"You better not slack off," Nyx had teased earlier.
"I know. I will," Takeshi said now, closing his eyes in embarrassment.
After finishing their meal, they returned to their room to rest. Takeshi sat on his bed while Akari, exhausted, curled up on Nyx's lap on her bed.
"That guy is stronger than you, huh?" Nyx broke the silence.
"Yeah," Takeshi murmured. "Even with the power of time activated, he knocked me back against the wall like it was nothing."
"He must be at least an A rank or higher," Nyx speculated.
"Which is why I need to get stronger," Takeshi said firmly. "To protect you and Akari."
Their conversation ended as Nyx leaned back on her bed and closed her eyes. Takeshi turned off the lights and lay down as well, his resolve tightening.
Morning came with a deafening rumble that shook the ground. An announcement blared through the city, waking Takeshi and Nyx from their slumber.
"Attention all guilds of Aventia, this is the V Guild commander. A horde of monsters is attacking from the north, west, and east of the city. All adventurers ranked B and above are ordered to defend the city. Adventurers ranked C and below are to assist in evacuating citizens to the south gate."
Takeshi glanced at Nyx, then out the window. Explosions and plumes of smoke were visible in the distance.
"Takeshi..." Nyx said, worry evident in her voice.
"Don't worry. I'll be fine," Takeshi assured her. "I'll take Akari to the evacuation area. We'll meet again after the siege ends."
"Alright," Nyx nodded.
Without hesitation, Nyx leapt through the window and flew toward the northern gate. As she soared, a fleeting shadow in the distance caught her attention but disappeared before she could investigate. When she arrived, chaos reigned. Adventurers fought desperately to hold the line. Nyx raised her hand, summoning jagged spikes of dark energy that rained down on the monsters.
Meanwhile, Takeshi and Akari were helping townspeople evacuate. The streets were chaotic, with adventurers directing citizens toward the south gate.
"Something's coming," Akari whispered, her small frame trembling.
Before Takeshi could respond, humanoid monsters with blade-like limbs emerged from the alleys, leaping toward the frightened townspeople.
Takeshi moved instinctively, his sword flashing as he cut through the monsters, his strikes swift and precise. Blood sprayed, and the creatures fell. He barely had time to breathe when a scream pierced the air.
"Akari!"
He turned to see a monster lunging at her, its blade-arm poised to strike. Without thinking, Takeshi dashed forward, parrying the attack with a metallic clash. With a burst of force, he drove his sword through the creature's chest, then spun and delivered a crushing kick to its side, sending it sprawling to the ground. He finished it with a decisive strike, his blade gleaming.
"Are you alright?" Takeshi asked, his voice tense.
Akari nodded, her face pale but determined. Takeshi exhaled, relief washing over him.
Minutes later, the last of the civilians reached safety. With his duty done, Takeshi rushed back to Aventia, where the northern and eastern gates had been secured. However, the western gate was still under siege.
Takeshi took to the air, scanning the battlefield. Below, Nyx was locked in combat, surrounded by monsters. Dark energy erupted around her as she fought, her movements graceful but strained.
"Need a hand?" Takeshi called, landing beside her and shooting down a monster creeping up from behind.
"Good timing," Nyx said, smirking despite her exhaustion. "Monsters have breached the city. Can you handle them?"
"Leave it to me," Takeshi replied, a fierce grin on his face.
He launched into the air, spotting a pack of dire wolves prowling through the streets. He drew his gun, firing precise shots that brought the beasts down one by one. Further ahead, more monsters emerged—a towering ogre accompanied by swarms of smaller creatures.
Takeshi didn't hesitate. He dove toward them, slicing through the smaller monsters with fluid movements. The ogre roared, swinging a massive club. Takeshi dodged, his sword sparking against the weapon as he countered. A burst of energy propelled him forward, and with a powerful slash, he brought the beast down.
Regrouping with Nyx at the western gate, Takeshi found her preparing a devastating attack. Hovering above the battlefield, she gathered a swirling mass of dark energy, her outstretched hand commanding it into a concentrated orb.
"Take this!" Nyx cried, hurling the orb toward the monsters. It detonated on impact, obliterating the remaining enemies in a cascade of shadows.
Nyx descended slowly, landing beside Takeshi. She stumbled slightly, and he caught her.
"You did great," Takeshi said, his voice filled with admiration.
"Thanks," Nyx replied softly, her usual confidence tempered by exhaustion.
Before they could rest, a woman stepped forward, addressing the gathered adventurers.
"On behalf of the citizens, congratulations! Thanks to your efforts, the city is safe. You will all be rewarded with gold and a rank increase."
Cheers erupted from the crowd, but the celebration was cut short as two carriages approached. From them emerged six figures—the great guild masters of Aventia.
One of them, a man with sharp features, stepped forward. "I am Kairos Ashford, Guild Master of V Guild," he announced. "You've done well. But I'm sure some of you have questions."
A disgruntled adventurer stepped up, his voice loud and accusing. "Where were you? We were out there risking our lives while you hid!"
Kairos smirked coldly. "You want to know where we were? Here."
He tossed five skeletal heads onto the ground. Gasps rippled through the crowd.
"These were A+ rank necromancers," Kairos explained. "They were the ones summoning the horde. While you defended the city, we eliminated the source."
The crowd fell silent, their earlier resentment replaced with awe.
"If anyone else has complaints," Kairos said, his tone daring, "feel free to speak."