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Chapter 36: Light (Finn)
Riveria's merciless blow had completely sunk Ais. Afterward, the High Elf dragged her off. By the time Ais regained consciousness, she was forced to sit in strict seiza inside the tent, enduring a relentless lecture.
"I apologize for this. We ended up dragging you into Ais's mess," Finn apologized.
"I don't mind, but… is Ais going to be okay?"
The glow of the magic stone lamp illuminated the inside of the tent, casting shadows over Riveria as she handed down her scolding, and Ais, who was kneeling with her head hung low. Tsuna couldn't help but feel worried after watching Ais endure the lecture for over an hour.
"I wouldn't exactly say she's fine. Besides, Ais has a bit of trauma when it comes to making Riveria angry."
"I see…"
Hearing Finn's words, Tsuna understood that no matter how much Ais struggled, there was no saving her now.
"Tsunayoshi Sawada. Do you have a moment to talk?"
"Talk?"
"Yes. There's something I'd like to ask you."
"Sure, but…"
"Thank you. Let's change locations for a bit."
Finn led Tsuna away from the camp. They arrived at the tunnel entrance leading down to the 51st floor.
"So, what did you want to talk about?"
"Nothing major. I just wanted to ask why you decided to join this expedition."
"That's…"
"You agreed to it right away, but I never heard your actual reasons. I wanted to ask while we had the chance, since there's no telling what might happen from here on out. You don't have to answer if you don't want to."
"…"
Tsuna hesitated for a moment, weighing how much to share.
"I collapsed with nowhere to go, and Hestia and Bell saved me. But our Familia is poor. So, I figured scoring a reward from Orario's largest faction would make their lives a little easier."
"So, despite being in a poor Familia, you're doing this to repay the debt to those who saved you?"
"Yeah…"
"I see. That helps me understand why you became an adventurer."
"Huh?"
"You didn't become an adventurer because you wanted to. Am I wrong?"
"H-How did you know…!?"
"We haven't known each other long, but we've crossed fists, and I've watched you fight. That much is obvious. Whenever you fight, your brow is always furrowed, and you swing your fists as if you're praying. Despite possessing all that power, you have never once sought strength for the sake of it. Am I wrong?"
"You're right. If our Familia wasn't so poor, I don't think I'd be an adventurer at all. I'd probably just be working part-time at Hestia's job."
As Tsuna spoke, an image formed in his mind—not of himself fighting as an adventurer, but standing alongside Hestia, working a normal shift at a food stall.
"Why did you become an adventurer, Finn?"
"For the revival of my race."
"Revival?"
It was a name Tsuna had never heard before. He tilted his head in confusion.
"Have you ever heard of someone named Fianna?"
"Fianna?"
"A long time ago. She was a Prum hero who lived before the Gods even descended to the lower world. Among all the races, the Prums were considered the weakest and most inferior. Yet, she slaughtered countless monsters, saved many people, and displayed immense courage. She was the first and last glory of the Prum race. Of course, nowadays, she's considered nothing more than a myth. But even so, I believe in Fianna. I want to become someone like her. I want to become the light of the Prums."
"Their hope?"
"After the Gods descended, the figure of Fianna that the Prums worshipped vanished. Having lost their emotional pillar, the Prums rapidly fell into ruin, as if they had been dealt a finishing blow. That's why the Prums need a new light. To achieve that, I became an adventurer in Orario. By making a name for myself, I can bring courage to Prums all over the world. That is my dream."
"But you're a Level 6, and you've even become the Captain of the Loki Familia, the strongest faction in the city. Isn't that enough?"
"It feels arrogant to say it myself, but as you pointed out, I believe I've succeeded in making my name known. Not just among my own kind, but to other races as well. Yet, my strength is still lacking. In fact, I must become even stronger."
"What!? But you're already so strong!"
"No… In this very city, there were once adventurers whom even Ottar—the man you fought—couldn't hold a candle to."
"Ottar… that guy I fought…?"
"Yes."
"But isn't he the strongest adventurer in the city…?"
"That is only true right now. In the past, Orario was home to adventurers who surpassed even him. Two massive factions known as the Zeus Familia and the Hera Familia."
"Were they really that strong?"
"Yes. Neither I nor Ottar could even defeat their rank-and-file members. Furthermore, the Captain of the Zeus Familia was a Level 8, and the Captain of the Hera Familia was a Level 9. They were absolute anomalies."
