Annoyance spread across their faces as they moved together back to their spots around the fire, crossing their arms like two sulking children.

  But Noroi paid them no mind.

  Haruki couldn't stay silent any longer; he unclasped his hands and protested Noroi's decision.

  "Why??"

  "Haruki, you literally almost died from a simple centaur that was about to trample you with its hoof. How do you expect to face the mysterious creatures there that are a hundred times stronger than that centaur?"

  Haruki's arguments died in his throat in the face of Noroi's logic, leaving him frustrated at his own weakness against the creatures of this world.

  His gaze drifted sideways with a saddened expression, muttering softly.

  "Alright…"

  Noroi nodded in approval at Haruki and began explaining the nature of the monsters in the area and what he had managed to learn.

  "Each region has different monsters, ranked across several levels from one to five. The monsters we encountered in the market are classified as Level Five, with the strongest among them being Level Four. Level Three consists of guards and soldiers. As the levels rise, the number of monsters in each level decreases. The creatures inhabiting caves and isolated areas are Level Two, while the King at Level One is our target, as he possesses one of the six pieces we need to escape this world."

  He continued speaking while Haruki and Yamika listened intently, trying to understand what they must do to survive.

  From some unknown source to the two, Haruki was simply too na?ve to doubt his "friend"; to him, Noroi was like an old wise guide in games, a mentor whose sources were unquestionable.

  Noroi concluded his explanation.

  "And let's not forget that each region has its own unique style, its own monsters, and its own way of life."

  Haruki raised his hands to his hair, running them through in frustration at the sheer amount of information he had just received from Noroi, before shouting in exasperation.

  "And how are we supposed to survive all of this?!"

  He flopped backward, landing on the green grass, and gazed up at the sky above him.

  Noroi watched Haruki's collapsing state with a tired expression, weary of the boy's occasional foolishness, and sighed before responding to Haruki's dramatic question.

  Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

  "You know you can avoid engaging with the Level Four monsters."

  Haruki immediately gathered all his energy and hope as Noroi's words reached his ears.

  His smile lit up his eyes, and he asked excitedly.

  "And how is that?!"

  Noroi pinched the bridge of his nose at Haruki's question, and he already looked genuinely numb from the sheer stupidity of that boy, replying coldly.

  "For the weaker levels, we can disguise ourselves to blend into their society."

  "Ohhh, right, disguise… sorry, I forgot."

  But Yamka, who had been following the conversation with slight interest, tilted her head a little upon hearing the word disguise.

  Her lips parted in confusion as she asked.

  "And why do we have to disguise ourselves?"

  The boys turned to her, and the first to answer was Haruki.

  "Because the monsters attack humans."

  Haruki's answer increased Yamka's confusion even more, as yesterday's incident lit up in her memory.

  She shook her head in disbelief and said.

  "But no one attacked me yesterday in the markets."

  Haruki was surprised by her words, as the monsters had attacked him as soon as they discovered his species, while Yamka had remained unharmed.

  Noroi, however, responded with biting sarcasm.

  "Maybe because they thought you were one of the wild boars."

  Yamka's breathing quickened with rage; she clenched her fists tightly and pressed her teeth together, releasing her words in a sharp tone.

  "You won't stay quiet before I turn your bones into a necklace!"

  Noroi gave a look full of mockery and challenge, showing no fear at all.

  "Oh, you've really terrified me."

  Yamka's pent-up anger since their meeting exploded; she lunged at him quickly, grabbed his shirt collar firmly, and pulled him toward her.

  "You're getting on my nerves, crow! I'm not someone to mess with!"

  Haruki, who was watching the scene escalate before him, felt extremely tense and stepped forward, trying to intervene and break up the conflict, but Noroi pushed him aside, speaking in a sharp and annoyed tone, as a wave of negative emotions had accumulated inside him, overtaking his body entirely.

  He shouted at Haruki in anger.

  "You are not a goodwill ambassador or a peace adviser, Haruki, so stay out of this for a moment and don't stick your nose in!"

  Noroi shoved Yamka's body back, creating distance between them, declaring the start of their battle.

  Her expression darkened at his declaration, for a Viking never retreats from a fight.

  She clenched the wooden handle of her axe so tightly her knuckles turned white, leaning slightly forward in a savage battle stance as strands of hair fell over her forehead.

  "Oh, if that's how you want it… then so be it!"

  At that ferocious sight and those dangerous words from Yamka, Noroi pressed the buttons on his iron wrist device, releasing the hidden blade with its sharp edge.

  His expression was devoid of friendliness or intent to withdraw, determined to fight as his eyes tracked every movement of her body.

  Their gazes locked, brimming with hatred and hostility.

  With the spark of tension flaring between them, Haruki felt extremely uneasy, torn between stepping in or staying back to watch.

  He didn't want them to fight, yet he seemed hopeless to stop them.

  Dust scattered as they launched toward each other at the same moment.

  Yamka struck first, raising her grip high as the shining blade came down directly toward Noroi's head.

  Noroi slipped lightly to his left just before the sharp edge could touch him, then lifted his leg to strike at Yamka's grip, attempting to force her to release it.

  Her body was driven backward with force, but her feet refused to leave the ground or yield, leaving twin grooves in the dirt from the push.

  Still, her joints had already begun to bleed from the blow.

  She readjusted her stance.

  "Your end will be in my hands."