《No elemental affinity》


 Episode 1 - A Boy is Born

    We open on a scene featuring a man and woman. The woman, full of life and excitement, bounces around with her loving partner despite her prominent belly. Moments later, they both take a seat, gazing lovingly at one another. A large window in front of them bathes their faces in light, and passersby outside smile at the couple, who are eagerly awaiting a new addition to their family. Behind the onlookers stands the striking building known as Arcane.


    We fade to black, transitioning to the woman in labor, breathing heavily as sweat drips down her face. Her partner gently holds her hand and whispers in her ear, ¡°It¡¯s all going to be okay.¡± Nurses and doctors rush in to assist with the delivery. The baby is born¡ªa healthy young boy. The nurse hands the child to the smiling woman, who cradles him for the first time. Her smile quickly fades into a scowl as she mutters under her breath, ¡°Oh, it¡¯s his.¡± Turning to her partner, she feigns a smile and asks, ¡°Do you want to hold your son?¡±


    The man hesitates, responding, ¡°Won¡¯t I hurt him?¡± The nurses chuckle and reassure him, ¡°Don¡¯t be silly.¡± We fade to black as the boy is handed to the man.


    The nurse checks the baby boy¡¯s affinity several times, convinced that the results are unbelievable. After multiple attempts, the conclusion is clear: the boy has no affinity for any elements. She hands the baby to the father and whispers, ¡°I¡¯ve tested him several times, and the results are consistent¡ªyour son has no affinity.¡± The father reacts with disbelief, yelling, ¡°Nonsense! There has never been a recorded case of someone with no affinity. Run the test again!¡± The nurse calmly replies, ¡°As I mentioned, we tested him multiple times, sir.¡±


    The mother, sensing the tension, weakly asks, ¡°What¡¯s wrong, dear?¡± The father responds, ¡°The nurse says our son has no affinity.¡± The scene fades to black, and we find the parents discussing how to dispose of him and make it look like an accident. They already face judgment for giving birth to a nullborn and don¡¯t want to be seen as murderers. They decide to arrange a trip and stage an attack by bandits.


    Recalling the disdainful faces of the villagers, the mother throws the baby without hesitation. He lands in a bush by the roadside, his blanket snagging on a branch and leaving him exposed to the elements. A hooded adventurer notices the blanket fluttering in the wind, followed by the sound of a baby crying. She approaches to investigate and finds the newborn severely injured by thorns.


    Furious, she bellows, ¡°Who would do this? Argh! Filthy humans!¡± As she shouts ¡°filthy humans,¡± she punches a nearby tree, the impact knocking off her hood to reveal a beautiful Dark Elf with tears streaming down her face. She turns to the boy, picks him up, and he instantly stops crying. The Dark Elf smiles and says, ¡°It¡¯s okay, I¡¯ll be your mother.¡±


    (A montage shows the boy growing up and experiencing milestones: his first sword, standing up for the first time, taking his first steps, etc.)


    Once he can walk freely, the boy begins to explore his surroundings, venturing further each day. Since their homestead in the forest is safe from any hostile monsters nearby, the Dark Elf encourages his curiosity. As days pass, the boy eventually wanders into the local forest, where he encounters his first monster: a Slime.


    Having only known his mother, the boy is filled with curiosity. He approaches the slime and starts to poke it. The slime interprets this as an attack and scurries away, causing the boy to cry, thinking he has done something wrong. Seeing the boy in distress, the slime realizes he meant no harm and cautiously approaches. It jumps onto his head, signaling that it wants to play. The boy beams with joy and spends hours playing with the slime.


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    As time passes, the Dark Elf begins to worry about her son¡¯s whereabouts and calls out, ¡°L¡¯arc! Where are you?¡± When she hears giggling from the trees in front of the hut, she follows the sound and discovers L''arc happily playing with the slime. Initially concerned, she instinctively tells him to stop, aware that it''s a monster, but seeing his unrestrained joy makes her smile. ¡°Be careful; not all monsters are friendly¡ªmost aren¡¯t,¡± she gently warns. Then, she adds, ¡°Anyway, it¡¯s time for dinner. Let¡¯s go, and make sure to say goodbye to your friend.¡±


    A year later, the Dark Elf practices her sword swings on a makeshift dummy. L''Arc watches her and attempts to lift one of the swords, but it proves too heavy for him. Noticing his struggle, the Dark Elf stifles a laugh and says, ¡°You¡¯re still too young to wield a proper sword. Here, I made this for you, anticipating this day.¡± She hands L''Arc a wooden curved sword. He desperately tries to lift it but finds himself still too weak. The Dark Elf reassures him, saying, ¡°Don¡¯t worry; you¡¯re still growing. Give it time.¡±


    In the following months, L''Arc divides his time between trying to lift the sword and playing with his slime friend.


    L''arc goes to the forest to play with his friend, a slime. They start with a game of hide and seek, but after several unsuccessful attempts to find the slime, L''arc grows frustrated and suggests a different activity. He begins tossing the slime into the air and catching it. L''arc laughs and giggles, clearly enjoying the moment, while the slime jiggles in delight, indicating its enjoyment as well.


    Suddenly, a human clad in leather armor enters the clearing where L''arc and the slime are playing. Disgusted by the sight of a human playing with a monster, he rushes over to L''arc and kicks him away just as the slime is airborne. The slime lands and rolls away, while L''arc is thrust against a tree. The human unsheathes his sword, raises it above his head, and slashes at the slime, muttering ¡°Freak¡± under his breath. With the slime now dead, the human strides off into the forest, leaving L''arc in despair.


    Heartbroken, L''arc rushes to the slime, which has now become a mere puddle. Tears stream down his face without stopping. He tries to pick up his friend but realizes he can''t, and his cries grow even more desperate. His sorrow reaches his mother, who dashes toward the forest with such speed that all that can be seen is a cloud of dust and rustling leaves from the trees she leaps into for a better view.


    The Dark Elf finds L''arc, who is struggling to embrace his fallen slime friend and has a cut on his head from the impact with the tree. She uses her nature magic to heal L''arc¡¯s injury and whispers, ¡°Run home; I¡¯ll be there soon.¡± L''arc complies and runs home, while the Dark Elf walks resolutely into the forest in pursuit of the human.


    L''arc exits the forest and approaches the hut when he hears a scream. The scene shifts to the forest, where a human''s head falls from his shoulders and hits the ground. A Dark Elf stands behind him, hood up and sword sheathed. The scene fades to black, and the Dark Elf is now seen consoling her son.


    Back at the hut, the Dark Elf holds her son and whispers, ¡°I¡¯m here, let it all out. We can honor him tomorrow; for now, just get some rest.¡±


    The next day, the Dark Elf takes a bottle containing the remains of slime and hands it to L''arc while she digs a small hole in the clearing. She places the bottle in the hole, covers it, and sets a carved stone resembling the slime over the grave. L''arc tries to hold back his tears but sniffles as his mother says, ¡°It¡¯s okay to cry; take heed of this feeling.¡±


    As the day comes to an end, they sit down for dinner. Curious, L''arc asks his mother, ¡°What was that shiny light you used in the forest?¡± She replies, ¡°Magic.¡±

 Episode 2 - My First Dungeon.

    L''arc develops a keen interest in magic after hearing about it from his mother. She retrieves her adventurer armband from an attic chest filled with treasures and artifacts, and encourages him to place his hand on the scanner. Excitedly, L''arc complies, only to be disappointed to discover that he has no affinity for any magic.


    Narrator: Confused by the revelation that he cannot use magic, he vows to create his own form of magic one day. In the meantime, he decides to honor his adoptive mother by pursuing the way of the sword.


    The next day, L''arc ventures into the forest for the first time since losing his friend. As he wanders aimlessly, everything reminds him of his lost companion, and he becomes overwhelmed with conflicting emotions. He decides to turn around and head home, questioning why he even left the house. Upon his return, the dark elf notices his downcast demeanor and asks, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± L''arc, staring at the ground and kicking his feet, replies, ¡°I miss my friend.¡± She hugs him tightly and asks, ¡°Did you go into the forest?¡± He lifts his head slightly and responds bluntly, ¡°Yeah.¡± The dark elf suggests, ¡°Why don''t you try picking up your sword again? It might help clear your mind.¡± With that, L''arc shuffles outside to attempt lifting his sword once more.


    Weeks pass, and L''arc''s grief begins to fade. He continues to struggle with lifting the sword, growing frustrated and angry as he remembers his inability to protect his friend. This anger fuels him, allowing him to finally lift the sword and take his first swing. At five years old, he is now able to wield the wooden sword, albeit driven by his anger, and the dark elf starts his training.


