With the Chimera warning still in effect, all rookie adventurers were banned from entering the Oblivion Spire until the threat was resolved. For Renjiro, this was an unexpected reprieve, a chance to visit Fugo's new home once more.
It was around noon when Renjiro arrived. He caught sight of Fugo and his wife, Lina, seated at a small table on their veranda. The two were engrossed in a board game.
Renjiro was surprised, not expecting Lina to be into board games given her disability to see.
"A blind gamer?"
With a casual leap, he vaulted over the gate, landing softly in their yard.
"Good afternoon," Renjiro greeted them.
Fugo, already noticing him, offered a nod of acknowledgement. Lina flinched slightly at the unexpected voice. Her hand instinctively paused mid-move, but it did not take long for her to relax again
"Fugo's friend?" Lina asked, tilting her head in Renjiro's direction.
"Yes, it's Renjiro—the guy who eats faster than you."
Lina chuckled softly. "Oh, please. We weren't competing."
Renjiro stepped closer, peering at the board. The intricate arrangement of pieces made his eyebrows lift.
"Shogi, huh? Do you two play this often?"
Fugo smirked. "When we have time. She insisted on it after hearing me rant about losing to her brother back in the day."
Renjiro leaned in, studying the board. Fugo had Lina's king seemingly cornered, surrounded by his silver general, rook, and a pawn.
"Looks like you've got her trapped," Renjiro observed.
Lina tilted her head toward Renjiro, a faint smile gracing her lips. "Does he?"
Renjiro raised a brow and watched as Lina's fingers delicately grazed the raised edges of her pieces. The board they used was custom-made, with tactile markings on the surface and pieces specifically designed for blind players. It was clear she had memorized the positions and the strategy at play.
Fugo sounded confident in his victory. "Go on, then. Make your move."
Lina hesitated for a moment, her brow furrowing in concentration. Then, with a single move, she slid her bishop diagonally across the board.
"Bishop to 3d," she said calmly.
Renjiro blinked. "Hold on, that changes everything."
Fugo's smirk faltered as he leaned in to examine the board. Lina's bishop now threatened his rook, and more importantly, it uncovered a devastating fork that could force him to choose between sacrificing his rook or abandoning his attack.
"You suck, Lina," Fugo muttered, scratching his head.
Renjiro chuckles. "You got outplayed."
Lina chuckled, her fingers folding neatly in her lap. "Not hard to pull off. I just have to think more carefully."
Fugo sighed, shaking his head with a smile.
"You're such a pain."
"She's brilliant," Renjiro corrected, slapping Fugo on the back.
"And you? You're in trouble."
The game progressed, growing more intense with each passing move. Despite her disadvantage in the number of pieces left, Lina played with precision and creativity, forcing Fugo to think carefully about every move he made.
"Rook to 5e," Fugo announced, his tone steady. The piece slid into position, placing Lina's knight under direct threat.
Lina's fingers hovered over the board, brushing lightly against her remaining pieces. She adjusted her posture and let out a calm breath.
"Silver general to 4d," she countered, blocking Fugo's advance and subtly setting a trap of her own.
Renjiro leaned against the veranda railing, watching with growing fascination.
"How are you even keeping up with him, Lina? You're down to, what, four pieces now?"
"Three," Lina corrected, smiling faintly. "And I'm not keeping up. I'm cornering him."
Fugo chuckled. "Cornering me? With three pieces? You've got spirit, I'll give you that."
"Pawn to 3c."
His pawn slid forward, inching closer to promotion.
Lina tilted her head as if listening to the subtle shifts in Fugo's tone. Her hand moved decisively. "King to 3e. And your pawn's advance ends here."
Renjiro let out a low whistle.
"She's got you sweating now, Fugo."
Fugo wiped an imaginary bead of sweat off his brow, smirking. "It's fine. I've been in worse spots before. Bishop to 4c."
The game continued in this back-and-forth fashion, each move feeling like a miniature battle. Lina defended skillfully, using her limited pieces to stall Fugo's attacks and even mount a few counter-offensives.
Finally, after several tense exchanges, Fugo made his move. "Gold general to 2e."
Lina's fingers stilled for a moment. She closed her eyes, processing the situation. Fugo had moved his gold general into position, directly threatening her king. She was in check, and the only way out was to either move her king or block the attack.
After a long pause, Lina exhaled slowly and moved her king. "King to 2d," she said quietly.
Renjiro grinned. "That was close. You're really making him work for it."
Fugo paused, his fingers hovering over his pieces. He had Lina on the ropes, but he knew better than to get complacent.
"You've got spirit, Lina," he said, nodding in respect. "But this ends now. Pawn to 2c."
Lina did not flinch. She knew the pawn was about to promote, but she still had one trick left. She slid her rook into a position where it could check his king, forcing Fugo to shift his focus.
"Nice move," Renjiro grinned. "You've got him in a tight spot again."
Fugo laughed, shaking his head. "Whatever."
