A heavy atmosphere filled Arou's house.
Everyone sat around the main table, their faces dark and tense.
Arou looked at Nova, Nora, and Airi, who had just returned—clothes disheveled, bodies covered in dust and wounds.
"Explain. What exactly happened out there?"
Nova lowered his head for a moment, then looked at each of them.
"A disaster has arrived. Not a demon, not a monster, not Scarlet. There's something far worse."
Shion frowned.
"How strong does it have to be… to make you all look like this?"
Nova tapped the table lightly.
"0.01% of its power was enough to destroy Scarlet in a single blow… and create a crater dozens of meters wide."
The room froze.
No one could believe what they had just heard.
Rei swallowed hard.
"0.01%…? You've got to be kidding…"
Nora slowly shook her head, her face pale.
"If I hadn't seen it myself… I wouldn't believe it either."
Emi clenched her teeth.
"Then who is it?"
Nova took a deep breath.
"His name… is Zata."
The table creaked under Arou's grip as he clenched his fist too tightly.
"I've never heard that name. Where is he from?"
Airi, who had been silent, finally spoke—her voice trembling.
"He's not from this world… He called himself the Alien King… the ruler of interdimensional conquerors."
Silence fell.
Shion accidentally dropped his glass.
"Scarlet tried to stop him," Nora added quietly. "But… he died instantly."
Rei shook his head in disbelief.
"Scarlet was a legend… one of the strongest beings alive. If he died that easily… then we don't stand a chance."
Nova looked up, his eyes sharp.
"Not necessarily."
Everyone turned to him.
"Zata said something before he left. 'I'll return when everything is ready.' That means… we have time."
Arou exhaled heavily.
"How long?"
Nova closed his eyes.
"…I don't know. Tomorrow. A month. A year. But he will come back."
Silence swallowed the room.
Nora looked at everyone.
"If he returns and we're still like this… this world won't survive."
Nova slowly stood.
"We need to prepare. Training, weapons, strategy, allies. We can't face this alone."
Arou stood as well.
"From today onward… we are no longer ordinary adventurers. We are this world's last line of defense."
Airi lowered her head, her hands trembling.
"If I hadn't run… Scarlet might still be alive…"
Nova looked at her firmly.
"Don't blame yourself. No one in this world could stand against something like that. You're not weak… he's beyond logic."
Airi bit her lip, but her eyes began to regain strength.
Emi stood and struck the table.
"Then we survive. We don't die that easily."
Arou nodded.
"Starting tomorrow, special training begins. No exceptions."
Nova gave a faint smile—cold, but determined.
"Zata sees us as insects. I want him to regret that."
Everyone stood.
For the first time, they all felt the same thing.
Fear.
And the will to fight.
---
The room remained heavy and silent.
Then—
"Creak…"
The bathroom door opened.
Feeth walked out, casually drying his hair, as if nothing had happened.
"Huh? Why is everyone gathered? Emergency meeting?"
He stopped when he saw Airi.
"Wait… who's she? I've never seen her before."
No one answered immediately.
Arou sighed.
"…She's Airi. Our former assassin."
Feeth frowned.
"Former? Since when do assassins just leave? And why is she back now?"
Nora shot him a sharp look.
"Feeth, not now."
He raised his hands.
"Alright, alright. But something big clearly happened."
Nova stepped forward.
"Scarlet is dead. And Airi witnessed it."
Feeth froze.
"…She saw it? Then what killed Scarlet?"
Airi spoke quietly.
"…Zata."
Feeth went pale.
"Z-Zata…? The Conqueror King? I thought that was just a dark legend…"
"That 'legend' is walking in this world now," Arou said.
Feeth sat down slowly, his usual arrogance gone.
"…If it's really him… then we're nothing."
Nova's voice turned cold.
"That's why we don't have time to panic. Everyone prepares."
Feeth clenched his fists.
"…Fine. From now on… I fight for real."
---
Later…
Rain poured heavily.
Airi walked alone outside, soaked, trembling.
Then—
"…Zata."
He appeared behind her.
"What is a small human doing alone in the rain?"
Airi lowered her head.
"…Zata… please…"
"What do you want?"
She closed her eyes.
"…Kill me."
Silence.
"Reason?"
"I failed… I hurt everyone… I'm too weak to protect anyone… I don't belong anywhere…"
Zata stared at her.
"…Interesting."
He lifted her chin.
"Death is a reward for warriors. Not cowards."
Airi froze.
"If you want to die… prove your life is worth ending."
Then he vanished.
Airi collapsed to her knees.
"…Why am I not even worthy of death…?"
---
Moments later—
"Airi!!"
Nora rushed in and hugged her tightly.
Soon, Arou and the others arrived.
Then—
SLAP!
Arou struck her.
"Idiot!! Asking to die!? Do you want us to lose you again!?"
Airi trembled.
"…I don't know what to do…"
"Will your death fix anything!? Will it make us happy!?"
She couldn't answer.
Nora held her tighter.
"You're not alone…"
Airi cried silently.
---
Suddenly—
Clap… clap… clap…
Zata appeared again.
"What a touching scene."
He smiled mockingly.
"She begged me to kill her, you know."
Airi froze.
Everything escalated—
Zata revealed her past.
Her failure.
The people who died.
The truth she tried to bury.
Airi broke down completely.
"I know… I'm a monster…"
Zata looked at everyone.
"Now that you know… will you still call her your friend?"
Silence.
Then—
Nora stepped forward and embraced Airi again.
"Enough… You're not alone."
Nova added quietly,
"We're not angry because of your past… we're angry because you're hurting yourself."
Arou lowered his head.
"…We were wrong."
Feeth sighed.
"…Yeah. I was talking big without knowing anything. Sorry."
Airi cried again—
But this time, it wasn't despair.
It was relief.
---
That night…
Nova stood on the balcony.
Airi approached him.
"Nova… can we talk?"
"…Sit."
She sat beside him.
"I'm sorry… I hurt you."
"I'm not angry because you rejected me," Nova said.
"I'm angry because you keep hurting yourself."
Airi looked down.
"I'm scared… Everyone close to me disappears…"
Nova looked at her.
"I'm not here because you're strong."
He met her eyes.
"I'm here because you're you."
Tears fell.
"…Why are you so kind to me…?"
He smiled softly.
"If you can't smile yet… I'll smile for both of us."
Airi trembled.
Nova reached out his hand.
"Don't walk alone anymore."
Airi slowly took it.
"…Thank you… Nova."
She smiled faintly.
For the first time—real, fragile, but real.
---
The next morning…
Airi stood up.
"…I'm leaving."
Everyone was shocked.
"Where?" Nova asked, grabbing her arm.
"To the Dwarf realm. I need a new sword."
"I'm coming with you."
Arou frowned.
"Nova, don't!"
Nova shook his head.
"She shouldn't go alone."
Airi looked at him, surprised.
"Why…?"
He held her shoulders firmly.
"Because I want to protect you."
Airi blushed slightly.
"…Alright. If you insist."