    (Montage of L''arc training and becoming more adept with the blade. As years pass, he moves on from the wooden training sword. Despite his progress, he finds himself outmatched by his mother at every turn. He trains solo after each match, battling practice dummies. Eventually, he sees improvement, driven by his hatred for humans, and he slices one of the training dummies. Unaware of his anger, his mother expresses her pleasure in his progress and tells him he¡¯s ready for the dungeon.)


    A week after his twelfth birthday, L''arc has become


    a master of the sword, thanks in part to his mother, a well-known adventurer who has mastered various forms of swordplay throughout her long life as a dark elf.


    When he enters his first dungeon, he struggles against the monsters¡ªnot due to his lack of skill, but because he cannot see them as enemies, except for his animosity toward humans.


    Days pass, and when his mother inquires about his progress in the dungeon, L''arc reluctantly admits he hasn¡¯t even reached the second floor. She knows he¡¯s strong enough to clear the entire dungeon solo and asks why he hasn¡¯t. He responds, ¡°I don¡¯t want to hurt them.¡± His mother embraces him and says, ¡°Oh my darling boy, if you don¡¯t slay them, someone else will. If they don¡¯t, the monsters will escape and harm innocents. I know you hate humans, but they are not all bad, and they don¡¯t deserve to die.¡±


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    With newfound resolve, L''arc takes up his sword again and reenters the dungeon. This time, he reluctantly kills his first enemy, a ¡°mad mouse,¡± which initially appears cute but turns vicious when approached. After slaying it, he returns to his mother with tears in his eyes, confessing he has killed his first enemy. She holds him until he has cried all his tears, then says, ¡°See? I knew you had it in you.¡±


    Whether it was her lack of demands or her love that strengthened his resolve, he ventures into the dungeon again the next day, this time not holding back. However, when faced with more ¡°mad mice,¡± he begins to falter. It¡¯s only when he remembers how his mother made him feel that he finds the strength to push on. After several emotionally charged kills, he arrives at the stairs to the second floor. Instead of leaving to inform his mother that he has reached the second floor, he decides to tackle a second-floor monster, bringing back proof. He encounters the ¡°crazy chicken,¡± a monster with erratic movements. Initially, it gives him trouble, but he eventually defeats it and takes it home to show his mother.


    Upon leaving the dungeon, he presents the chicken to his mother, who greets him with a smile and says, ¡°Well done! That looks good; I''ll put it on the fire.¡± As she cooks the chicken, L''arc shares his experiences from the first and second floors.


    Now fully resolved to fight monsters without holding back, he decides to tackle as much of the dungeon as possible in one day. Knowing his way through the first floor, he breezes through it, and the second floor follows suit as he has learned to deal with ¡°crazy chickens.¡± Upon entering the third floor, he encounters a new enemy: the ¡°deranged dog.¡± While fast, it doesn¡¯t move erratically, allowing him to dispatch it quickly and move on to the fourth floor.


    On the fourth floor, enemies begin to travel in packs, drawing from any type from previous floors, a pattern that continues into the fifth floor, which features packs of enemies from the fourth floor and below, along with a new enemy.


    Thus, he encounters the ¡°frenzied furball,¡± a monster that moves so erratically it puts the ¡°crazy chicken¡± to shame, bouncing rapidly off the walls. The challenge is amplified when it appears alongside up to two other monsters, a situation L''arc has never faced before. As he enters the fourth floor, he is initially presented with a single enemy he has fought before, leading him to believe the dungeon has reached its peak difficulty. In his inexperience, he lowers his guard and is immediately faced with a party of three ¡°frenzied furballs.¡±


    Caught off guard and struggling against their erratic movements, L''arc finds himself heavily wounded.


    Frustrated by his weakness and arrogance, he prepares for what he believes is his death. Just as the furballs are about to converge on him for a final blow, he experiences a flashback of his vow to learn a new form of magic. In that moment, something awakens within him, and a surge of energy erupts, sending the furballs crashing into the walls and eliminating them all at once. Sensing this surge of power, his mother glances toward the dungeon with concern.


    Dungeon: A dungeon is a structure consisting of several floors inhabited by monsters that grow stronger as one progresses.


    (The camera shifts to the dark elf''s perspective, honing in on L''arc, then slowly zooming in on his left eye, which now bears what can only be described as a black flame. The flame begins to expand toward the camera, leading to a fade-out effect.)


    Black Flame: The black flame becomes known as the mark on L''arc''s eye.

 Episode 3 - A Dark Flame.

    The Dark Elf senses something is wrong and rushes to the dungeon to find L''arc. She frantically searches multiple floors and finally locates him on the fourth floor. As she approaches, she sees a colorless shield protecting him from a trio of monsters. She swiftly defeats them and walks over to L''arc, immediately noticing the black flame on his eye. Sensing his mother¡¯s presence, he no longer feels threatened, and the shield dissolves. Now able to reach him, she picks him up and carries him to safety.


    She uses her magic in an attempt to heal him, but he does not wake right away, possibly due to the immense magical energy he exerted. Several days pass before he finally awakens, greeted by his mother''s loving smile. His first words are, ¡°What happened?¡± She replies, ¡°I don¡¯t know. I felt a huge surge of magical energy and rushed to find you, only to discover you unconscious with a shield around you and a strange mark on your eye.¡± Concerned, she quickly asks if anyone else was in the dungeon at the time. He responds, ¡°Not that I¡¯m aware of. What do you mean, a mark on my eye?¡± She thinks to herself, ¡°Could that have been his magic?¡± More worried about what happened, she neglects to answer his question and asks instead, ¡°What do you remember before you passed out?¡± He replies, ¡°I was fighting three furry enemies; they were about to kill me, and I was overcome with dread. The next thing I know, I¡¯m waking up to your smile.¡± She grabs his shoulders firmly, yet with a smile, and says, ¡°I think we were wrong; you might have magic after all.¡±


    Unanswered, L''arc walks over to his mother¡¯s mirror and notices the prominent mark on his eye, exclaiming, ¡°Whoa, where did that come from?¡± Curious about his new feature, he asks, ¡°Mum, what is this?¡± The Dark Elf, equally puzzled, replies, ¡°I have no idea; it was just there when I came to get you.¡±


    The next day, L''arc''s mother forbids him from going into the dungeon for now, stating it''s best to investigate this ¡°power¡± and ¡°mark.¡±


    Taking more interest in swords than magic, she admits her magical knowledge is insufficient and suggests they seek help from her grandfather. However, she hesitates to mention that she was exiled from the village for becoming an adventurer, as killing monsters¡ªno matter how vicious¡ªis seen as going against nature, which is what they strive for.


    After a day of preparation, gathering herbs from the forest and meat from the dungeon, she uses her magic to collapse their house, and they set off toward the Dark Elves''


    forest. As they venture far from her home, she explains it will take some time to reach their destination, suggesting they take on jobs along the way to make ends meet. Their first stop is Kaze City, not far from where the Dark Elf created their hut. Here, she sees an adventurers'' guild and thinks it would be a good idea to register L''arc as an adventurer, as it serves both to earn money for their journey and to help him become self-sufficient. L''arc agrees, having always looked up to his mother, who is also an adventurer¡ªthough he is unaware that she holds the highest rank attainable.


    They ask a city guard for directions to the guild. The guard replies, ¡°Take a left at the end of this street, and you¡¯ll see a big building with a sign that says ''Guild.''¡± She puts up her hood, thanks the guard, and heads in the indicated direction. Upon approaching the guild, they notice several groups discussing missions. Inside, they are greeted by an eccentric clerk who shouts, ¡°Hi! Are you here to take a mission or to register?¡± The Dark Elf, ensuring her hood is still up, responds, ¡°I¡¯d like to register the boy.¡± The clerk informs them, ¡°The boy will have to undergo a preliminary exam. Is that okay?¡± L''arc takes the initiative and replies, ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s fine.¡±The clerk pulls out a form and states, ¡°First, we have to pre-register you, then we can proceed.¡± L''arc gets pre-registered and moves on to the exam hall.