The game continued, growing even more intense. Considering that she had lesser pieces than Fugo, Lina playing surprisingly aggressive. The tension was palpable—each move could tip the balance.
Finally, after another few exchanges, Fugo slid his final piece into place: "Gold general to 1e. Check."
Lina paused, her fingers still on her pieces as she processed his words. After a long, silent moment, she smiled softly.
"Well played. I almost had you for a moment there."
Fugo leaned back, visibly relieved.
"Almost gave me a heart attack, too. You made me work for it."
Renjiro clapped his hands loudly, breaking the moment of mutual respect.
"That was a wild match. Fugo, you've got some serious nerve pulling off that last sequence."
Fugo turned to Renjiro with a grin. "Do you play these kinds of games?"
"Not a chance. They're too slow, too boring, and way too much thinking. No thanks."
Fugo raised a brow, clearly amused. "Then what brings you here, if not to play?"
Renjiro crossed his arms, shifting his weight dramatically.
"I came because I need a training partner. And you, Fugo, were the first person who came to mind."
Fugo's face turned a shade pinker, his composure faltering for a moment.
"Me? A training partner? Renjiro, come on. I'm not exactly—"
Renjiro cut him off with a resounding slap to the back, nearly sending Fugo stumbling forward.
"Quit selling yourself short, Fugo! You've been putting in way more work than you let on during those explorations. I've seen you out there. Keep your chin up, damn it."
Renjiro saw it firsthand, just how strong Fugo truly was. A normal person would have succumbed to the injuries he received during their last exploration, but Fugo kept on fighting.
What's more impressive was how well Fugo handled a sword, despite the little experience he had with one.
"Your performance proves you are a great fighter, Fugo."
Fugo rubbed his back, his expression caught somewhere between annoyance and gratitude.
One side of him just wanted to have some fun with his wife on his day off, while on the other side, he understood Renjiro's feelings on the matter.
The two of them will surely be in similar situations again, where they both will eventually face off against a superior monster that outclasses them. Training on days off made sense, given the goal they each had.
Fugo looked over at his wife, hoping for her to give the final verdict.
"How about it Lina? You okay with this?"
Lina answered, "It's okay. I don't mind."
Renjiro smiled with a playful glint in his eye as he said, "It's gonna be a brutal spar Lina. I humbly apologize in advance for any injuries your man might take in our little session."
"I understand. Fugo told me about yesterday's events. Thank you, Renjiro, for being there. I know that if you weren't the one with Fugo, that wolf would have taken away my reason for living."
She bowed deeply, her forehead nearly touching the floor.
"You have my sincerest gratitude."
Renjiro blushed slightly, "Don't mention it. Honestly, the same can be said for me. If it had been me—or anyone else in my party that wasn't Fugo—we'd have been goners for sure."
His expression darkened, the lightheartedness evaporating.
"And that's part of why I want Fugo and me to shape up. We need to be proper front liners, prepared for anything this damn tower throws at us."
Fugo listened silently, clenching his fists in frustration. He shared the same feelings as Renjiro.
"We utterly failed at protecting Kael and Irene when they needed us the most."
"I don't know how they managed to survive that ordeal, but whatever saved them feels like a one-time blessing. Next time, we might not be so lucky."
Fugo nodded after a moment of thought, the weight of Renjiro's words settling in. If he was going to keep climbing the towers, facing monstrosities like the chimera was inevitable.
Next time, he would not allow himself to be caught off guard—not when lives were at stake.
Without further words, the two men headed to the backyard, the air between them charged with determination.
They began sparring, throwing punches and countering strikes, honing their skills for the better part of the day.
.......
Meanwhile, across town, Kael was embroiled in a heated argument with his landlord.
Kael's one-bedroom rental was barely livable—cracked walls, creaky floors, and a leaky ceiling—but it was all he could afford. Now, even that was slipping through his fingers.
"What do you mean by a raise!?" Kael shouted, his frustration boiling over. "You just raised the rent last month, didn't you?"
The landlord, an older man with a permanent scowl, shrugged indifferently. "I said what I said. I expect payment at the end of the month. Understood?"
Before Kael could respond, the landlord turned and walked away, his lack of interest in Kael's struggles painfully clear.
Kael's anger flared. "You're a crook! Don't expect any payment—today's my last day here!" He stormed back into his apartment and began packing his belongings.
"Unfair! This is wrong!" he muttered bitterly, his words sharp as he tossed his sparse possessions into a worn bag. The place was a dump to begin with, but now the landlord's greed had pushed him to the brink. Kael had been barely scraping by, his mounting debts threatening to crush him.
The thought of paying more, when it felt like he was already drowning, made his blood boil.
As he stuffed his things into the bag, Kael's mind wandered to the shards Irene had taken home the day before.
"Those things could probably fetch a couple hundred gold," he muttered under his breath, his hand pausing as the temptation lingered. The thought gnawed at him, trying to pull him back on his word.
With a sharp shake of his head, Kael slapped his own cheeks, dispelling the thought.
