Raizo stirred in his bed, sweat clinging to his brow. His breathing hitched, shallow and fast. In his dream, the sky was dyed a deep crimson. He floated in the air, helpless, watching the city of Galia below. The gates were shut, but chaos reigned outside. Adventurers clashed with demons under the blood-red moon, their cries lost in the roar of war. Blood stained the soil, and the trees bore witness to carnage.
His eyes drifted to a horrifying sight—a demon with crimson eyes, bat-like wings, and claws dripping in blood. A man with a beard lay near him, both arms severed, trembling in pain. When Raizo looked closer, his breath caught in his throat. The bodies of the Brightstar party… lifeless. Rjay, Nathan, Latina, Frey, Cid—fallen on the battlefield.
Raizo gasped and shot upright.
His chest rose and fell rapidly. The inn room was dim, bathed in early morning light. Was it just a nightmare… or a warning?
He dressed quietly and made his way downstairs. The scent of soup and bread reached his nose. At the table, the Brightstar party was already eating.
"Good mor—" Frey started, but paused when she saw Raizo's face. "Raizo, is something wrong?"
The others looked up.
"You look pale," she added, setting her spoon down.
Raizo forced a smile. "Oh, it's nothing. Just a weird dream."
They exchanged glances but didn't press further.
Rjay stretched and yawned. "Well, wash up and eat. We're heading back to Galia after this."
Raizo nodded and went to the washroom. Cold water met his skin, but the image of the dream lingered. Galia in flames… the Brightstar party dying… What did it mean?
Back at the table, the village chief Ragna entered and handed a paper to Rjay.
"Here's the completed quest form. I've signed it," Ragna said.
Rjay gave a small bow. "Thanks."
Ragna turned to look at Raizo. "That boy's something else."
The Brightstar party chuckled in agreement.
"You should talk to the Guild Master in Galia," Ragna continued. "Raise the kid's rank."
Rjay raised an eyebrow. "Not a bad idea."
Nathan nodded. "Yeah, Raizo did what most full-grown adventurers couldn't."
Frey smiled. "Let's at least try."
Raizo returned just in time to hear them.
"Talk about what?" he asked, brow raised.
Rjay clapped a hand on his shoulder. "We're going to talk to the Guild Master. Gonna get your rank raised."
Raizo blinked, stunned. "Wait, what? Why?"
"Come on, Raizo," Frey said. "A G-rank defeating an alpha wolf solo? You've earned it."
Cid smirked. "You might be the first in recorded history to do that."
Before Raizo could respond, Ragna added, "A villager's heading to Galia today. You can ride with him."
They all agreed. The carriage was prepared, and by noon, they were already on the road back.
By afternoon, they arrived at Galia's outer gates. The city looked just as busy as ever—adventurers shouting about potions, stalls selling monster hides, children playing in the streets.
"Man, riding in a carriage is way easier," Nathan said as he stretched.
"You're telling me," Rjay groaned. "We walked here in one day. Took half the time to ride back."
They thanked the carriage driver and entered the Guild. The atmosphere inside was buzzing with energy.
After collecting their quest rewards, Rjay handed over their group card. "We'll pick this up tomorrow."
Then he turned to the receptionist. "We'd like to request a meeting with the Guild Master."
The receptionist blinked. "The Guild Master? What for?"
Nathan stepped forward. "It's important."
She paused, then nodded. "Wait here." A moment later, she returned. "You're cleared. Second floor."
The party ascended the stone staircase. At the top, Rjay knocked on the thick wooden door.
"Come in," a gruff voice answered.
Raizo stepped inside and froze. His breath hitched.
The man behind the desk—broad-shouldered, grizzled beard, armor trimmed in gold—was the same man from his dream.
"You…," Raizo whispered.
"Hmm?" The Guild Master looked up.
Rjay stepped in. "Good afternoon, sir."
"Brightstar party, right? What can I do for you?"
"We'd like to request a rank evaluation for Raizo here," Rjay said, gesturing to him.
The Guild Master raised an eyebrow. "This kid?"
"Yes," Nathan stepped forward. "Raizo defeated an alpha wolf by himself. During the last quest."
The Guild Master blinked, then looked at Raizo directly. "Is this true?"
Raizo hesitated, then nodded.
"What's your name, boy?"
"Raizo."
The man stood and extended a hand. "Jade. Guild Master of Galia."
Raizo shook it.
"Hand me your Guild card."
Raizo passed it over. Jade studied it, then gave a nod of approval. "Come back tomorrow. I'll authorize your promotion to E-rank."
Raizo's eyes lit up. "R-Really? Thank you, sir!"
"No need to thank me. You earned it."
That night, they returned to the Silver Moon Inn.
The innkeeper smiled warmly. "Welcome back, Brightstar party—and Raizo. Staying the night?"
Rjay nodded. "Yup. Drinks and juice, please. We're celebrating."