    The exam consists of a mock fight with one of the guild representatives. Having only fought his mother before, L''arc is taken aback by the prospect, especially since his opponent is human. His mother whispers, ¡°Don¡¯t let your emotions get the better of you; remember, you¡¯ve fought me, and this man may as well be a kitten.¡±


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    Encouraged by her words, he steels his resolve and confronts the examiner directly. The man towering over L''arc wields a sword that would make anyone question the examiner''s self-esteem. He addresses L''arc, saying, ¡°I won¡¯t go easy on you just because you¡¯re a kid.¡± L''arc scoffs and replies, ¡°I¡¯m 12; I¡¯m not a kid, and I¡¯ll make you eat those words.¡± Amused, the man retorts, ¡°Have you seen my sword? What could your pigsticker possibly do against this?¡± Unfazed, L''arc lunges at him, declaring, ¡°Let¡¯s get on with this; I want to go on my first mission.¡±


    The man''s anger flares at L''arc¡¯s assumption of victory as he swings his sword overhead, getting it stuck in the floor. L''arc easily dodges and circles around him, delivering a swift kick to the man''s back, sending him rolling forward without his sword. Not wanting the fight to end so easily, L''arc demands, ¡°Pick up your sword; this isn¡¯t over.¡±


    Growing increasingly annoyed, the man shouts, ¡°Don¡¯t tell me what to do,¡± and returns to retrieve his sword. The moment he does, L''arc lunges forward again, aiming for the man''s neck to force him into submission. However, the man uses his massive sword as a shield, deflecting L''arc''s attack. L''arc quips, ¡°So that big hunk of metal has a use after all.¡± The man snaps back, ¡°Silence,¡± and begins making erratic swings, pressing L''arc, whose weakness lies in chaotic movements.


    Feeling he has the upper hand, the man taunts, ¡°Where has all your bravado gone, little boy?¡± L''arc responds, ¡°You call that swordplay? How are you even a C-Rank?¡± He hides the fact that he¡¯s actually struggling. The man, unaware that his erratic strikes are the only reason he¡¯s gaining any ground, presses his luck with the same swing he made at the start of the match. This time, his sword does not get stuck, but L''arc dodges again and thrusts his sword toward the man¡¯s neck, declaring, ¡°This match is over.¡±


    As the man tries to refute him, a figure in the crowd, wielding a sizable sword of his own, interrupts, saying, ¡°Enough of this farce. Stop embarrassing yourself; the boy is clearly the winner.¡±


    The examiner, a sore loser, insists L''arc cheated and refuses to pass him. At that moment, his mother steps forward and reveals her face. The man''s complexion pales as he recognizes her and begins to grovel at her feet. She demands he retract his statement and not reveal her identity to L''arc.


    After the exam, L''arc approaches the guild counter to inform the clerk of his success in passing the exam and defeating the examiner. The clerk gasps and asks, ¡°Did this boy really beat you?¡± The assessor reluctantly admits, ¡°Y...y...yes,¡± then rushes into the back to escape his embarrassment. The clerk turns to L''arc and explains, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but even though you may have beaten him, all adventurers start at F-Rank.¡± L''arc replies, ¡°That¡¯s okay; I¡¯m fine with that.¡± The clerk completes the paperwork and hands L''arc his armband.


    All adventurers receive an armband that records their mission experience and monster kills, generating points that can be used in the adventurers'' association for various purposes, such as leveling up their rank, purchasing items like potions, and unlocking new armband features.


    Excited to be an F-Rank adventurer, L''arc decides to take on his first job. However, his mother insists he look for an escort job to the next town. Unsure of her demanding tone, he concedes and searches for an escort job that matches his rank. Unable to find one, just as he is about to share the bad news with his mother, a spectator from his exam approaches him and says, ¡°Boy, your swordsmanship was magnificent! Where did you learn it?¡± L''arc responds, ¡°I learned it from my mother.¡±


    Irritated by the answer, the man presses, ¡°Are you trying to make a fool of me? Where did you really learn it?¡± Again, L''arc replies, ¡°My mother.¡± Unhappy with the response, the man decides to follow L''arc until he reveals the truth. Initially, L''arc tries to refute him but recalls seeing a job for an escort that would accept an F-Rank if accompanied by someone D-Rank or higher. He agrees to let the man follow him, as long as they appear to be ¡°just two adventurers on the same mission¡± and not mention anything to the ¡°lady¡± he is with. The man, thinking nothing of it, agrees.


    They both conclude that resting at the inn is the best course of action. L''arc reminds the man to act as if their meeting were purely coincidental. He rushes to his mother and informs her that he has accepted a mission, but it¡¯s not until the next day. She suggests they go to the local inn. Stepping out of the guild, they ask for directions from the same group they saw earlier. A man from the group says, ¡°You walked past it when you entered the city; it¡¯s right near the gate.¡± The Dark Elf thanks the man, and they head off toward the inn. After getting a bite to eat, she tells L''arc to turn in for the night while she proceeds to enjoy a beer¡ªor twenty.

 Episode 4 - My First Mission.

    Please provide the text you would like me to rewrite for improved clarity and flow.L''arc, bubbling with excitement for his new mission, leaps out of bed and rushes to his mother¡¯s room. He bursts in, and his mother, her voice croaky, groans, ¡°L''arc, give me five more minutes, please?¡± Unable to contain his enthusiasm, L''arc replies, ¡°Mum, stop being lazy. I want to start my adventure!¡± In response, the Dark Elf hurls her pillow at him and commands, ¡°I said five minutes.¡± Defeated, L''arc kicks the floor in frustration and retreats to his room.


    Just as he¡¯s about to close his door, he hears the man from the previous day call out, ¡°Hey boy, come here for a sec.¡± With nothing else to do, L''arc decides to see what the man wants and walks over. Noticing L''arc at the door, the man invites him in, saying, ¡°Come in, boy.¡± L''arc hesitantly enters, still wary of humans despite being one himself. The man picks up on L''arc''s reluctance and asks, ¡°Do I scare you, boy?¡± L''arc looks down at his feet and replies, ¡°No.¡± The man smiles, unconvinced, but lets it slide.


    ¡°Are you nervous about your first mission?¡± he asks. L''arc raises his fists and starts shadow boxing, declaring, ¡°No, bring it on!¡± The man laughs heartily, saying, ¡°I guess I was worried for nothing. But don¡¯t let your ego get the better of you. You may have beaten that assessor, but he was getting on in years.¡± He continues, ¡°I¡¯m a C-Rank as well. How do you think you¡¯d fare against me?¡± L''arc takes a moment to assess the man before responding, ¡°I¡¯d say you¡¯re stronger than me, but my mother would kick your ass.¡± The man chuckles at L''arc¡¯s honesty and asks, ¡°Is this the mother who is also your supposed master?¡±


    L''arc, feeling annoyed, shouts, ¡°My master IS my mother!¡± Realizing the boy has no reason to lie, the man backs off, saying, ¡°Sorry, sorry. I won¡¯t bring it up again. I believe you.¡±


    At that moment, the ever-protective Dark Elf hears L''arc''s voice and quickly jumps out of bed. She strides over to the man''s room and sees L''arc talking to him. ¡°L''arc, who is this?¡± she asks. L''arc hesitates, unsure how to respond, but the man interjects, ¡°I noticed he took the same mission as me, so I called him over to discuss it.¡±


    The Dark Elf bombards the man with questions: ¡°What is your name? I¡¯d like to know if we''re going to travel together.¡± He answers her inquiries readily, but when it comes to his name, he replies, ¡°Isn''t it customary to give your name first where you come from?¡± The Dark Elf, irritated by his question, retorts, ¡°You¡¯ll learn my name if I deem you worthy.¡± Sensing her intensity, the man decides not to press further and introduces himself, ¡°I¡¯m Daike.¡±


    Despite the Dark Elf¡¯s refusal to share her name, L''arc opts to introduce himself to Daike. ¡°Nice to meet you, Daike. I¡¯m L''arc.¡± Daike, pleased that not everyone is giving him the cold shoulder, responds, ¡°You too, kid.¡± He then asks, ¡°Are you ready to meet our client?¡± L''arc replies, ¡°As ready as I¡¯ll ever be.¡±


    The trio heads downstairs, exits the inn, and makes their way toward the city gate.


    The trio arrives at the gate where the merchant is loading his carriage. L¡¯arc approaches the merchant without hesitation, recognizing him as a demi-human. ¡°Hi sir, my name is L¡¯arc. I¡¯m here to escort you to the next city,¡± he says. The merchant lifts his head, extends his arm for a handshake, and replies, ¡°Oh! Such good manners at such a young age. They will take you far, my boy. But aren¡¯t you a bit young to be an adventurer?¡± Embarrassed, L¡¯arc kicks his feet and retorts, ¡°I¡¯m 12! I¡¯m not a kid anymore.¡± The merchant, taken aback, quickly responds, ¡°Oh-ho! I meant no offense.¡± He follows up with, ¡°Speaking of manners, where are mine? My name is Tenshu Daikane. It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you, young sir.¡± L¡¯arc, regaining his composure, replies, ¡°Nice to meet you too, sir.¡± Tenshu continues, ¡°Can you come back in about half an hour? I¡¯m not quite ready to leave yet; I still need to load these boxes and do an inventory check.¡± L¡¯arc asks, ¡°Do you want me to help you load the boxes?¡± Tenshu replies, ¡°Absolutely not! I couldn¡¯t ask you to do that. How about you check out the market instead?¡± Excited at the prospect, L¡¯arc rushes toward the market. Meanwhile, the Dark Elf commands, ¡°Hey you, go with him and make sure he doesn¡¯t get into trouble.¡± Daike looks at the Dark Elf and asks, ¡°Me? Why am I stuck with babysitting duty?¡± The Dark Elf simply stares at him. Daike sighs and says, ¡°Fine, I¡¯d like to see their weapon stall anyway.¡±


    Demi-Human -Demi-humans are any living beings of humanoid stature that are not human, such as Dark Elves, Dwarves, and Beastmen.


