Warm sunlight crept through the small window of the inn, landing on Gabriel's face. He groaned softly, blinking his blue eyes open to see the world glowing in shades of gold and dust. For a brief moment, he forgot where he was — no ruined kingdoms, no chaos — just the gentle hum of morning. But then, the peace shattered.
Clank. Clank. Clank.
The sound of metal echoed from beside the bed. Gabriel turned, expression twitching, and saw Shizuoka half-awake, dragging pieces of armor across the wooden floor. Her silver hair caught the sunlight, glowing faintly, though her movements were sluggish — more like a sleepwalker than a knight.
Gabriel rubbed his temples. "Shizuoka… do you have to wear your armor at sunrise? You sound like a marching band."
"Ugh… my back hurts," she muttered, collapsing back onto the bed with her helmet still in hand. The mighty armored warrior he thought she was yesterday now looked like a lazy cat refusing to move.
Gabriel sighed in disbelief. So that's why she wanted to find an inn immediately yesterday. She's just lazy!
He stood up, stretching. "Alright, fine. You stay here. I'll order us breakfast before you turn this place into a battlefield with your armor noises."
Shizuoka just groaned in response, curling up with her blanket like a tired child.
---
Breakfast at the Guild Inn
Downstairs, the smell of roasted meat and baked bread filled the air. Adventurers crowded the tables — laughing, arguing, some already drunk despite the early hour. Gabriel approached the counter and ordered two simple meals: soup with carrots and herbs, a slice of roasted bread, and a small mug of milk for each.
He carried the trays upstairs and set them on the table beside the bed. "Hey, lazy knight. Breakfast."
Shizuoka opened one eye, the scent of food pulling her from sleep. "Mmh… smells good." She sat up, her hair messy and her expression still half-asleep, but when she took a sip of the soup, her face lit up.
"Wow… this is actually delicious," she said between bites. "I could eat this every morning."
Gabriel smirked. "You're acting like you haven't eaten in days."
"I haven't eaten good food in days," she corrected, chewing happily. For a moment, the two just sat quietly — Gabriel eating calmly, watching the morning light stretch across the room, while Shizuoka devoured her meal with childlike joy.
After a while, she leaned back, patting her stomach. "Woah, I'm stuffed."
Gabriel chuckled. "Then let's go take a quest. Maybe we can earn more food money. Oh — the receptionist told me that the higher our rank is, the cheaper things get here at the guild. The room we're renting? Supposed to cost sixteen to twenty silvers a month, but they gave it to us for six."
Shizuoka blinked. "That's… a good deal."
"Right? And check this out." He pulled a parchment from his pouch. "I saw a Wyvern quest on the board — reward's ten gold coins! And we can sell the Wyvern's heart for another fifty! We'd be rich!"
Shizuoka gave him a flat look. "A Wyvern? You do know that's an S-rank monster, right?"
"Come on, Shizu! You saw what I did to that Minotaur yesterday."
She sighed, putting her helmet back on. "Fine. But if you die, I'm not burying you. Too much work."
Gabriel grinned. "Fair enough."
---
The Quest for the Wyvern
Downstairs at the guild, the receptionist was already busy sorting requests when Gabriel approached the counter. "Excuse me! We'll be taking the Wyvern extermination quest."
The receptionist froze mid-motion. "...What did you say?"
"The Wyvern quest!" Gabriel repeated cheerfully. "The one terrorizing a nearby town."
Her eyes widened. "Sir, that quest is listed as S-rank. You two are only A-rank adventurers! Wyverns have scales harder than steel — even high-level mages struggle against them!"
Gabriel just smiled. "Don't worry, miss. We'll be careful. And we'll bring the Wyvern's body back."
The receptionist wanted to argue, but the calm confidence in his eyes — the same eyes that belonged to the man who defeated a Minotaur with one spell — silenced her. "V-Very well. Please at least take healing potions with you."
Gabriel nodded. "We'll be fine."
