Three days had passed since the cataclysm that ravaged the village of North. The attack by the creatures resulted in immense carnage, devastating the area. Lives were taken, entire families were torn apart, and only 5% of the population survived the horror. The survivors, helpless, had to seek refuge in the nearest capital, their homes destroyed, their hopes nearly lost.
In the capital’s central square, a nervous and anguished crowd gathered to discuss the devastating attack on the neighboring village. Tension filled the air.
— How could this happen?
— You were stronger than them!
— Useless!
The leader of the mage squad stood there, listening to the murmurs of dissatisfaction. Suddenly, a powerful voice echoed through the area, carrying authority.
— SILENCE!
The weight of his voice made everyone fall silent instantly. He looked at them all with a serious yet distant expression.
— You are right. We were stronger than them... But this is not our responsibility.
A murmur of indignation spread through the crowd. His words sounded more like an insult than an explanation, and soon, insults were being hurled at the leader. However, he remained unfazed, wearing a disinterested smile as he turned his back and began walking away.
— Looks like they found you first, didn’t they?...
Erick still hadn't gotten used to the unsettling silence of his new home. The place was so quiet that even his own voice echoed through the hallways, making him feel even more out of place.
— Wow... it's incredibly silent here... This doesn't feel right...
He sighed and looked at the third door to his left. Determined, he walked up to it and opened it, only to be met with an unexpected scene: a stunning woman with fiery orange eyes and long blonde hair cascading over her shoulders. She was... wearing only her underwear, staring at him with a defiant look.
— Hey there, newbie!
Erick immediately turned red. His eyes averted quickly, and he shut the door in a growing panic. His heart pounded, and the image of the woman refused to leave his mind.
— Hey, why did you look away?
The door opened again, and there she was, a mischievous smile on her lips.
— I-I'm so sorry! It wasn’t my intention! I swear!
She chuckled softly, not seeming to mind at all.
— It's fine... So, you're Erick, right?
Erick stammered, still unsure of how to react.
— Y-yes...
She smiled charmingly and gently held his face.
— I'm Emily. If you need anything, just let me know.
Erick felt heat rise up his neck. With a bold smile, Emily turned around and walked back to her room, leaving the door slightly open.
— I hope to see you again.
— She... is really weird...
Still dazed, Erick glanced toward the far end of the room. Someone was there, staring out the window. Curious, he stepped closer.
— Hey, sir! Can you show me the way out?
When he got closer, the figure was gone, as if it had been a mirage. Fortunately, looking out the window, Erick spotted the squad leader, Cosmo, sitting calmly, sipping his daily tea, seemingly unaware of everything around him.
— Give up. When he enters that state, no one can get his attention...
A soft voice interrupted his thoughts. He turned to see a woman with a piercing yet serene gaze. Her long hair reached her waist, and her presence was marked by an aura of tranquility.— You must be Erick, right?
— Y-yes!
— The captain has summoned everyone. Come with me.
Erick, unsure of what to expect, followed her down the stairs. The silence between them was thick, and he still didn't fully understand who these people were. Gathering his courage, he asked:
— I’d like to know more about you... about your group and your leader...
She looked at him for a moment, as if assessing his intentions, before answering in a calm voice without breaking eye contact.
— We are a group formed with the goal of saving those who can be saved and exorcising the souls corrupted by darkness... the Inverses.
Erick frowned, confused.
— Inverses...?
— Cruel beings that destroy all life. They are responsible for the destruction of your village.
Erick, feeling a tightness in his chest, began to recall the attack on his village and the chaos that followed.
Upon reaching the bottom of the stairs, the entire group had gathered. The siblings Louis and Emily waved, and soon, everyone was present.
— Nii!
— Louis!
— Oh! Looks like everyone’s here!
Looking to the left, the leader, Cosmo, descended the stairs with a relaxed expression. He seemed calm, his presence exuding an aura of peace, almost serenity.
— Hey, everyone! What a wonderful day, don’t you think?
Reaching the center, Cosmo looked at the two siblings and smiled.
— So, let’s start the introductions! I’m Cosmo, Path No. 1, and captain of this squad.
He bowed gently, exuding authority without rigidity.
— Emily Laine, Path No. 2.
The girl who had come down the stairs with Erick introduced herself with a subtle smile.
— Haruki Mei, Path No. 4.
Next, another young man with a serious demeanor introduced himself curtly.
— Angel Crown, Path No. 3. Just so you know, kid, I have no interest in getting to know you.
