Inside the guild library, Haruto and Miyuki searched quietly through the shelves, looking for any information about summoning rituals.
The room was large but silent. Rows of old books filled the space, their pages worn with time. Only two other people were present, both busy preparing documents for the coming battle, paying no attention to them.
Haruto moved from shelf to shelf, scanning titles quickly, while Miyuki flipped through a book in her hands before closing it with a soft sigh.
After a moment, she looked at him.
"Haruto…" she said quietly, her voice carrying a hint of hesitation. "We came here to find information about the enemy army… to help them. But instead, we're searching for something else."
Haruto didn't respond immediately. He pulled out another book, glanced through a few pages, then placed it back.
Then he turned toward her.
"Miyuki," he said calmly, "I already told you this before."
He stepped closer, lowering his voice slightly.
"In this village, if we want information about anything… the only place we can find it is here, in the guild library."
His eyes briefly moved toward the others in the room before returning to her.
"And we're not even supposed to be here," he continued. "Only guild members or registered adventurers are allowed inside. We only got in because of Emi."
He paused for a second.
"This is our only chance. If we don't find what we need now, we might not get another opportunity before someone notices us."
Miyuki tightened her grip on the book she was holding.
"But they helped us," she said, her voice soft but firm. "Even though we're outsiders, they allowed us into the meeting room. Emi has done so much for us… without her, we wouldn't even be here."
Her ears lowered slightly. "That's why… we should help them. We should protect this village."
Haruto watched her quietly for a moment.
Then he stepped closer.
"You already know the situation," he said in a low voice. "Emi and a few others may accept us… but the rest of the village doesn't."
His expression hardened slightly."To them, I'm still human."
He glanced toward the entrance, then back at Miyuki.
"They might tolerate you because you're a demi-human," he continued. "But my case is different."
There was a brief silence between them.
"That's why I'm not taking unnecessary risks," Haruto finished. "If they can't handle the situation on their own, then we'll step in."
His voice dropped slightly."But not now."
On the eastern side of the forest, far beyond the reach of the village, the atmosphere had changed completely. The deeper one went, the quieter the forest became, until even the sounds of insects and birds disappeared entirely. It was as if the forest itself had gone silent out of fear, avoiding whatever presence had settled there.
Hidden within that unnatural stillness, a large camp had been established. More than a hundred armed men moved throughout the area, preparing for battle. Weapons were being sharpened, armor adjusted, and supplies checked, yet despite their numbers, a strange tension hung over them. It wasn't fear of the coming fight—it was fear of the man they followed.
At the center of the camp, Akira Kurotsuki sat alone in front of the largest tent. His posture was relaxed, almost careless, as if nothing around him truly mattered. One leg rested over the other, his hand supporting his chin while his eyes quietly observed everything. There were no guards standing near him, not because he didn't need them, but because no one dared to come too close. His presence alone was enough to keep people away.
After a moment, a subordinate approached, though even his steps slowed as he drew closer. He stopped at a noticeable distance and lowered his head, not purely out of respect, but to hide the unease in his expression.
"Leader," he said, trying to keep his voice steady, "we are fully prepared. Just give the order, and we will destroy the village."
For a few seconds, there was no response.
Akira simply looked at him, his gaze calm but unsettling, as if he were seeing straight through him. The man's body stiffened under that silent attention, his breath growing shallow without him realizing it.
Then, slowly, a faint smile formed on Akira's lips.
"Destroy it?" he repeated, his voice quiet, almost thoughtful. A low chuckle followed, soft but cold. "That would be a waste."
He shifted slightly, leaning forward just enough to change the atmosphere around him. The air itself seemed heavier, pressing down on the man standing before him.
"By now, the guild should already know we're here," Akira continued, his eyes drifting toward the dark forest in the direction of the village. "They'll be preparing defenses… gathering their strength… convincing themselves they still have a chance."
His smile deepened slightly, though there was no warmth in it.
"I want them to believe that," he added. "Hope makes people desperate… and desperation makes everything more interesting."
He paused for a moment before speaking again, his voice lowering into something colder.
"I don't enjoy killing from the shadows. There's no satisfaction in attacking from behind, no meaning in ending things before they even begin."
His gaze returned to the subordinate, sharper this time, enough to make the man instinctively tense.
"The real fun," Akira said slowly, "is watching them break."
The words were calm, but the intent behind them was anything but.
"When they see their families die… when they realize they can't protect anyone… when all that confidence they built turns into fear…" His smile widened slightly, something darker now showing beneath it.
"That moment, when hope disappears completely—that's when it becomes worth it."
The surrounding camp had grown silent without anyone noticing. Even the men working nearby had slowed, careful not to draw attention to themselves.
The subordinate swallowed hard before speaking again, forcing the words out despite the pressure building around him.
"Leader… we have more than a hundred men. Even if they have A-rank adventurers… they won't be able to stop us."
Akira didn't look at him this time. His eyes remained fixed on the unseen village beyond the forest.
"I know," he said quietly.
That calm certainty made it worse.
A faint breath left him, almost like a sigh of anticipation. "That's exactly why I'm looking forward to it."