    L¡¯arc and Daike walk toward the market stalls. Having led a sheltered life, L¡¯arc is easily impressed by everything he sees. He hops from stall to stall, marveling at the sights, especially the food stalls. Eventually, he reaches a stall selling weapons and is captivated by an impressive sword on display. Curious, he asks the price, only to be met with an outrageous figure.


    Daike interjects, ¡°50,000 for that hunk of junk? Sure, it looks impressive, but I bet it would fall apart after a few swings.¡± He turns to L''arc and adds, ¡°Just because it looks good and has a high price doesn¡¯t mean it¡¯s worth it. That man is a con artist selling replicas of famous swords.¡± His ability to spot such deceptions also sharpens his recognition of L''arc''s swordsmanship.


    Just as he finishes speaking, Daike notices that L''arc is missing. While the merchant showcased his ¡°masterpieces,¡± an accomplice had stolen L''arc''s sword. L''arc chases after the thief, who darts down an alley. Unfortunately, he runs into a group of thugs. Without his sword and being relatively small, he is quickly overpowered by them, who plan to sell him to a slaver. L''arc cries out, alerting Daike to his predicament.


    Daike rushes to L''arc''s rescue, brandishing his own sword and displaying impressive swordsmanship. He swiftly defeats the thugs and hands them over to the authorities. Grateful, L''arc asks, ¡°Mister, your skills are impressive. Why do you want to learn from my Master?¡± Daike replies, ¡°A true swordsman always seeks to improve. Pride comes before a fall; I¡¯ll never stop pursuing my goal of becoming the strongest swordsman who ever lived. But enough about me¡ªwhat were you doing here?¡±


    L''arc explains, ¡°A thief stole my sword, the one my mother gave me.¡± Daike exclaims, ¡°Unforgivable! Which way did he go?¡± L''arc points toward the back of the alley, and they both proceed. They find the thief hiding behind a barrel, discovering that the thugs were in cahoots with the merchant. After retrieving the sword, L''arc and Daike exit the alley, where they are met by L''arc¡¯s mother.


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    She asks what they were doing in the alley, and Daike leans closer to whisper in her ear, ¡°The weapon merchant is running a front for a slave business and is trying to capture your boy.¡± She instructs them to return to Tenshu, promising to catch up with them soon. A shiver runs down Daike''s spine as he realizes there is no wrath like that of a woman scorned. The boy and the man head back to Tenshu.


    L''arc¡¯s mother approaches the weapon merchant and drags him into a nearby alley. She pins him against the wall, pressing her sword against his groin. ¡°If you ever want to have children of your own, never try to take another mother¡¯s child again. If I have to come back here, I¡¯ll take more than your manhood.¡± After a brief pause, she adds, ¡°Understood?¡± The merchant soils himself and, with an apologetic tone, replies, ¡°Yes, yes! I¡¯ll never do it again, I swear. Please accept any weapon from my stall as a sign of goodwill.¡±


    The Dark Elf scoffs. ¡°Those weapons aren¡¯t worth the metal they¡¯re made from. Keep your pathetic gesture.¡± She releases him, and he falls onto his backside as she walks away, heading back to Tenshu.


    Upon her arrival, Tenshu asks, ¡°Is there anything I should be concerned about?¡± She replies, ¡°Hardly.¡± Reassured, Tenshu then asks, ¡°Are we ready to set off?¡±


    The trio heads to the establishment that Tenshu pointed out and orders tea and scones. About half an hour later, they return to the city gate.


    ¡°Oh-ho, great timing! We¡¯re just about ready to set off. How were the scones?¡± Confused by how Tenshu knew they had scones, L''arc asks, ¡°How did you know we had scones?¡± Tenshu lets out a hooty laugh and replies, ¡°I¡¯m an Owlen, dear boy. We have amazing eyesight.¡±


    Owlen -Owlens are humanoid owls known for their high intelligence and exceptional eyesight. They often wear spectacles, mostly as a fashion statement rather than out of necessity. Most Owlens become merchants, as they are typically non-aggressive.


    Narrator: Thus, the boy begins his first mission to escort a merchant to the next city, heading toward his mother¡¯s village. In a world plagued by poverty, having a magical affinity does not guarantee the means to cast magic, leading many to resort to banditry.


    The rest of the party introduces themselves, and then they set off toward Fuyu City.L¡¯arc curiously asks Tenshu, ¡°Are attacks common during escort missions?¡± Tenshu replies, ¡°No, this is just a precaution.¡± Daike then leans in and whispers to L¡¯arc, ¡°Hey boy, don¡¯t jinx it.¡± The Dark Elf overhears and takes a stern tone with Daike: ¡°He gave you his name; I suggest you use it.¡± Sensing her bloodlust, Daike quickly responds, ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am!¡±


    Narrator:The merchant and his company are about halfway to their destination, and so far there have been no incidents. However, that is about to change.


    Tenshu, with his keen owlen eyesight, spots a blockade in the distance and alerts the party. ¡°I think things are about to take a turn for the worse. Looks like I¡¯ll be giving you a bonus if we make it through this,¡± he says with a nervous smile. L¡¯arc rises from his seat and moves to the front of the carriage for a better view. Not having owlen vision, he asks, ¡°I can¡¯t see anything; what¡¯s the matter?¡± Tenshu replies, ¡°There¡¯s a blockade ahead; it might be bandits.¡± The party readies their blades and prepares for battle.


    The carriage halts at the impending blockade, and one of the bandits shouts, ¡°Leave your goods, and we may spare your lives.¡± Tenshu, who is non-aggressive by nature, reluctantly agrees, responding, ¡°Very well, if you let us go, the loss of my goods is a small price to pay.¡± Daike leans in and whispers to Tenshu, ¡°They¡¯re lying; they¡¯ll never let us go.¡± A Dark Elf adds, ¡°He¡¯s right; they¡¯ll assume you¡¯ll inform the guards.¡± Frightened, Tenshu asks, ¡°Then what do you suggest we do?¡± Daike replies, ¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious? We do what you paid us to do.¡± Tenshu abruptly retorts, ¡°I paid you to escort me, not to take lives.¡± Daike chastises him, shouting, ¡°Don¡¯t be naive; you¡¯re smarter than that.¡± Meanwhile, L¡¯arc has been assessing the bandits and sees no one who could threaten him or the group. He interrupts Daike, saying, ¡°I think I can take them on my own.¡± Intrigued, Daike sees no reason to refuse. Their mother, unable to deny L¡¯arc¡¯s request, offers words of encouragement: ¡°Make me proud.¡± Daike glances at the Dark Elf with keen interest.


    L¡¯arc jumps out of the carriage and shouts at the bandits, ¡°Cowards, you¡¯ll take nothing!¡± as he unsheathes the blade his mother gave him. A bandit steps out from cover, noticing the mark on L¡¯arc''s eye, and yells, ¡°Freak! Die!¡± The bandit¡¯s words trigger a long-buried memory, sending L¡¯arc into a frenzy. (We see L¡¯arc¡¯s anger rise, the mark glowing as he recalls the moment his friend was slain before him, powerless to intervene. He vows never to let that happen again and to protect those he cares about. Consumed by rage at the bandit¡¯s taunt, L¡¯arc envisions the killer of his friend before him, ready to confront his tormentor.)


    Fight sequence


    With a roar, L¡¯arc leaps forward, landing among the bandits as his blade flashes in the dim light. The first bandit barely has time to raise his weapon before L¡¯arc''s blade slices through his chest. Blood sprays, and the bandit crumples to the ground.


    L¡¯arc pivots, his blade a blur as he deflects a strike from an attacking bandit. He steps in close, driving his sword into the bandit''s gut. With a wrenching twist, he pulls the blade free, letting the body drop.


    Another bandit lunges at him from behind, but L¡¯arc spins and dodges, bringing his sword down in a lethal arc that severs the bandit''s arm. The bandit screams and collapses, clutching the stump.


    Two bandits rush at L¡¯arc together, but he meets them head-on. His blade dances between them, slashing with deadly precision. One bandit falls with a gurgling cry, his throat cut open, while the other stumbles back, clutching a deep wound in his side.


    L¡¯arc advances on the remaining bandits, his eyes blazing with fury. The mark on his eye pulses with a sinister light. He swiftly cuts down another bandit with a strike to the neck, then kicks a second bandit to the ground and drives his blade through his heart.