As they left the guild, Shizuoka muttered, "You really like showing off, huh?"
"Only a little."
"Liar."
---
Journey to the Village
The morning sun was already high when they began their journey. The dirt road stretched endlessly before them, winding through open meadows and forests that shimmered with life.
"Oh man," Gabriel said, kicking a pebble. "It'll take forever to reach that village."
"No," Shizuoka corrected. "If we move fast, one day's enough."
Gabriel grinned. "Then we run!"
And so they did — sprinting across the plains like blurs of lightning and silver. The wind roared in their ears, grass bending beneath their feet. Occasionally, Gabriel would laugh, enjoying the rush, while Shizuoka tried to act composed but secretly matched his pace with ease.
After hours, they stopped to rest near a riverbank. Suddenly, a massive crash echoed from the trees. A boar — taller than a horse — charged at them.
Gabriel didn't even flinch. "Oh, breakfast's coming to us!"
Before Shizuoka could respond, he dashed forward, electricity crackling around his palm. One strike, and the boar fell, its body steaming.
Later, they roasted the meat by the river. Gabriel took a bite and nodded approvingly. "Not bad. Reminds me of home."
Shizuoka chewed quietly. "You're not bad at cooking, I'll give you that."
"Thanks," he said, smirking. "Guess Sensei's lessons paid off."
"Sensei?" she asked, curious.
He nodded. "Yeah. My teacher. He lost a lot of battles when I first met him, but in the end, he became the strongest in our dojo. He found me when I was weak… trained me until I could stand again. I owe him everything."
Shizuoka listened quietly as they resumed their walk. His tone carried warmth — a rare softness she hadn't heard from him before.
"Mind if I ask," she said after a moment, "what was his name?"
"Raizen Hayashi," Gabriel answered without hesitation. "And his girlfriend's name was Miyako. I didn't see her much since I was always training, but… she made him happy. He really loved her."
Shizuoka froze mid-step. "Raizen Hayashi…?"
Gabriel turned. "You know him?"
She looked away, her eyes hidden beneath her helmet. "No. It's just… a familiar name."
But inside, her thoughts spiraled.
Raizen Hayashi. That man… he tried to protect someone precious once. I thought he was trying to attack me. I made a mistake… I should have trusted him.
A flicker of guilt passed through her, quickly replaced by resolve. She reached into her satchel and took out a small, glowing ring — blue with a crimson gem at its center. It pulsed faintly, like a heartbeat.
Gabriel noticed the faint light. "What's that?"
"Nothing," she said quickly, hiding it. "Just… a relic."
He shrugged. "You and your secrets, Shizu."
She smiled faintly beneath her helmet. Not a secret… a gift.
She whispered a silent incantation, and the ring vanished from her hand, teleporting to an unknown place.
---
Arrival at the Village
By the time the sun began to sink behind the trees, they finally reached the village. The rooftops glowed orange beneath the sunset, smoke rising from chimneys, and laughter echoed from the streets.
"Woah," Gabriel said, looking around. "This village is amazing! My Sensei would've been shocked to see this."
Shizuoka chuckled softly. "You mention him a lot."
"Well, he's the reason I'm alive," Gabriel said with a grin. "Guess I just want to make him proud."
"You will," she said quietly. "One day."
As they walked through the village, the faint shadow of something enormous passed across the sky — leathery wings beating slowly, blotting out the sun.
Gabriel's smile faded. "There it is."
Shizuoka's hand went to her sword. "The Wyvern."
The beast roared, shaking the ground. Villagers screamed, scattering as the monster swooped low, its eyes glowing like molten gold.
Gabriel cracked his knuckles. "Well, looks like dinner's over."
Shizuoka smirked beneath her helmet. "Don't die."
He grinned. "Ladies first."
The two launched forward — lightning and silver colliding against scales and fire.
And as the battle began, the faint shimmer of a crimson-blue ring reappeared miles away — resting on a lone stone, waiting for its destined owner.
End of Chapter 6