And, without another word, he walked off to his room.
— Uh...
— Don’t mind him. He’s always grumpy. Oh, and I’m Wally Dreamster, the last of the Paths...
He chuckled, a little embarrassed.
Louis, still not understanding, asked Cosmo about the meaning of the "Paths." It didn't seem to make sense to him.
— We are the pillar that will create a new generation of heroes and adventurers. That's right! Our mission is to guide you toward the future.
Cosmo's words were soft but carried a deep meaning, filling the air with determination.Erick, though still lost in thought, felt that he could trust him.
— Now that the introductions are over, it's time to start training. You need to become stronger because you're not yet ready for what’s to come.
— Yes, sir!
In the darkest corner of the forest, by the edge of a river, the man responsible for the destruction of North Village sat, watching a family of rabbits resting peacefully in front of him.
— ...
A deep voice broke the silence:
— I didn’t expect to see you again so soon.
Behind him stood the squad leader, holding a bag full of gold coins. He tossed it at the feet of the hooded man.
— You did an excellent job. Exactly as I ordered.
However, his expression suddenly hardened.
— But you failed your main mission!
With a furious scream, he kicked a nearby tree, knocking it down instantly.
— Don’t worry, they are under Cosmo’s protection...
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— That is exactly the problem!
He stepped forward and grabbed the hooded man by the neck, lifting him with overwhelming strength as an intense aura emanated from his body.
— With Cosmo protecting them, getting close will be impossible!
The hooded man remained calm, a slight smile curling his lips.
— How can you stay so calm in a situation like this?!
— Ahh...
In the blink of an eye, he vanished from the leader’s grasp, appearing behind him with a hand resting on his shoulder.
— I assure you, they will be dead soon.
Without another word, he disappeared into the darkness, leaving only the sound of the wind behind.
The leader sighed, narrowing his eyes.
— I hope so...
Two months had passed since training began. Erick and Louis rested near a small spring, exhausted from the intense challenges imposed by Cosmo.
— I must congratulate you! You have improved a lot in this period. I’m impressed! — said Cosmo, crossing his arms as he observed them.
— Thank you, Captain! — Erick replied excitedly.
Louis, however, remained downcast, feeling inferior. Erick noticed.
— What’s wrong, Louis?
— I just... feel useless. You all have incredible abilities, while I... I don’t have magic.
— Louis...
— That’s not true.
Louis lifted his gaze, confused.
— Huh?
Cosmo sat beside him and placed a hand on his shoulder.
— What you lack is determination. Thinking you are weak only destabilizes your soul. Believe in your own strength and move forward.
Cosmo’s words eased some of the weight in Louis’ heart. The captain stood up and walked toward the door.
— I’ll be waiting for you when you're ready.
In the meeting room, Cosmo looked out the window, watching Louis from afar.
— He really is a good kid, isn't he, Cosmo?
Emily, leaning against the wall behind him, smiled softly.
— No doubt. But he still doesn’t know his true potential.
Cosmo smiled back, confident.
— If that’s what you say, I’ll trust your words...
Emily shrugged and walked up the stairs, leaving Cosmo alone with his thoughts.
A few hours later, Erick and Louis were in the room with Cosmo, who held a crude map.
— You will head south. There, you will find a village inhabited by the Herwolfys.
Erick raised his hand, curious.
— Captain, who are the Herwolfys?
— Descendants of the great Liarwolfys, the lunar wolf. It is said that his claws were so sharp they could cut the day and bring the night. But it’s just a myth... ah... what a disappointment.
Cosmo sighed, frustrated. Erick, however, insisted.
— And why do we need to go to this village?
— I want you to bring back some specific people.
Some time later, the brothers walked through the dense forest, guided by a revised map drawn by Emily.
— Good thing Miss Emily redid the map for us. The captain’s map was... well, incomprehensible... — said Erick.
Louis laughed.
— The captain really is strange.
Suddenly, Erick stopped.
— Look, Louis!
Both were surprised to see a beautiful village surrounded by enormous trees. It was an impressive, almost magical sight.
— Who are they?!
— Intruders!
The villagers, armed with spears, pointed their weapons at the brothers. Erick tried to calm the situation.
— H-hey! We’re not enemies!
— What’s going on here?
The murmurs ceased as the village leader, the great Gur, appeared. Erick handed him a letter from Cosmo.
