My first thought:this isn't a social call.
She looks like an ordinary girl—maybe fifteen—but the hostility is unmistakable.
No, scratch "ordinary."
Blue hair usually means demon blood, and I've never seen that shade before.
Her staff is anything but common: a crystal sphere the size of a melon, deep sapphire and flawless, mounted on wood so dark it drinks the light. Way above my pay grade.
The robe, on the other hand, is threadbare grey, patched at the elbows, sun-faded to the point it clashes with her snow-white skin and aqua hair.
The oversized witch's hat tugs at something in my skull—an almost-memory that slips away the moment I reach for it.
Have I met her before?
I ask the void where my past lives; the void doesn't answer.
A sidelong glance at the white hound—dangerous, coiled—fills in the rest.
Lara Greyrat.
Even with amnesia I've heard the campfire tales: girl and dog on a world-saving tour, courtesy of the bizarrely-named "Dragon-God LLC."
Spread their merch, get paid. I've shilled a few pamphlets myself.
No idea which genius came up with that company name, but the marketing works.
Plenty of cosplayers have popped up; odds are this one's fake.
Real thing wouldn't waste time on a backwater like me.
I raise my guard anyway.
"…Can I help you, miss?"
She sizes me up, eyes narrowing.
"You're the one calling himselfMud-Z—Rudeus?"
"Not my idea, but yeah, everyone uses it."
The temperature drops ten degrees.
"Good. Didn't mis-target."
A thin, cold smile.
"What do you want?"
My hand drifts to the two-star sword at my hip.
Hostility confirmed.
"Did yourparentsgive you the nameRudeus?"
Accusation wrapped in ice.
That condescending tone grates.
I shrug. "Made it up. Now if you'll excuse me—"
"Made it up, huh?"
The smile turns razor sharp.
[Water Ball]
No incantation.
A sphere of water the size of my head slams where I stood.
I pivot left; the wind of its passage flicks hair across my eyes.
"Care to explain that?"
My voice is flat. That shot could have snapped a tree.
If the hound weren't watching, I'd already be teaching manners.
"Change the name and the nickname. Now."
An order, not a request.
"Little girl, here'smyrequest—turn around and leave. I'll forget this happened."
Months on the lawless frontier taught me: groveling doesn't buy survival.
"And if I don't?"
Staff lifts; the dog lowers into a sprinter's crouch.
Arrogant, unreasonable—
A memory flashes:Kill them all, burn them alive—
I crush the surge of bloodlust.
Where didthatcome from?
Serial-killer past? Great.
"Stay and find out."
Steel sings free.
The hound blurs.
[Mud Swamp]
It leaps clear, lands, charges.
I sidestep like a matador, slap another patch of mud under its paws.
Instant black fur.
"Barking gives away the timing."
[Freeze]
I flash-freeze the mire; the dog skids, snarls.
A magic bolt whistles overhead—standard front-line distraction, rear-line caster.
Textbook, boring.
Half a heartbeat later the houndshattersthe ice and lunges.
My specialty viscous mud, and it's already free?
[Light-Slash]
Bad move—charging straight into range.
Clang—!
I'm the one airborne.
Copper in my throat.
Those teeth are harder than steel.
But the arc carries me straight at the girl.
Dog's strong, not smart.
Caster's smarter.
"By the name of water—"
[Water Prison]
Upper-tier control spell.
She's holding back—no kill intent, just wants me caged.
Too bad the chant's slow.
Or she's rusty; she's been casting silently until now.
[Freeze]
I snap-freeze the forming sphere, kick off the ice, and hurl shards with a North-God twist.
[Mud Swamp]
Second layer underherfeet.
Let's see the glass-cannon mage wade through my pride and joy.
Shards miss vitals—returning her earlier mercy.
Bruises and a dislocated shoulder are on the house.
Her ring flashes.
My mud and ice vanish like they never existed.
I blink.
Magic… erased?
The hound barrels in again.
No time to ponder.
[Gravity Magic]
WHUMP!
Tenfold gravity pancakes the dog; the ground dimples.
[Magic Disruption]
I unravel her mud spell at the same time.
Gravity burns mana like a furnace—ten seconds max.
But I'm committed.
She hesitates—ring failed, confidence cracked.
I fire a water bullet, toned down.
Why not rock or ice?
Because she's still pulling punches.
She raises the staff, ring glowing, mana gathering.
A chill races my spine—premonition.
Not the dog.
Her spell—close-range counter.
Lightning.
I thrust my left hand.
[Lightning—]
[Lightning Cancel]
Compressed mana implodes before it can arc.
Reverse compression—trick I somehowknow.
She'sgoodat lightning; one heartbeat slower and I'd be charcoal.
My water bullet, retuned to bypass the ring, slams her left shoulder.
The joint pops; she staggers but stays upright, staff braced.
"Woof!"
The white blur rockets in.
I ignore it.
"Stay."
"Woof!"
The dog skids—because my blade kisses the girl's throat.
A bead of blood rolls down pale skin.
Ten seconds start to finish.
Looks easy.
Feels like luck.
One solid hit from the dog and I'm paste.
Her opening salvo could've been lethal.
If she'd hidden the ring's trick…
If I didn't know Magic Disruption…
If I weren't weirdly familiar with every spell she used…
But the scoreboard says I win.
I look down, voice cold.
"With this level of skill, you want to play savior?"
Her eyes flare—pricked pride.
I tighten the blade, debating a second warning—
Pain lances my skull.
(Hahaha… thanks to you opening the basement door, my plan proceeds perfectly!)
(Bastards… all of you die… burn, burn,burn!)
A red haze descends.
For a heartbeat I consider finishing the cut—
(Don't go to the basement—you were tricked by ——)
(——, follow me! I'll protect your family!)
The voices clash, memories without context.
I shake my head, forcing the storm back.
Enough.
I flick the sword.
Shnk—!
A finger arcs—half-severed, still attached.
Tendons intact; healing magic will fix it.
The ring's locator spell dies with the motion.
I exhale, steadying my pulse.
Can't kill her.
If seeing her triggers memory recovery, kidnapping is on the table.
Or… play dumb and tag along—might even scam some cash.
Yeah.
Cash.
Way more important than memories.
I sheath the blade and paste on my best clueless smile.