    The last three bandits attempt to flee, but L¡¯arc is relentless. He chases them down, cutting them down one by one. Each strike of his blade is fueled by rage and his vow to protect.


    Finally, the last bandit falls, his body crumpling to the ground. L¡¯arc stands amidst the carnage, his chest heaving with exertion, his blade dripping with blood. He takes a deep breath and calms himself as the glow of the mark on his eye fades.


    Turning back to the carriage, L¡¯arc calls out to the rest of the group, ¡°The bandits have been dealt with.¡±


    Suddenly, a man dressed in black hooded attire, with loose threading on his chest suggesting something once attached, steps forward and slashes L¡¯arc''s back. ¡°You missed one¡­ boy,¡± he yells.

 Episode 5 - For My Son Ill Return To My Old Ways.

    While laughing and kicking one of the dead bandits, the bandit leader suddenly stops and sneers, ¡°What did I pay these losers for? They got beaten by someone in diapers.¡± He spits on the corpse he just kicked and then turns to L¡¯ark, who lies on the floor, writhing in pain with blood seeping through his clothes. The Dark Elf leaps up and shouts at Daike as she rushes toward her son, ¡°Why the hell are you just sitting there? Go help my son!¡±


    Sensing her anger, Daike replies, ¡°I thought he could handle it; I didn¡¯t sense that guy either.¡± He then gets out of his seat, grabs L¡¯ark, and moves him to safety, fully aware that the Dark Elf intends to confront the bandit alone. In that moment, he realizes that the woman he has been traveling with is not just L''ark¡¯s guardian but also the Master and Mother that L''arc mentioned.


    You cut my son¡­ This will not be quick,¡± the Dark Elf''s voice is an icy whisper, her cold stare fixed on the bandit leader. He sizes her up, a sneer curling his lips. ¡°First a boy, now a woman. What will they send next? Their pet dog?¡±


    Unamused, the Dark Elf scoffs, ¡°Laugh while you can.¡±


    With a sudden burst of speed, she lunges forward. The bandit barely registers her movement before his weapon is sent hurtling toward a distant tree, embedding itself in the trunk with a resounding thud. His bravado evaporates, replaced by terror as he realizes she is no ordinary woman.


    ¡°P-please,¡± he stammers, his voice trembling. ¡°I-I can give you all the loot I¡¯ve made. Just spare me!¡±


    The Dark Elf spits on the ground, her eyes filled with contempt. ¡°Pathetic. I haven¡¯t even cut you yet, and you¡¯re already wetting your pants.¡±


    She circles him slowly, her presence menacing. Her eyes glint with dangerous anticipation as she examines her prey, savoring his fear. With deliberate, calculated motion, she raises her sword and slashes his chest. Blood spurts from the wound, mirroring the injury he inflicted on L¡¯ark. ¡°That one is for my son,¡± she hisses. ¡°The next will be for me.¡±


    The bandit collapses to his knees, his pleas growing more desperate. ¡°Please!¡± he cries, trying to crawl away on trembling


    limbs.The Dark Elf is relentless. She toys with him, delivering precise strikes that leave him gasping in pain. With a swift cut, she severs his Achilles tendons, rendering him immobile. The bandit claws at the earth in desperation, his screams echoing in the air. ¡°MONSTER!¡± he yells, his voice cracking with fear.


    She doesn¡¯t relent. The Dark Elf narrows her eyes and plunges her sword into his hands, pinning them to the ground. He thrashes in agony, trapped with no means of escape. Turning onto his back, he looks up at her, tears streaming down his face. ¡°Just kill me!¡± he pleads.


    Raising her sword high, the Dark Elf pauses to savor the fear in his eyes, letting the seconds stretch into eternity. His final words escape as a choked whisper, ¡°They will hunt you down for this¡­¡±


    Unmoved, she brings her sword down with the force of a scorned mother, unleashing her fury in a single, devastating blow. She stands over him, breathing heavily, the weight of her vengeance finally lifting. Silence falls, broken only by the soft rustling of leaves in the wind.


    Wiping the blood from her blade with a piece of cloth, her expression remains unreadable. The Dark Elf takes one last look at the lifeless body before turning away and returning to the carriage.


    With the incident now over, the Dark Elf approaches L¡¯arc to check on him. ¡°How is he?¡± she asks. Daike responds timidly, ¡°He¡¯s fine; the cut wasn¡¯t as deep as it looked.¡± He adds, ¡°Tenshu dressed his wounds.¡± The Dark Elf turns to Tenshu and says, ¡°Thank you for treating him.¡± Tenshu looks back at her and replies, ¡°It¡¯s no problem, my dear. It¡¯s the least I could do for him; he risked his life for me.¡±


    Turning to Daike, the Dark Elf remarks, ¡°For your sake, be thankful he¡¯s okay.¡± Realizing that his desire to witness L¡¯arc¡¯s swordplay had put him in danger, Daike can only apologize. ¡°I¡¯m sorry; I just wanted to see his magnificent swordplay again. I never thought it would come to this.¡±


    Seeing his sincerity, she acknowledges that the blame does not rest entirely on him. ¡°No, it¡¯s okay. I thought he could handle it too. That man must have had some sort of concealing magic, as even I didn¡¯t sense him.¡± Using her magic, she heals L¡¯arc¡¯s wound and encourages Tenshu to continue the journey. The Dark Elf and Daike avoid eye contact for the remainder of the trip, while L¡¯arc remains unconscious.


    As they near Fuyu City, L¡¯arc begins to stir. The Dark Elf greets him with a warm smile and asks, ¡°Are you okay?¡± L¡¯arc shifts to sit up, wincing as he remembers the cut he received and dreading the pain that will come when he fully sits back. Noticing his discomfort, the Dark Elf quickly asks, ¡°Does it still hurt?¡±L¡¯arc replies, ¡°No, it¡¯s fine. Thank you for healing me.¡± Feeling a bit disappointed that he needs to express gratitude, she pulls him in for a tight embrace, saying, ¡°You¡¯re my son; you don¡¯t need to thank me for anything.¡±


    The carriage comes to a stop, and Tenshu excitedly addresses the group, ¡°Thank you all, especially you, boy. I¡¯m sorry you got hurt; if it weren¡¯t for you all, I¡¯d likely be dead.¡± Daike, who has done little throughout, remains silent. L¡¯arc, however, laughs nervously while scratching his head and says, ¡°Piece of cake.¡± His mother playfully slaps his head and says, ¡°I suppose you didn¡¯t need my help then?¡±


    L¡¯arc quickly stops laughing as Tenshu asks, ¡°May I speak to L¡¯arc alone?¡± The Dark Elf and Daike nod and step aside, waiting nearby. Tenshu pulls L¡¯arc close and says, ¡°I watched you fight. While I appreciate you saving my life, don¡¯t let anger consume you; that path is dangerous. I don¡¯t know what you¡¯ve gone through to harbor such feelings, but trust me, my boy, this is not true strength or power. Thank you again, and if you ever need my assistance, don¡¯t hesitate to seek me out.¡±


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    L¡¯arc gestures for the party to return, and they gather around. Tenshu leans in close to whisper to the Dark Elf, ¡°I know what you are. Be careful not to influence the boy too much.¡± With those final words, Tenshu turns to leave as the party waves him off. The Dark Elf is left to ponder Tenshu¡¯s parting advice.


    They all head to the guild to collect their reward. At this point, the Dark Elf says, ¡°I¡¯d say it was a pleasure working with you, but you almost got my son killed, so it wasn¡¯t really.¡± Daike realizes she is trying to crack a joke, as she lacks her usual aura of laughter. He quickly throws himself at her feet and kowtows, repeatedly saying, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Master.¡± After several repetitions, the Dark Elf kicks him and replies, ¡°Get up, you fool. What do you mean, ¡®Master¡¯?¡±


    Daike, delighted, responds, ¡°I saw you annihilate that bandit. I have no doubt you¡¯re an amazing swordsman. I want you to be my master.¡± The Dark Elf refuses his request, stating, ¡°The only disciple I have is my son. I don¡¯t need another.¡± Daike, ever persistent, shifts his attention to L¡¯arc, hoping to persuade him to encourage his mother to take on a new disciple. He throws himself at L¡¯arc¡¯s feet and pleads, ¡°Master L¡¯arc, please forgive me. I only wanted to see your amazing swordplay again; I never meant to put you in danger.¡±


    Despite his hatred for humans, L¡¯arc sees Daike as almost childlike in his obsession with the sword, which is why he forgives the man. His mother scorns him, saying, ¡°Don¡¯t be so quick to give your forgiveness. Men like him don¡¯t deserve it; they only care about their own selfish desires.¡±


    The man responds, ¡°While I was being selfish, allI wanted was to see his skills again. I thought he¡¯d be able to handle them. Please forgive me, Master; I would have aided Master L''arc If I¡¯d known.¡± She replies, ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll forgive you, as you do seem somewhat sincere. However, when did I say you could call me ¡®Master¡¯?¡±


    The party settles in for the night, celebrating L¡¯arc¡¯s first successful mission. As they drink and revel, a waitress approaches. ¡°Hello there! I¡¯m looking for L¡¯arc¡¯s party. Do you know where I can find them?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m L¡¯arc,¡± he replies.


