The morning began with Vayra.
That alone was enough to put Mugen in a foul mood.
The two boys stood silently inside one of the manor's briefing rooms while Vayra sat comfortably across from them, a glass of red wine in one hand and several papers spread across the table.
Her eyes lingered on Tamura for a moment before shifting toward Mugen.
"You two will be accompanying one of our merchants today."
Mugen immediately looked suspicious.
"Why?"
"Because I said so."
"Wonderful explanation."
Vayra's smile widened.
"I thought so."
Tamura remained silent.
He was still trying to understand why people willingly spoke to each other like this.
Vayra placed a small pouch onto the table.
"A simple exchange. Illegal Verdance crystals in exchange for gold."
"Illegal?" Tamura asked.
Mugen groaned.
"Congratulations. That's our first clue this isn't a normal job."
Vayra ignored him.
"The buyer is Lord TirMyre. He has purchased from House Mourncrest before."
"And you trust him?" Mugen asked.
"No."
"Good. That would've been worrying."
Vayra's eye twitched slightly.
Tamura noticed.
Mugen seemed very proud of himself.
"You will observe. Nothing more."
"Which means we're definitely fighting something."
"You always assume the worst."
Mugen stood up.
"Because I'm usually right."
The journey through the capital was uneventful.
At least at first.
Tamura found himself staring out the carriage window as the city passed by.
Massive towers.
Crowded streets.
Merchants.
Nobles.
Guards.
People.
So many people.
More than he had ever seen before.
Mugen spent most of the ride asleep.
Or pretending to be.
Tamura wasn't sure which.
Lord TirMyre's estate sat on the edge of the capital's noble district.
Large iron gates.
Stone walls.
Too many guards.
Mugen noticed it immediately.
"Compensating."
"What?"
"Never mind."
The exchange began inside a lavish hall.
Gold decorations lined every surface.
Expensive paintings covered the walls.
Several servants carried trays of food and wine through the room.
Lord TirMyre sat comfortably in the center.
A large man.
Well dressed.
Well fed.
The sort of person who had likely never worked a day in his life.
His eyes immediately settled on Tamura and Mugen.
Then he laughed.
"These are your escorts?"
The merchant accompanying them forced a smile.
"They are capable."
"I see children."
Tamura didn't like the way the man looked at them.
Mugen didn't seem to care.
The negotiations began.
Numbers.
Weights.
Amounts.
Tamura understood almost none of it.
Mugen understood all of it.
And apparently disliked it.
His eyes narrowed.
His fingers tapped against his arm.
Then suddenly—
He spoke.
"You're shorting us."
The room went quiet.
Lord TirMyre blinked.
"What?"
"The weight listed doesn't match the gold you're offering."
The noble stared.
Mugen continued.
"Actually, it's worse than that."
He pointed toward one of the ledgers.
"You're charging transport costs twice."
Silence.
Tamura looked between them.
Mugen looked annoyed.
Lord TirMyre looked caught.
The merchant accompanying them suddenly became very interested in the ceiling.
"Interesting," the noble finally said.
"You can read?"
"Can you?"
Tamura nearly laughed.
The merchant looked like he wanted to die.
The atmosphere changed quickly after that.
Far too quickly.
Servants disappeared.
Guards moved.
Doors closed.
And before either boy realized what was happening—
They were separated from the others.
Locked inside a large stone chamber.
Tamura immediately frowned.
"I don't think this is part of the deal."
"You think?" Mugen replied.
A deep growl echoed through the darkness.
Both boys froze.
Something moved.
Heavy.
Large.
Hungry.
Then two red eyes opened.
Followed by another pair.
And another.
No.
Not multiple creatures.
One creature.
One enormous creature.
The Rune Howler stepped forward.
Orange fur covered its massive body.
Rows of jagged teeth filled its oversized maw.
A spiked tail scraped against the stone floor behind it.
Its red eyes settled immediately on Tamura.
More specifically—
The pendant around his neck.
The beast growled.
Hungry.
"Well," Mugen sighed.
"That's unfortunate."
The Rune Howler lunged.
The stone floor shattered beneath its weight.
Tamura barely rolled aside in time.
Its jaws slammed shut where his head had been moments earlier.
The impact cracked the stone.
"What in the hell is that thing!?" Tamura shouted.
"Bad news!"
"Helpful!"
"I try!"
The creature swung its tail.
Both boys ducked.
The spikes carved through the wall behind them.
Stone exploded across the room.
Mugen attacked first.
Darkness surged from his hands.
Shadow spikes erupted from the floor.
The Rune Howler smashed through them.
Unaffected.
The creature barely slowed down.
Mugen's grin vanished.
"...That's worse."
Tamura ignited his fist.
Fire exploded around his hand.
He struck the creature's jaw.
The impact echoed.
The flames scattered.
The beast didn't even blink.
"...Mugen."
"Yeah?"
"My fire did nothing."
"I noticed."
The fight quickly turned into a brawl.
No spells.
No clever tricks.
Just survival.
The Rune Howler was faster than it should've been.
Stronger than anything Tamura had ever seen.
The boys were forced to dodge, strike, retreat, and repeat.
Again.
And again.
And again.
Yet somehow—
Mugen kept matching it.
Every time the creature lunged, he pushed it aside.
Every time it charged, he met it head-on.
Tamura stared in disbelief.
There was no enhancement Verdance.
No visible strengthening.
Yet Mugen was physically overpowering something three times his size.
"What are you?" Tamura shouted.
Mugen grunted as he shoved the beast backward.
"A genius."
"That's not an answer!"
"It's the only one you're getting!"
The Rune Howler adapted.
Its eyes narrowed.
Its body lowered.
Then it suddenly ignored Tamura completely.
It went straight for Mugen.
Fast.
Too fast.
Mugen tried to move.
Too late.
The beast slammed into him.
Its jaws closed around his shoulder and side.
A sickening crunch echoed through the room.
Mugen screamed.
For the first time.
The sound froze Tamura where he stood.
Blood splashed across the stone floor.
The Rune Howler lifted Mugen into the air like a toy.
The older boy's face twisted in pain.
His shadows flickered.
Weak.
Unstable.
Something inside Tamura snapped.
The room suddenly felt hotter.
The air distorted.
His heart pounded.
Louder.
Louder.
LOUDER.
The Rune Howler growled.
The beast looked toward him.
For the first time—
It looked uncertain.
Tamura slowly raised his head.
His purple eyes burned crimson.
The tips of his dark hair ignited.
Heat poured from his body.
The stone beneath his feet began to crack.
And somewhere deep inside—
Something answered.
Something ancient.
Something furious.
Mugen's voice barely reached him.
"Tamura..."
The room trembled.
The heat rose.
And Tamura took a step forward.