I felt it before I saw it.
It wasn't the flame reacting the way it usually does when danger approaches, nor that strange cold that precedes anything connected to demons. It was something else. A silent, heavy pressure, as if the air around us had decided to become more alert than usual. Walking at that moment felt different, as if every step were being watched by something that didn't need to hide.
We were at the guild headquarters when it happened.
The main hall of Vailor was relatively full that morning. Most were ordinary adventurers, some veterans resting between missions, other new groups arguing over rewards too low for risks too high. Nothing out of the ordinary. Even so, I felt a growing discomfort in my chest, as if the city itself were holding its breath.
Vespera was the first to notice my silence.
"You've got that look again," she said, resting her bow on her shoulder. "The look of someone who's about to drag us into something big."
"I haven't done anything," I replied. "Yet."
Elara crossed her arms. Her mana had been visibly low since the last missions, and the exhaustion showed in her eyes. "Whatever it is, I hope it doesn't involve excessive magic. I still haven't recovered."
Liriel floated a few centimeters above the ground, distracted, as almost always. The useless goddess seemed to be staring at a ceiling beam with exaggerated interest.
"There's someone new here," she said suddenly, with a strange tone. "And he… doesn't fit this place."
Before I could ask anything, the hall fell silent.
It wasn't a forced silence. There were no shouts, no impact, no dramatic entrance. Conversations simply died out, one after another, like candles snuffed out by the same invisible breath. The sound of footsteps echoed across the stone floor, calm, steady, unhurried.
When I turned, I saw him.
An elf.
Tall—much taller than any elf I had ever seen. Long, silver hair fell freely down his back, held only by a simple greenish metal ornament. His clothes weren't extravagant, but there was something about them that betrayed absurd quality. Every seam seemed loaded with intention. Every detail existed because it needed to exist.
But what truly drew attention was his gaze.
His eyes didn't scan the room like someone looking for threats. It was the opposite. It felt as if he already knew exactly who there posed any risk… and who meant nothing at all.
When his eyes passed over me, I felt the flame stir.
Not violently. Not like a warning. It was almost… curiosity.
The elf stopped at the center of the hall. The Guild Master, who rarely showed nervousness, stood up slowly, adjusting his posture.
"Welcome to Vailor," he said. "May I know whom we have the honor of receiving?"
The elf inclined his head slightly, a polite but distant gesture.
"Eldryan Sylvaelis," he replied, his voice calm and deep. "Leader of the Elven Guild of Aerendyl."
The hall erupted into murmurs.
Even those who had never seen Eldryan clearly had heard the name. An SS-Class adventurer was not just rare. He was practically a living legend. People like that didn't take ordinary missions. They didn't appear in mid-sized cities by chance.
Vespera whistled softly. "Okay… this is definitely not a good sign."
Elara shot me a tense look. "Why would someone like him come here?"
I already had a suspicion. And I didn't like it.
Eldryan continued speaking, unfazed by the impact. "I heard of unusual movements to the north. A structure that does not behave like a common dungeon. Organized troops. Frequent disappearances."
The Guild Master nodded. "Yes. We've been receiving reports. We're investigating."
Eldryan shifted his gaze… directly to me.
"I know," he said. "And I also know it isn't enough."
I felt every eye in the room turn toward me. I swallowed.
"You," he continued, walking toward me. Each of his steps seemed heavier than they should have been. "You carry something that does not belong to this place."
The flame reacted. Not with pain. Not with fury. Just… recognition.
"I felt you as well," he added. "Even before arriving in Vailor."
Vespera stepped forward. "Hey, hold on. He's with our group."
Eldryan looked at her for a second. Just one. It was enough for Vespera to completely lose her composure and misstep, almost dropping her bow.
"Interesting," he commented. "You trust him a lot. Even while missing so often."
She blushed. "I don't miss that much!"
Elara cleared her throat. "If you came to make accusations, be direct."
Eldryan finally smiled. It wasn't a kind smile. It was the smile of someone who fully understood the gravity of what was coming.
"I didn't come to accuse," he said. "I came to confirm."
He turned back to me.
"The Sixth Demon General is active," he stated. "And that dungeon… is his forward post."
The hall grew heavy.
Liriel slowly descended to the ground, serious for the first time in a long while. "So it's not just a feeling…"
"No," Eldryan replied. "It's preparation for war."
I clenched my fists, feeling the flame pulse beneath my skin. "And what do you expect from us?"
He stared at me for a long moment.
"I want to see how far you can go before you break," he said with brutal honesty. "Because when the final confrontation comes… there will be no room for weak adventurers."
Vespera clenched her fist. Elara took a deep breath, trying to contain the tension. Liriel looked away, uncomfortable.
I simply nodded.
"So you came to test us."
"No," Eldryan replied. "I came to walk alongside you. For now."
And in that moment, I knew.
The path ahead would be far heavier than any debt we had ever carried. And the name of the Deep Ice General was no longer just a warning.
It was a destiny approaching.