    ¡°Hi, L¡¯arc! I just wanted to let you know that your evening and lodgings have been taken care of. You and your party may eat and drink as much as you like.¡±


    Upon hearing this, the party''s celebrations intensify as the moon rises and the city quietens. Suddenly, L¡¯arc hears a knock at the door. Rubbing his face, he answers it to find Daike standing before him.


    ¡°Ma... Master L¡¯arc, hic, would you do me the honor of a... a duel? I... I can''t seem to rest tonight... hic.¡±


    L¡¯arc replies, ¡°Can you even lift your sword?¡±


    Daike responds with a flashy display of sword swings. ¡°I think hic you should worry ''bout your own sword, Master L''arc¡­¡±


    Exhausted, L¡¯arc agrees to the duel. He grabs his sword, and the two make their way to the courtyard. Daike nods, gesturing to L¡¯arc, then bows dramatically, only to stumble and fall. L¡¯arc laughs, and as he does, Daike rolls forward onto his feet.


    ¡°Did you expect me to say ¡®begin¡¯?¡± Daike asks, pointing his drawn sword at L¡¯arc''s neck.


    Now focused, L¡¯arc is taken aback. ¡°That¡¯s not fair!¡±


    As he protests, Daike clashes swords with him, pushing L¡¯arc back. ¡°Do you think an enemy would wait for you to be ready? I don¡¯t think so.¡±


    In the struggle, L¡¯arc realizes the disparity in their strength, reminiscent of when he aced his exam. Frustrated, he swings his sword down, but Daike dodges slightly and shoves him with his shoulder.


    ¡°Is that the best you''ve got? I¡¯m not even trying, boy,¡± Daike snickers, sheathing his sword and toying with L¡¯arc.


    This makes L¡¯arc acutely aware of their skill difference. He attempts to strike Daike but fails to land a hit. Daike sweeps L¡¯arc¡¯s legs, then grabs his collar just before he hits the ground, dropping him at the last moment.


    ¡°You still have a long road ahead of you and much more work to do, young master,¡± he says, extending a hand to help L¡¯arc up.


    L¡¯arc scoffs at the offer, refusing to let his pride accept the help. He swats at Daike¡¯s hand and runs off to the inn.


    Daike watches him go, smiling softly. ¡°The kid''s got potential. That was a good swing, young master,¡± he chuckles to himself as he picks up his sword and heads to the inn.


    L¡¯arc rushed up the stairs, still in shock from his humiliating defeat. He dashed past his mother without noticing her, slammed his door, and jumped face-first onto his bed. The dark elf smiled as she watched her son, silently comforting him as he remained oblivious to his surroundings.


    Daike opened the door to the inn and headed to the bar for a drink. The dark elf walked down the stairs and sat beside him. ¡°Kaoru,¡± she said, looking at him with a slight smile as she brushed a strand of hair from her face. Daike looked up from his glass, intrigued. ¡°Pardon?¡± he replied quietly, caught off guard by her beauty and surprising femininity. ¡°My name,¡± she responded. After ordering her drink, they shared a quiet moment together.


    As Daike finished his drink and announced he was going to bed, Kaoru got up and placed a hand on his shoulder. ¡°Thank you for what you did tonight. He needed that.¡± Daike smiled softly and walked away.


    Meanwhile, as the party slept for the night, a couple of guards entered the inn and made their way to the bar. The few remaining customers, shaken with fear, quickly left their tables and rushed out. At one table, a big, burly figure shouted, ¡°Hey wench! Four beers for me and my comrades!¡± He swung his arms in the air, grinning. The barmaid nodded subserviently and rushed to pour the drinks. ¡°Right away, sir,¡± she said, placing the drinks on the table. ¡°Four coppers.¡±


    Suddenly, the burly figure stood up and backhanded the barmaid across the face, causing his drink to spill. ¡°Insolent wench! You spilled my beer!¡± he growled, kicking her in the stomach. She clutched her abdomen as he grabbed her hair, leaning in close. ¡°We protect you, and this is the thanks we get? Lord Jiro will not be pleased.¡± His companions laughed and snickered, finishing their drinks before departing, leaving the barmaid to cry on the floor.

 Episode 6 - A Stormy Night

    The next morning, Daike leaves his room to begin his sword training in the courtyard. As he enters the bar, he sees the mess left from the previous evening and notices the absence of staff in the inn. After hours of training, he returns sweaty. L''arc, waking up and spotting Daike from his window, watches in admiration and rushes down the stairs to ask for help with his swordsmanship. Taken aback, Daike laughs, saying, ¡°I wanted to learn your style, Master L''arc.¡±


    L''arc smiles and replies, ¡°You already beat me; what could you possibly need to learn from me? Besides, I thought you wanted to learn from my mum.¡±


    Daike places a reassuring hand on L''arc''s shoulder. ¡°It''s not all about strength. Technique and knowing your opponent can mean the difference between life and death, a win or a loss.¡±


    L''arc beams and says, ¡°Okay, I will show you if you show me.¡± Daike smiles and tussles the boy''s hair. ¡°Deal!¡±


    They both step into the courtyard, teaching each other their techniques. Kaoru watches from her window, delighted to see the two getting along and learning from one another. Suddenly, she hears a knock at the door.


    ¡°Come in,¡± she says.


    ¡°Just here to collect your sheets,¡± an unfamiliar barmaid pokes her head in before entering. Following Kaoru''s gaze to the courtyard, she smiles and says, ¡°That''s a lovely family you have there, miss.¡±


    Kaoru replies, ¡°They are my traveling companions,¡± watching the barmaid suspiciously, gauging her reaction for any change in demeanor as she


    responds.L''arc rushes into the inn and bounces into his mother''s room, excitedly showing her what he learned from Daike. Meanwhile, Daike approaches the bar, where a new barmaid is present. He inquires about the events of the previous evening, but she feigns ignorance, shaking as she wipes down a glass. "I''m not sure what you mean, sir," she says.


    Noticing her nervousness, Daike takes a seat at the bar and orders a drink. When the barmaid returns, he gently holds her hand and reassures her, "It''s okay; I saw the mess." Overcome with emotion, the barmaid collapses onto the counter in tears. "Please, sir, I don''t want to anger Lord Jiro," she pleads.


    At the mention of Lord Jiro, Daike''s grip on the glass tightens, causing it to shatter. His eyes darken, betraying his suppressed emotions as his expression remains blank. He mutters to himself, "Filthy nobles; they think they can do whatever they want."


    Daike rushes out of the inn, running aimlessly down the road until he reaches a dead end, where he sees a thug bullying a helpless victim. The thug looks up at Daike and sneers, "You''re in the wrong place, punk," stepping forward to confront him. Without a word, Daike punches the thug relentlessly, shouting, "I don''t have time for this!" He throws the man aside and starts to walk out of the alley, but then turns back, shouting in the thug''s face, "You! Where''s the infirmary?"


    Fearful of another beating, the thug quickly reveals the information Daike seeks. Grabbing the thug''s leg, Daike starts to run, dragging him along to the infirmary. Upon arrival, doctors rush to the door, asking, "What happened to him?" Daike throws the thug onto a table and responds, "What happened?"


    The thug, sweating and scratching his head nervously, replies, "I tripped." The nurse looks at Daike in disbelief. Daike asks, "Where is the woman who was brought in last night?" The nurse hesitates before answering, "Room 6. Are you the father?"


    Caught off guard by the question, Daike sprints to Room 6. He stops in his tracks upon seeing the barmaid covered in bloody sheets. A doctor walks past, his eyes downcast, and tells the woman, "I''m sorry; I couldn''t save her." (A quick flashback shows Daike hearing those same words from a doctor.) Gritting his teeth, Daike walks away, muttering, "Are nobles never satisfied until they take everything away?"


    He approaches the thug still in the waiting area, grabbing his collar and pushing him against the wall. Despite the doctors'' attempts to break his grip, he growls, "Take me to Jiro." Dragging the thug by his leg, Daike leaves the infirmary, bumping the thug''s head down the steps.


    "I can''t take you somewhere without being able to walk myself," the thug pleads. Daike grunts and finally releases him. "Fine, walk. Make a wrong move, and it¡¯ll be your last. I''m not in the mood," he warns, narrowing his gaze. The thug nods and leads him to Jiro''s mansion.


