavy sweep, a fast opponent will take your legs before your blade finishes its arc."

Fen grinned.

His curved obsidian horns glinted beneath the morning sunlight.

"Like this?"

He shifted his weight.

His rear foot planted firmly against the ground as he drove forward with a tight, explosive thrust.

The greatsword stopped an inch from a padded wooden dummy.

The force behind the attack was enough to splinter its wooden faceplate.

Yet Fen’s balance remained completely intact.

Riven nodded.

"Much better."

Fen’s grin widened.

"You know, I’m starting to think you’re actually a decent teacher."

Riven raised an eyebrow.

"Starting to?"

Fen laughed.

"All right, all right. You’re a great teacher."

A few meters away, Sera released three arrows.

Thwack.

Thwack.

Thwack.

All three elemental arrows struck the center of a moving target almost simultaneously.

The target spun violently from the impact.

Sera lowered her bow and turned toward Riven.

"I adjusted the draw weight like you suggested," she called.

Her purple hair swayed behind her as she walked closer, her white horns peeking through the strands.

"It sacrifices around ten percent of my maximum range, but my release speed has nearly doubled."

Riven studied her bow.

Then he looked toward the destroyed target.

"Your accuracy hasn’t suffered."

"Not even slightly."

"Then the adjustment was worth it."

Sera smiled.

Coming from Riven, the simple compliment seemed to mean far more than an ordinary word of encouragement.

Beside the archery range, Mira sat cross legged on a stone bench.

Her green hair had been tied into a neat braid, and the violet gem embedded in her forehead hummed with a steady glow.

"I can track three separate high tier mana signatures."

She released the spell.

The barriers vanished without disturbing the flask.

Mira looked toward Riven.

A small, rare smile touched her lips.

"Your training method worked."

Riven nodded.

Mira’s smile grew slightly.

"I hated every second of that exercise."

"You improved."

"Unfortunately."

Fen laughed from across the yard.

"That’s Riven’s secret. Everything he teaches you makes you miserable."

Sera rolled her eyes.

"Because you complain about everything."

"I do not."

"You complained for two hours when he made you practice footwork."

"Because footwork is boring."

Riven glanced at Fen.

"You nearly broke your ankle."

Fen’s expression immediately became serious.

"Exactly. Extremely dangerous."

Sera laughed.

Mira covered her mouth, trying and failing to hide her amusement.

Riven watched them quietly.

Three months ago, none of this had existed.

There had been no laughter.

No arguments over training.

No companions waiting for him at the end of a contract.

For most of his life, strength had been something he needed simply to survive.

Now he was beginning to understand something Elora had tried to teach him in the abyss.

Strength could also be used to protect the people standing beside you.

Riven looked toward the Guild building.

Their group had already completed dozens of contracts.

They had exterminated monster nests, escorted merchants, investigated missing livestock, cleared abandoned mines, and protected caravans traveling through dangerous territory.

Their Guild ranks had risen rapidly.

Fen, Sera, and Mira were now on the verge of reaching B Rank.

Riven remained officially registered as an F Rank rookie.

His actual strength, however, was something entirely different.

The Guild had no idea what kind of monster they had accidentally allowed into their lowest ranks.

And Riven preferred it that way.

His official status made paperwork easier.

It also kept unwanted attention away from him.

As long as nobody discovered the truth behind his actual abilities, he could continue working toward his goal.

Six months of verified contracts.

Six months until he could obtain the Temporary Imperial Residency and Transit Pass.

Six months until he could legally cross the border and return to the Human Empire.

And six months until he could begin searching for Elora.

Riven’s expression hardened slightly at the thought.

He had promised her.

He would find her.

No matter how long it took.

"Riven."

Sera’s voice pulled him from his thoughts.

He looked toward her.

She was holding a folded sheet of paper.

"The Guild posted a new contract."

Fen immediately walked over.

"What kind?"

Sera handed him the document.

Fen’s eyes widened.

Then his entire expression brightened.

"This is it."

Riven walked over.

"What?"

Fen slapped the contract against his palm.

"A d Rank Recon and Escort Contract."

Mira stood up from the bench and walked closer.

Her forehead gem scanned the document.

"That’s considerably higher than our previous contracts."

Fen nodded enthusiastically.

"Exactly."

He pointed toward the Guild seal.

"Several merchant caravans have disappeared while traveling through the high mountain pass of the Ashen Ridge."

Sera frowned.

"How many?"

"Two caravans in the last month."

The amusement disappeared from Fen’s face.

"None of them returned."

Riven studied the document.

"Any survivors?"

Fen shook his head.

"Not one."

Riven’s eyes narrowed.

"Monster attacks?"

"That’s what the Guild suspects."

Riven picked up the contract.

"What’s the deadline?"

"Three days," Sera answered.

Riven looked over the map again.

The Ashen Ridge was high enough that temperatures could drop below freezing at night.

The weather could also change without warning.

That meant limited visibility, difficult terrain, and potentially dangerous monsters.

Perfect territory for an ambush.

He folded the contract.

"We leave at dusk."

Fen’s smile returned.

"That’s what I wanted to hear."

Sera checked the straps securing her quiver.

"I’ll prepare extra arrows."

Mira nodded.

"I’ll bring additional mana crystals."

Fen lifted his greatsword.

"I’ll handle the food."

Riven stared at him.

"You mean you’ll eat the food."

Fen grinned.

"I can do both."

Riven shook his head.

For once, a faint smile touched his lips.

"Equip for cold weather. Full battle gear. Bring enough supplies for at least a week."

The three nodded.

As they began preparing, Riven remained beside the Guild board for another moment.

His eyes drifted toward the contract map.

Something about the missing caravans bothered him.

The Ashen Ridge was dangerous.

But danger alone didn’t explain two missing caravans without a single survivor.

There was something else happening in those mountains.

Riven’s fingers tightened slightly around the contract.

His instincts whispered the same thing they always did when something was wrong.

Be ready.

He turned away from the board.

They had another mission.

And this time, Riven suspected they weren’t going to find a simple monster nest waiting for them.

Whatever had been taking those caravans was still somewhere in the Ashen Ridge.

And they were about to walk directly into its territory.