As the group settled at the table, the innkeeper brought out bottles of ale and grape juice for Raizo.
"To our promotion to C-rank," Rjay declared, raising his mug. "And Raizo, our new E-rank adventurer!"
The mugs clinked, laughter filled the air, and for the first time since waking from his nightmare, Raizo smiled.
The morning sun bathed the wooden floorboards of the Silver Moon Inn in golden light. Raizo stirred awake, the memories of laughter, celebration, and the clinking of mugs still fresh in his heart. He stretched, feeling the warmth of that joy lingering in his chest.
"That night was fun," he thought, smiling faintly to himself as he opened the window.
The city of Galia was unusually quiet.
After washing his face, he went downstairs. The smell of fresh bread should have greeted him, but instead, the air was tense. The innkeeper was cleaning hurriedly, glancing at the door every so often.
"Excuse me," Raizo asked, "where's the Brightstar party?"
The innkeeper paused, then looked at him with concern. "About four minutes ago… one of the Guild's receptionists came. He told all C-rank adventurers and above to head to the Guild immediately. Said the Guild Master requested it."
Raizo's heart skipped. "Did… did any of the Brightstar say what happened?"
The innkeeper nodded slowly. "A boy—carried a sword on his waist. He stood and asked what was going on. I believe that was your friend, Rjay."
Raizo's eyes widened. Rjay...
"The receptionist said… a village nearby was attacked last night," the innkeeper continued grimly. "Only one villager survived, and all he could whisper before dying was… 'D-Demons.' Then the Brightstar party ran off in a hurry."
Raizo's blood ran cold. Demons…?
Without another word, he turned on his heel and ran toward the stairs. Bursting into his room, he grabbed his steel armor and dagger, strapping them on in haste. His breath was heavy, his thoughts racing.
Please let them be okay.
He sprinted out the inn's front door—and froze.
The city was different.
Adventurers—men and women of all races and builds—ran down the cobbled streets. Some carried swords and axes. Others wore thick armor, held spears, bows, or enchanted staffs that glowed faintly. Blacksmiths closed their shops, children were ushered inside homes, and the market stalls stood abandoned. Galia was preparing for war.
Raizo didn't hesitate. He ran—faster than he ever had—pushing through crowds, his armor clinking with every stride.
When he reached the Guild, he burst through the doors—only to find it empty.
His heart pounded. No… no no no!
Panicked, he turned and sprinted toward the city's main gate.
And there—through the crowd—he saw them.
The Brightstar party.
So close.
He raised his hand to call out—but before he could, the heavy iron gates of Galia slammed shut with a booming clang. Two guards stepped in front of him.
"Hey, kid!" one barked. "Only C-rank and above are allowed to exit. It's dangerous out there."
"Please!" Raizo begged, eyes wet. "Please let me through! I have to help them! I have to fight!"
One of the guards shook his head firmly. "No can do. Orders from Guild Master Jade. We can't let you through."
Raizo dropped to his knees, tears slipping down his cheeks. His fists hit the ground in frustration. "Please… just let me see them! Just let me watch!"
The two guards exchanged a glance. One sighed. "You're not supposed to be involved, kid. But…"
The other guard put a hand on Raizo's shoulder. "Fine. We'll take you to the wall. Just watch from there. Don't do anything reckless."
Raizo nodded silently, following them up the stone staircase.
From the top of the city wall, he could see everything.
Beyond the gate stood hundreds of adventurers, lined in formation across the plains. Nathan stood at the very front among the tanks, his shield gleaming in the daylight. Behind them were swordsmen like Rjay, their blades drawn. Cid stood with other assassins, cloaked and ready. Behind them were mages—including Frey—hands glowing with magic. At the very rear were the archers, Latina among them, bow raised, arrows ready.
Raizo's eyes were locked on them.
His family.
His first real friends.
Then, the ground began to tremble.
A low rumble echoed across the plains. Birds scattered from the trees. The air grew heavy.
From the front, Guild Master Jade raised his sword high. His voice rang out across the battlefield.
"ALL ADVENTURERS—READY YOUR SKILLS, ABILITIES, AND MAGIC!"
The ground shook again. A blood-chilling roar echoed from the distant forest.
"SHOW NO MERCY TO THE DEMONS!" Jade bellowed.
"YES, SIR!!" the adventurers roared back.
And then, the sky…
It turned red.
A deep, crimson red, like blood had been spilled across the heavens.
Raizo's breath hitched. His eyes—already wide—glowed faintly, the same hue as the sky. His heart pounded. His Gluttony stirred within him, reacting to something. Something hungry.
His hands trembled, clenched tightly into fists. Blood began to drip from his palms where his nails dug into flesh.
The guards looked at him, startled.
But Raizo didn't even feel the pain.
This sky… It's the same as in my dream.
Below, the earth cracked open—and from its shadows, the demons emerged.
And war began.