“This is it. Go make us proud!” Jenna said. She made sure to give the four heroes a hug several times. She felt like a mother watching her children leave. The Feral Tomcat had been The Unnamed Team’s home ever since they formed. At first, they were like any other team of novices. They made mistakes. They broke things. They got into trouble. Of course, all of that still occurred. One could even argue that the more recent developments were significantly worse than what the team had done previously. Even so, it was impossible to deny how much they had grown.
“We’ll be waiting for you to get back,” Linn said with a smile. She still felt guilty about recently barring them from entering her shop, but all of that worry left her the moment she saw The Unnamed Team. Their equipment was roughly the same except they were now accented with dragon scales. The team’s [Contracted Mage] wore green scales which gave him considerable resistance to poison. The [Sniper] wore blue scales that curbed lightning damage. Fitting for the [Commander]’s previous nature-loving classes, she wore red scales which endured against fire. Lastly, there was the [Fighter] who had purple scales and resistance to psychic damage.
“And, we’ll be ready to buy up whatever you find there,” Sean said. The Demon King was bound to have plenty of prized possessions. Simply having one would increase the person’s net worth exponentially. Many things needed to be done first, but the merchant couldn’t control his free-roaming thoughts. He was eager to see what The Unnamed Team would bring back.
“Just be sure what you bring home is safe. I won’t hesitate to close the gates on you.” Oliver said. Unlike the ecstatic merchant, the guardsman wasn’t interested in what would inevitably come into town. Those items were in the Demon King’s possession for a reason. They were either powerful or expensive. The first option meant that another explosion or worse was imminent. The latter meant that demons and thieves would be strolling into town to find the item in question.
“I certainly wish I could join you all,” Rose said. She placed her hand on the sword that hung from her hip. It was a paladin’s duty to expel evil from the world. What kind of holy warrior would she be if she passed up the opportunity to kill the Demon King? It was only natural for her to go. Unfortunately, The Unnamed Team had requested that no one follow them. It was best for all able adventurers to stay in their home towns and villages to protect them from any wayward demons that might try to cause trouble. It also went without saying that anyone who followed the heroic team would only become a liability once the real fighting got started. Rose may have been a paladin, but she was unsure if she’d survive an encounter with the Demon King.
“Bah! Let them have their moment! We can join them on their next journey!” Damian said. He was also bitter about staying behind but knew his place. This was a tale that would soon become a legend. The four heroes who changed the world. Damian started to feel nostalgic as he thought about the four bumbling idiots that somehow managed to defeat Pride. He wasn’t about to stop or hinder the mission those four had chosen. They were the team that defeated all seven sins. Even if he didn’t know the truth about Lust and Gluttony, Damian knew in his heart that the four before him were ready to etch their names in history.
“Next journey? I suppose the adventuring life never ends.” Countess Marisol said. A faint smile appeared. She was honored to be invited to this going away celebration. The Unnamed Team could have had an audience with the monarchs of other nations, yet they chose to invite her. It was humbling. The four heroes she had helped in the past still treated her the same. They didn’t differentiate between nobles and commoners. Everyone was the same in their eyes. It must have been what made them so appealing to people of all walks of life.
“There’s always more to explore. Friends to meet. People to…love.” Emma said. She blushed and looked away from the group, specifically her previous dance partner. The two’s relationship hadn’t blossomed, but it also hadn’t stagnated. Much like Robyn and Morgan, the future was unclear for those two. They had agreed to talk about it at a later date but never specified when that date would be. Of course, this awkward state of their relationship led to many awkward interactions. Fortunately, a promise was made to finally settle things once the world was at peace.
“Xander, I’ll miss you! The others as well, of course.” Lust said. She waved to her friends from the back of the room. It was best for her to avoid attention, but she couldn’t help herself. How could she not wish her lover safe travels? Several kisses were blown, much to the glee of one person and the disgust of three others.
“His royal highness, the illustrious queen, and Prince Morgan wish you safe travels. On behalf of the Kingdom of Diosevich, they thank you.” Announcer Drew said. He was happy to be of use to the nation’s monarch once again. As per The Unnamed Team’s request, Drew begrudgingly held himself back from using his speech amplifying skill. While the royals were busy, they were kind enough to send a message. That alone was enough to warm the hearts of those that heard it. This mission wasn’t just about Diosevich’s security. It was about the world’s security. That was why others from far lands had arrived.
“Her excellency, the Divine of the Nelendian Theocracy, has given your mission her blessing and will pray for your safe return,” Announcer Hugh said. No one was surprised to see other nations support the cause. Quite the opposite. It would have been more surprising to see someone against the missions. Unfortunately, many countries were unable to send their own delegates, but that was mostly because of the great distance that needed to be traversed. As a result, only three had come.
“Both the emperor and chief warrior of the Haqsian Empire have seen your combat prowess. They do not wish you luck for they have acknowledged your feats and know you will come back even more worthy of the title of heroes.” Announcer Shoo said. The message might have seemed arrogant, but it was eloquently written for a nation that championed warriors. In their eyes, only novices depended on luck. Real gladiators were prepared for anything and used their expertise to turn the tides of battle. Both the emperor and chief warrior of the Haqsian Empire were incredibly skilled warriors. Getting acknowledged by them was an achievement in its own right.
“Are you ready to leave?” Mateo asked one final time. He was like a doting father, constantly checking if his children were ready to leave the nest. In reality, he was talking to four adults who were world-renowned heroes, but a little bit of worry never hurt anyone. The Unnamed Team had already checked their bags several times and gave more hugs than they could count. It was somewhat worrying that this felt like their final goodbye, but they reassured themselves that they’d come back.
After all, this was their home.
“Yeah, we are.”