    Diake looks up at the walls and gate before unsheathing his uchigatana and cutting the gate down. The guards, witnessing this, tremble and back off as Daike strides forward. New guards enter the courtyard, weapons drawn, ordering him to stop. Daike ignores their command and continues, bellowing, ¡°Move! I''m not here for you!¡±


    The guards stand firm. Daike sheaths his sword, knocking out one guard with his scabbard before pushing the hilt into another''s chest. He then spins to kick a third guard away, pressing on. The guards tremble as Daike advances, kicking the door open. He yells with all his might, ¡°JIROOOOO!!!¡±


    The camera shifts to a man sitting down, smiling. He mutters, ¡°This should be interesting.¡±


    Jiro burst through the doors at the top of the stairs, meat in hand. ¡°What¡¯s all this racket?¡± he shouted, descending the stairs while taking a bite of his meat. ¡°You dare interrupt my meal, peasant?¡± he said, locking eyes with Daike. ¡°Guards, arrest this man!¡±


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    At these words, Daike dashed forward with blinding speed, ascending the stairs. He unsheathed his weapon and slashed upwards. Just then, a shadowy figure fell into the frame from above, grabbing Jiro and moving him to the side, but not in time to prevent the damage. Jiro clutched his head, screaming, ¡°Where¡¯s my ear?¡± Writhing in pain, he ordered the shadowy figure, ¡°Execute Daike¡ªkill this man!¡±


    The shadowy figure bowed his head and replied, ¡°Lord, do you not think it¡¯s best to show the people this treachery by making his execution public?¡±


    ¡°Fine, maybe you have a point,¡± Jiro said reluctantly, still gripping his missing ear. ¡°Arrest this man, throw him in the dungeon, and someone get me a towel and pick up my damn ear!¡±


    Guards arrived on the scene and attempted to restrain Daike, but he easily broke free. Seeing this, Lord Jiro shouted, ¡°Reave, put this fool in his place!¡±


    The shadowy figure nodded, removing his cloak before stretching and cracking his knuckles and neck. ¡°I won¡¯t even need weapons for a B Rank,¡± he said.


    Daike smiled and scoffed. ¡°I don¡¯t know whether to be flattered or insulted, but I¡¯m only a C Rank.¡± He pulled out his uchigatana. ¡°You¡¯ll regret not taking me seriously!¡± he shouted, attempting to thrust his blade into Reave.


    At that moment, Reave smiled, disappearing before landing on top of Daike¡¯s blade. He somersaulted off the blade, and Daike barely dodged as he fell. Daike lifted his weapon for a rising thrust, but Reave, unable to dodge in midair, was forced to draw his dual daggers and block as he landed.


    Reave rushed forward and disappeared momentarily, reappearing behind Daike and striking him in the back of the neck with the hilt of his dagger. Daike fell unconscious into Reave¡¯s arms. ¡°I underestimated you, swordsman,¡± Reave said softly. He left Daike with the guards. ¡°He won¡¯t be a problem anymore,¡± he added as he walked away.


    After a brief delay, Jiro left the scene, and the guards dragged Daike to the dungeon. Upon arrival, Daike saw the cells filled with demi-humans and children. He was thrown into the last cell with frightened demi-human children and women. Once the guards left, he struggled to his feet, using the wall for support. The children cowered at the sight of him.


    He fell over but quickly jumped back up, startling some of them while others giggled. He smiled softly. ¡°Children should always be smiling,¡± he said, making silly faces to entertain them.


    Hours pass, and we rejoin the party at the inn. ¡°Where is that idiot?¡± Kaoru mutters to herself as she sips her drink. The barmaid from earlier approaches from behind and whispers, ¡°Sorry to bother you again, miss, but may I speak to you in the back?¡± Kaoru follows, clutching her sword. They disappear into a back room where the barmaid looks around to ensure they are alone. Kaoru, staying alert, checks her surroundings and prepares for any eventuality. The barmaid leans in close and informs her of earlier events.


    ¡°With this new information,¡± Kaoru says, ¡°he seemed angry when I mentioned Lord Jiro earlier. I¡¯m afraid he might be in trouble¡ªor worse. Lord Jiro isn¡¯t a man to involve yourself with; he is very powerful and dangerous.¡±


    Upon hearing this, Kaoru slips out through the window into the rainy night, running across the wet rooftops toward Lord Jiro¡¯s mansion. Upon arrival, she overhears guards discussing earlier events and the frightening swordsman who sliced down the gate. She drops down, incapacitates one guard, and places her blade to another¡¯s neck. ¡°Where is this swordsman now?¡± she demands. After receiving the information she seeks, she silently takes out the remaining guards before arriving at the dungeon doors.


    Descending the steps, she hears laughter and a familiar voice. Sneaking past, using the rafters and shadows to her advantage, she hears a guard shout, ¡°Silence!¡± She investigates and takes out the guard in the darkness to avoid alarming anyone inside the cells. There, she sees Daike making a fool of himself for the entertainment of the prisoners. ¡°Hey, idiot, what happened to you? We were meant to depart hours ago.¡±


    Daike looks around, sees Kaoru¡¯s familiar face, and drops to his knees, banging his head on the floor. ¡°Forgive me, master! I was sidelined by an important mission.¡± As he repeatedly bows, the children laugh and giggle. Kaoru leans into the bars. ¡°Tell me who did this.¡±


    Daike stands and walks towards her, whispering, ¡°There¡¯s a lord in this mansion. He is a vile man. I would have taken his head, but I was stopped by a mysterious figure named Reave.¡± Kaoru ponders for a moment. ¡°Reave, where have I heard that name before?¡±


    ¡°Give me a few minutes; I will find the key and get you free. We must leave this place undetected.¡± She disappears and returns moments later, opening the cell. Daike stands at the door, brushing past her slightly and leaning in close. ¡°That bastard killed an unborn child,¡± he mutters.


    Kaoru hears this and takes off running through the dungeon. ¡°I will stay here and find my weapon and get everyone to safety, master!¡± he shouts after her.


    Kaoru bursts through the front door, screaming, ¡°MURDERER!¡± Jiro hears her scream echoing down the hall. Reave appears beside him and chuckles, ¡°You¡¯re popular tonight.¡± In a panic, Jiro throws up his hands and yells, ¡°Reave, take care of it!¡± He dashes into his bedroom, cowering under the covers, muttering to himself, ¡°Not again, not again,¡± shaking like a leaf.


    Reave disappears from the frame, and the focus shifts back to Kaoru, who slowly ascends the stairs, listening for any sounds. Reave suddenly appears at the top of the stairs, smiling slightly, but his expression shifts to panic as he meets Kaoru¡¯s gaze. His pupils dilate in fear. ¡°Dark Death, what are you doing here? We thought you left this life.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t go by that name anymore,¡± Kaoru growls, fixing her eyes on him.


    ¡°I thought I recognized that name, Reave. Does this mean you left the guild as well?¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m just doing some freelance work. Contracts dried up after you left.¡±


    ¡°Okay, do you intend to get in my way, little Shiv?¡± she says, a cold smile on her lips.


    ¡°Actually, I go by¡ª¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t care! Get the fuck out of my way, or I¡¯ll cut you down, boy!¡±


    At her words, Reave pulls up his hood, blending into the shadows, and flees the mansion. The scene cuts to Jiro¡¯s room, where a storm rages outside, lightning illuminating the window. The door creaks open.


    ¡°Reave?¡± Jiro questions, his voice trembling.


    ¡°No, your bodyguard abandoned you. I am your end.¡±


    A flash of lightning reveals Kaoru¡¯s silhouette as she draws her blade. Jiro screams, and the scene fades to black, his blood splattering the walls.

 Episode 7 - An Anomalous Encounter.

    Daike, after rescuing the slave children, brings them to an orphanage, fully aware of the corrupt guards and the potential for conflict. Upon arrival, a demi-human woman greets him, asking, ¡°What can I do for you tonight, sir?¡± Skeptical of her trustworthiness, Daike inquires, ¡°Have any of your children gone missing recently?¡± The woman, visibly upset, responds, ¡°Yes, sir, several, in fact.¡± He presses further, ¡°Did you report it to the guards?¡± She replies firmly, ¡°Of course, sir; my children mean the world to me.¡± Reassured by her sincerity, Daike calls out to the children waiting around a corner.