Tsuna was stunned. His clash with Ottar had been brief, but when he blocked the Boaz's massive sword, he had viscerally understood why the man was called the strongest. To hear that there were talents who surpassed even him left Tsuna speechless.
"But 15 years ago, even they were defeated. By a certain monster."
"What!?"
To think there was a monster in this world capable of defeating adventurers stronger than Finn and Ottar. Tsuna couldn't hide his shock.
"For us adventurers, there are three legendary monsters that must be slain, known as the Three Great Quests. They are the Behemoth, the Leviathan, and the One-Eyed Black Dragon. Monsters that broke out of the Dungeon in ancient times."
"So those adventurers were defeated by those monsters?"
"The Zeus and Hera Familias successfully subjugated the Behemoth and the Leviathan. However, they failed to slay the Black Dragon, and both Familias were annihilated."
Tsuna gasped. A beast that even the strongest warriors in history couldn't defeat was still out there.
"With the collapse of the two great factions, the Dark Age began."
"The Dark Age?"
"With the city's strongest deterrents gone, crime syndicates known as the Evils began operating in the shadows of Orario. Countless adventurers and innocent civilians lost their lives to them. Then, seven years ago, a conflict broke out known as the Seven Days of Death. It was the deadliest massacre in Orario's history."
"I had no idea…"
The Orario Tsuna knew was a peaceful city filled with people walking the streets with smiles on their faces. It was impossible for him to imagine that such a horrific tragedy had occurred just years prior.
"Did you fight in it too, Finn?"
"I did. It was a battle that could only be described as hell. The seniors who taught me what it meant to be an adventurer lost their lives in that conflict."
"Finn…"
"At the cost of tremendous sacrifices, we emerged victorious. Soon after, an adventurer known as the Gale destroyed the Evils. And with that, the Dark Age came to an end."
Having finished his story, Finn looked up at the ceiling of the cavern, his thoughts lingering on the comrades he had lost.
"I apologize. That got rather dark."
"No, it's okay. I think I understand, at least a little. There were people I couldn't protect either."
"I see…"
Tsuna looked up at the ceiling as well. The faces of Yuni and Gamma—lives he had failed to save in the future—flashed through his mind. Finn didn't press him for details.
"I've rambled on a bit, but the point is, if humanity fails to slay the Black Dragon, we have no future. If that happens, my dream of reviving my race will turn to ash. That is why I need strength far greater than what I have now."
"…"
Realizing that the people of this world were facing the very real threat of human extinction, Tsuna found himself at a loss for words.
"And to restore my race, there is one more thing I absolutely must do."
"Something you have to do?"
"Find a bride."
"A bride!?"
Tsuna let out a yelp of surprise. He hadn't expected the conversation to suddenly pivot to marriage.
"I know it's jarring to bring this up after such a grim story, but I am entirely serious."
"What do you mean…?"
"Simply put, I need an heir. Someone to keep the light of our race burning. Even if I achieve fame and my name is known across the world, it will only last for an instant. That alone isn't enough to keep the Prums inspired for generations. I don't belong to a long-lived race like the Elves. Ultimately, I need a successor to carry on into the next era, and it is preferable that they inherit my blood."
"So… you want your children to inherit your will for the sake of your race's future glory?"
"Exactly. However, my partner must be a Prum like me. Not a half-blood, but a pure Prum. But it can't just be anyone. What our race lacks right now is courage. I need a partner who possesses that lost bravery."
"You'd go that far for your race…"
"That is my resolve. So, I wanted to ask—do you know any Prums who might meet my criteria?"
"Ah, no… I don't actually know any Prums at all…"
"I see. If you ever find one, please let me know. I've already gotten Loki's permission, so it doesn't matter if she belongs to another Familia. Age doesn't matter either. Though, considering I'm over forty, the real question is whether anyone would even want me…"
"Forty!?"
Tsuna's eyes bugged out.
"Seriously!? You don't look anywhere near forty!"
"When someone is engraved with Falna and continuously ranks up, their body becomes resistant to aging, prolonging their prime. Did Goddess Hestia not tell you?"
"No… that's the first I'm hearing of it…"
"I see. Well, never mind. Anyway, if you find a suitable Prum, just let me know. That's all."
"O-Okay…"
Tsuna nodded in agreement, but the sheer shock of Finn being in his forties simply refused to fade.
"I only meant to talk for a moment, but this dragged on. We should get some rest for tomorrow."
"Yeah."
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