— Hmm, interesting… It seems Cosmo has come in search of them…
Gur carefully analyzed the letter while Erick wondered how he could understand Cosmo’s messy handwriting.
— Follow me. I will take you to them.
As they walked through the village alongside Gur, he shared its history.
— This village was founded about 9,000 years ago by the great Liar-sama. As his descendants, we carry his blood and his responsibility. We must be perfect to honor our creator.
The brothers listened attentively, absorbing every detail of that fascinating story.
Looking to the left, Erick noticed many people locked in cages. The sight made him feel uneasy.
— Why are they imprisoned?
— This is the consequence of being considered defective. It is the punishment for staining the Wolfys surname.
Louis also noticed that many of the captives were missing their ears, and some even their tails. Among them were children, which seemed like an act of unfathomable cruelty.
After a long walk, they finally reached their destination.
— Well, this is where we part ways. Oh, I almost forgot.
Gur handed two letters with dressing room numbers to Erick and Louis.
— Have a good day...
The old Gur waved and began descending the mountain.
— Well, let’s go in — said Erick, ready to move forward.
But Louis grabbed his arm, stopping him.
— What is it, Louis?
— Do you remember what Lady Mei told us?
Erick placed his hand on his chin, thinking.
— If I remember correctly, something like "if you enter, keep your heads down and keep walking." Why?
Looking to the right, Erick noticed a sign on the wall: "Succubus Bar: Satisfy yourself however you wish."
— So that’s why…
He took a deep breath, placed his left hand over his chest, and opened the door.
Inside the bar, the two walked while keeping their heads down.
— Hey, kitties!
— Don’t you want to spend some time with us?
— I promise I’ll be gentle.
— Aww, how cute!
Several girls watched them closely, with teasing smiles. Muffled sounds of excitement echoed from the rooms, the atmosphere exuding lust.
— “Focus, Erick! Even if you want to, you can’t look!”
Erick took out the letter Gur had given him.
— Looks like I’m going to room 57. What about you, Louis?
— Room 7.
— “How unfair...”
The two parted ways, following different paths. Erick climbed several stairs to reach the second floor, while Louis walked toward room 7.
After a short walk, Louis stopped in front of the door to room 7.
— Well... what should I do?
He held the doorknob, which opened on its own. As soon as he entered, the door closed behind him.
— That’s strange…
— W-Welcome…
A soft voice made him turn around. There stood a girl with long hair and bright green eyes.
— T-this is my first time, s-so…
She spoke timidly, approaching slowly.
— W-wait, this is a misunderstanding!
Cornered against the wall, Louis felt his heart race as the girl's face got closer.
— “Help me, nii!”
Their lips were almost touching when suddenly:
— I can’t!
The girl backed away, kneeling on the floor, embarrassed. She covered her face with her hands.
— S-Sorry, but I can’t do this, sir…
Tears began to stream down her face.
Louis, unsure how to react, sat beside her and started wiping her tears.
— Are you feeling better now?
— Yes…
He picked up a blanket and gently draped it over her shoulders.
— T-thank you… This is the first time a boy has treated me like this… I’m Lilith.
Louis observed her closely. Something about her seemed deeply sad.
— Why do you work here?
Lilith clutched the blanket tightly at the question.
— S-Sorry, I didn’t mean to bring up bad memories!
— It’s okay... I was sold here a few days ago. Even if I wanted to, I could never leave… I am a disgrace to my clan.
Her voice was low and melancholic. Louis noticed that Lilith, like many of the prisoners they had seen earlier, had no tail or ears.
— My sister saved me, but she ended up imprisoned here because of me...
Her tears kept falling. Louis hugged her tightly.
— Don’t worry… My brother and I will get you out of here.
Lilith remained silent, simply resting her head on Louis’ shoulder.
Meanwhile, Erick finally reached the second floor, exhausted.
— Ahhh... Finally! I’m dead…
He walked to room 57 and opened the door. The room was completely dark.
— What? I climbed all this way for nothing?
— I was waiting for you…
A soft voice emerged from the darkness. A girl with short hair and a charming gaze appeared before him.
— Are you ready?
— W-wait! This isn’t what I came for!
Before he could react, she pushed him against the wall, firmly holding his arms.
— Here I go…
Erick tried to resist but noticed something strange.
— Hm?
The girl stopped and looked at him intently.
— Looks like it didn’t work… Ah…
— Huh?
She stepped back, extending her hand to help him up.
— Tell me, human, who are you?...