"Forget it. Irene already has them. Changing my mind now would just make me a jerk."
He sighed deeply, dragging the bag toward the door. "Looks like I'm starting from scratch... again."
Once everything was packed into his solitary, worn bag, Kael headed for the Adventurer's Guild, hoping to find Renjiro or Fugo.
He had no idea where either of them was—Fugo's house had been a blur of vague directions, and he had no clue where Renjiro lived. The guild was his best chance.
Arriving at the guild, Kael's anxiety grew when he saw that none of his party members were present.
"Not a surprise," he muttered to himself. "Silly to think they'd be here on our day off."
Deciding to stick around a little longer, Kael wandered toward the quest board, hoping it might offer a distraction from his thoughts.
As he scanned the posters, a sharp, familiar voice cut through the noise, immediately setting Kael's teeth on edge.
"Oi! Isn't that Kael?"
Kael's stomach dropped. A burly man with a loud, obnoxious voice approached, grinning like they were old friends.
"Got my pops' money yet?" the man demanded, his tone shifting from feigned cheer to cold hostility.
Kael exhaled, forcing himself to stay calm. "Buzz off. The business between Mr. Thomas and me has nothing to do with you."
The man stepped closer, his grin replaced by a venomous glare. "Keep that same energy when you fail to pay this month's 'agreeable terms.' I'll be there to collect—with your face."
Kael swallowed but refused to show fear, maintaining a neutral expression.
The man smirked, then walked away, his words hanging in the air.
Kael grabbed a nearby chair and sank into it, his mind racing.
"Payday's coming up, but I have nowhere to stay," he thought grimly.
He had been cutting corners, skipping meals, and surviving on nothing but instant ramen for weeks to stretch every coin. Most of the money he earned from exploration had gone straight toward repaying debts.
"If I keep this up, I'll just barely make it through this month... but that's cutting it close."
Kael's thoughts wandered back to Renjiro's offer to let him crash at his place.
"That might be my best bet for now."
Suddenly, a burst of laughter from a nearby group of adventurers caught his attention.
"HAHAHAHA! So much gold!" one of them shouted, holding up a fat pouch of coins.
"Those blue shards sure do bring in a ton of gold!" another adventurer added, grinning broadly.
Kael glanced at them, frowning in disbelief. He recognized them as regulars at the guild's bar, known more for their drunken antics than their combat skills.
"Judging a book by its cover, I guess," Kael muttered under his breath.
Still, something about their success gnawed at him. The shards from Chimeras came in many colors, and the ones his team had acquired the day before were blue.
Hearing the word 'blue' sent a ripple of suspicion through him. "Was that a coincidence?" he wondered, but he quickly shook the thought off.
The guild had become the worst place he could have come to today. Frustrated and drained, Kael left the guild, his mind filled with too many uncertainties to resolve.
Kael walked down a familiar street, his thoughts were heavy and weighed down by the storm of pressure that seemed to follow him everywhere. His father's legacy of addiction and destruction haunted him relentlessly. The man had gambled away everything—money, their home, the family farm.
Worst of all, Kael's father had sold his daughter to the Souken Familia, the moment he realized she possessed a rare gift: Immunity to all magical abilities.
His father's actions caused Kael to keep his own gift a secret, fearing he might have been sold just like his sister.
His obsession had no boundaries, driven by a logic twisted beyond reason.
When the weight of his failures finally overwhelmed him, Kael's father had taken his own life, leaving his son to shoulder the debt that remained.
If there was anyone Kael truly hated, it was his father. He hated him, his choices, his entire existence.
Thanks to the man, Kael was bound to a life he never chose, one shaped by debts that had no end.
In the past, Kael had tried to run from his responsibilities, to escape the crushing burden of repayment.
But a large portion of the debt was owed to the Souken Familia. His father's agreement with them was clear: if the debt was ever unpaid, his daughter...
Kael's sister would die, and Kael would follow.
Even with that grim knowledge hanging over him, his father still ended his life without a second thought for his children's futures.
The only thing that kept his sister safe was the monthly payments to the Familia. As long as those were made, she would live.
"No normal job could ever cover this mess," Kael thought bitterly.
"That's why I became an adventurer in the first place."
His feet carried him almost unconsciously toward a familiar part of town.
When he realized where he was, he paused.
"Cruz Forge" he murmured. "This is Irene's place."
When he reached the shop, he frowned. It was already closed, despite being a weekday in broad daylight.
"Weird," he sighed.
Kael turned to leave but froze when he noticed a figure sitting by the shop's entrance. It was Irene's mother, Isha Cruz. She sat in a wooden chair, her face buried in her hands as she sobbed uncontrollably.
Kael rushed over, curious as to what had happened to her. "Mrs. Cruz! What's wrong?"
The woman looked up at him, her face pale and streaked with tears. "It's Irene," she choked out. "Some men—they—" Her voice cracked, and she began sobbing again.
Kael crouched beside her, "What happened to her? Is she okay?"