    They rush toward him, and he smiles, saying, ¡°Don¡¯t worry; this lady will take care of you now. I¡¯ll come visit when I¡¯m in the area.¡± At that moment, the woman spots some of her children in the group and collapses to her knees, sobbing, ¡°Oh my darlings, where have you been?¡± The children chime in, ¡°In a stinky dungeon, but big brother Daike saved us!¡± One child, still upset but grateful, takes Daike¡¯s hands and asks, ¡°Sir, how can I ever repay you?¡± Blushing, Daike replies, ¡°I didn¡¯t save them for a reward; it was the right thing to do. Taking in the others is more than enough.¡± The woman takes a deep breath and says, ¡°Of course, sir. I would never turn away a child.¡±


    As Daike bids farewell to the children, they all shout, ¡°Thank you, big brother!¡± Embarrassed, he scratches his head and turns to leave as the woman calls out, ¡°You¡¯re welcome here anytime, sir!¡± He then heads back to the inn, where he finds L¡¯arc pacing anxiously. Daike coughs to get L¡¯arc¡¯s attention and asks, ¡°What¡¯s the matter, Master L¡¯arc?¡± L¡¯arc responds with a shaky voice, ¡°My mother isn¡¯t back yet.¡±


    Daike consoles him, saying, ¡°She met an old friend in the city and went for a few drinks at the tavern. She¡¯s likely passed out there.¡± L¡¯arc, having never heard of his mother having any friends, is skeptical but senses Daike''s sincerity and decides to trust that she will be okay, whatever she is doing.


    Later that night, Kaoru returns, and Daike recounts the evening''s events. Torn between regret and gratitude for Daike having lied to L¡¯arc, she admits, ¡°Tonight, I became something I swore never to be again. I¡¯m glad you didn¡¯t tell him the truth, but I hate lying to my son.¡± Overcome with emotion, she looks at Daike and suddenly throws herself at him, saying, ¡°I need to let off some steam; come to my room.¡± Daike eagerly accepts the invitation.


    The next morning, Kaoru pulls Daike aside and says, ¡°Last night was a one-off.¡± A little disheartened, Daike replies, ¡°I think we both needed it. No expectations here.¡± After turning away, he looks even more downcast and heads to the bar for a stiff drink. Noticing his demeanor, Kaoru smiles slightly and quips, ¡°Isn¡¯t it a bit early to be drinking?¡± Instantly reverting to his goofy self, Daike replies, ¡°Sorry, master.¡± Kaoru sighs and mutters under her breath, ¡°Now you¡¯ve gone and ruined it.¡±


    As soon as L¡¯arc wakes, the trio sets off for the local adventurers'' guild to take on another escort mission. L¡¯arc scans the board for something heading in their desired direction and finds a mission to escort a girl of similar age to an unmarked cave near a village on the way to his mother¡¯s village. He decides to accept the mission and meets the client. Upon seeing L¡¯arc, the client scoffs, ¡°I asked for someone strong, not a boy.¡± His mother intervenes, saying, ¡°Watch your tongue, girl. I won¡¯t have anyone talk to my son like that.¡± The girl laughs and replies, ¡°The little boy even travels with his mummy. Go back to the adventurers'' guild and find another mission; I don¡¯t want you.¡±


    Daike steps in, saying, ¡°Excuse me, miss, but I think you¡¯re being a bit rude. Looks can be deceiving; I can vouch for him.¡± The girl retorts, ¡°And who are you supposed to be that your opinion matters?¡± Daike brandishes his armband to show off his rank. The girl grits her teeth and begrudgingly replies, ¡°Fine, if a C-Rank is tagging along, I guess I¡¯ll allow it.¡± Kaoru mutters under her breath, ¡°This incorrigible brat; I¡¯ll tear her head off.¡± Hearing her, Daike whispers, ¡°I think she¡¯s been through some ordeals; cut her some slack.¡± Kaoru responds, ¡°Tch! Fine.¡±


    L¡¯arc asks the girl why she wants to go to the cave. She answers with an entitled tone, ¡°I am of dragon descent, and there are supposed to be lava crystals that enhance dragonkin''s affinity for fire if they are eaten.¡± L¡¯arc, excited, exclaims, ¡°Oh, that¡¯s amazing! I¡¯ve never met a dragonkin before.¡± Again, with a smug attitude, she responds, ¡°Yes, I am amazing. But I need to be stronger if I hope to get into Arcane, and those lava crystals will help me gain that strength.¡± L¡¯arc, enamored, fires off question after question. Kaoru eventually interjects, ¡°While I love your curiosity, if we don¡¯t move now, it¡¯ll be dark before we even set off.¡±


    If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    The group heads to the market to buy supplies before venturing into the cave, which lies beyond the forest outside of Fuyu City. The journey through the forest is uneventful, except for Kaoru noticing a large shadow fly overhead, which she brushes off. As they exit the forest, night falls. Deciding it¡¯s best to make camp before entering the cave, they settle down to rest.


    The next day, they pack up camp and venture into the cave, which initially appears ordinary¡ªalmost like a wild goose chase. They reach what seems to be a dead end, leaving them with no choice but to turn back. Suddenly, a giant spider descends from the ceiling, blocking their escape. Kaoru immediately takes up arms, shouting, ¡°Stay behind me! This monster is an anomaly; you¡¯ll only get in my way.¡± Daike, familiar with anomaly monsters, quickly grabs the two children and runs for cover. The children simultaneously ask, ¡°What¡¯s an anomaly?¡± Daike explains, ¡°It¡¯s a monster that has survived long enough to feed on other monsters and people, gaining strength comparable to a high-rank dungeon boss.¡±


    L¡¯arc asks worriedly, ¡°Will my mother be okay?¡± Daike replies, ¡°I don¡¯t know. If I had to guess, this is A or even S rank.¡± Kaoru fights to keep the spider from advancing toward the children, crying out, ¡°If I can¡¯t defeat this monster, I need you to promise me you¡¯ll get those children to safety.¡± Trembling with fear, Daike responds, ¡°I¡¯ll do my best, master.¡± The battle drags on, and it seems the spider may win. However, Kaoru is determined to protect the children and continues to fight, landing several blows that open wounds on the spider.


    As the spider secretes blood from its wounds, its natural predator, lurking in the lava caves, catches the scent and tunnels through the wall, revealing the lava caves. The tunneling causes vibrations that loosen stalactites, which fall and impale the spider, rendering it immobile. Daike rushes to intercept the lavark to prevent it from joining the fight. Kaoru calls out, ¡°Keep it busy! It gave me an opening, but I can¡¯t handle that right now.¡± Seizing her chance, Kaoru delivers a decisive blow to the spider.


    Lavark - A lavark is an aardvark that has adapted to its volcanic environment, gaining scales that protect it from the immense heat.


    With the spider defeated, Kaoru shifts her attention to the lavark, but Daike has already finished it off. With both threats neutralized and Kaoru in bad shape, they decide to leave the cave and rest.


    Daike approaches Kaoru and demands an explanation. ¡°I think it¡¯s time you told us who you are and why you were able to go toe-to-toe with that monster.¡± Kaoru sighs, ¡°I suppose I can¡¯t hide it anymore. I was hoping I never had to tell my son who I was.¡± Taking a deep breath, she continues, ¡°I am an S-Rank adventurer and an assassin¡ªor rather, I was. I gave it up long ago because I got sick of all the killing. I took many human lives as the ¡®Mighty Dark Death,¡¯ a name I¡¯ve hated since its inception.¡±


    Daike interrupts, ¡°Wait a goddamn minute. You¡¯re the Dark Death? I thought that was just a campfire story to scare people.¡± Kaoru responds, ¡°Nope, it¡¯s true, and so are the stories that come with it.¡± Daike interjects again, ¡°Well, from what I¡¯ve heard, you only ever took the lives of those who deserved it. Sure, that was a lot of people, but still. It¡¯s not like you¡¯re a monster.¡± She lets out a forced laugh and replies, ¡°Perhaps you¡¯re right, but it doesn¡¯t change the fact that I have all this blood on my hands¡ªso much so that I was cursed by a fertility goddess to never be able to carry children.¡±


    Daike questions her, ¡°Then what about Master L¡¯arc?¡± She responds, ¡°Are you daft? You can see I¡¯m a dark elf, and he is human.¡± He replies, ¡°Now that you mention it, I never really noticed. I was too enamored with both of your sword skills.¡± Turning to L¡¯arc, she says, ¡°I¡¯m sorry; I never wanted you to find out like this. I¡¯ll understand if you hate me.¡± L¡¯arc, crying, lunges at her with open arms, ¡°You¡¯re my mother; you¡¯ll always be my mother. I¡¯ll never hate you.¡± She holds him tighter than she has ever held anything in her life, saying, ¡°I¡¯ll never let you go, I promise. You¡¯re the only thing that gives my life meaning.¡±


    Seeing no room for her usual remarks, the dragonkin girl stands up and says, ¡°I¡¯m going to get some sleep. Perhaps you all should too if we¡¯re to tackle the lava caves tomorrow.¡± They all nod in agreement and head to bed.