Soon, dusk descended upon the skies, turning it dark with a dying glow setting unto the horizon. Despite having walked the whole day without taking any more rest, Henry and his two companions found themselves still wandering through the ruins.

It was beginning to feel tedious even for Alani who were used to treading the same paths and roads for hours. It simply felt like they had not made any progress but in actuality, much progress was made.  The ruins were just that large.

They were not attacked once by any monsters or people throughout the whole day they trod through the ruins. It was a silver lining but not for Rayne who was itching to unleash her violent tendency and battle frenzy.

Since there was nobody but them in the vicinity, the steps of the approaching party became distinct and clear.

“They’re approaching us,” Alani said as she tried to control her breathing.

“Nervous?”

“A little.”

“Why?”

“They are a bunch of ambitious upstart hunters. We would surely be competition, or rivals, in their eyes. More often than not, people would try to eliminate their competition if the circumstances present them the chance.”

Henry took a whiff of the air. “I don’t smell any hostility from them but I do smell fear, a small amount. They are extremely wary of us. Even their pace slowed when they took notice of our presence.”

“Oh, how curious,” Rayne muttered. “Are they sharp or are they just simply cravens?”

“There’s nothing cowardly about being careful, especially in a place like this. I’m sure they have the same thoughts as Alani did.”

The path they walked on eventually merged into a large path and that was when they crossed paths with the other party.

“Oh, this is really curious,” Rayne blurted out as the two parties met.

The other party of four was only a bunch of children, or at least they were in Henry’s eyes. They looked no older than twenty or younger.

The gender composition of the other party was exactly what Henry expected. There was only one boy and the rest were girls. The boy, who looked to be the leader, had a face that screamed protagonist. Moreover, the boy’s appearance was oriental which only tickled Henry’s suspicions further.

The boy was the vanguard of the party, carrying a sword and a shield. The girls behind him were a rogue, an archer, and a mage. It was a well-balanced team.

“W-who are you people?” asked the boy as one of his hands rested on the sword by his waist and the other raised the shield that was already in hand.

The boy’s party members did the same as they all went for their weapons, preparing to draw and strike at any moment’s notice.

Meanwhile, Henry and his companions were less leery in their reactions and with very good reasons. None of the four was a match against Henry even if they attacked him together. Henry doubted these four could even win against Rayne. They were experienced and battle-hardened but they were still a long way from the ferocity and danger Ulrum had to offer.

There was also something else Henry noticed about the boy and this discovery only strengthened his conjecture even more.

Henry smiled and threw up his hands. “We mean no harm. We’re merely passing through.”

“You expect us to just believe your words like that?” the boy scoffed. “We may be young but we are not stupid.”

“Have I offended you in some way? I don’t believe I have.”

“I don’t see any exhaustion in your face or your companions. Moreover, the three of you don’t look the slightest bit wary of your surroundings. Also, you walked over to us with your guard completely down. We’re not in some safe town. We’re in the infamous ruins that had claimed the lives of many hunters but there is no hint of wariness on you.”

Henry smiled wryly. He was a tad relieved that the boy didn’t seem to be the typical dimwitted protagonist. “Well, I suppose we do look suspicious if you put it that way but nevertheless, I assure you that we mean no harm. It is simply a coincidence that our paths crossed. If you would let us be on our way, I shall leave you to your own devices.”

The boy narrowed his gaze. “You meant us no harm? Do you speak for yourself or your party?”

“Naturally, I speak for my party.”

“Then why is your lady companion staring at me with those eyes?”

Henry raised an eyebrow and looked behind his shoulder. He rolled his eyes when he saw the thirst flaring on Rayne’s face. She was really itching to fight.

“Don’t mind her. She won’t do anything. She’s just… not right in the head but she won’t do anything so long as I don’t give her permission to.”

The boy’s guard did not wane. He was staring warily at Henry and Rayne. His wariness was completely understandable. Henry simply looked too lax for someone in treacherous territory. There was no guarantee to the boy that Henry wouldn’t just attack them once their back was turned.

“Umm… if I may?” Alani chimed in.

The boy looked at her. “What is it?”

“Your wariness is perfectly understandable but we truly mean you no harm. If it’s any comfort, we can walk in front of you and you can walk behind us. How about it?”

“You would entrust your back to strangers? Is this some sort of a joke?”

Rayne sighed and stepped forward. “If it’s a fight that you are looking for, just say so. No need to go through all these hoops.”

Seeing Rayne’s sudden approach, the boy and his companions assumed their battle stances.

“Rayne, stand down.”

“Master, these children are clearly not as innocent as they look. If they wish to avoid the fight, we would already be on our way by now. We are still here, going back and forth about the same subject. Clearly, these kids have hidden intentions. They are probably gauging our abilities before springing their schemes on us.”

Henry sighed. “That’s just your own demons speaking, Rayne. Not everyone approaches someone with impure or ill intentions. Now, don’t make me repeat myself again. Stand down.”

Rayne tutted and retreated a few steps away from the group.

“Sorry about that. She’s just very passionate about battles. We haven't had any luck so far. Or rather, we have been very lucky so far as we did not encounter any monsters on our way.”

“Neither have we,” the boy said. “Strange, wouldn’t you say?”

“Perhaps.”

Then, the mage, a girl with long black hair, approached the boy hesitantly and tugged at the hem of his shirt.

The boy looked behind, turning his gaze to his fellow companion with a look of worry.

The mage, who appeared to be a shy girl with long bangs that hid her eyes, shook her head.

The boy seemed to understand the girl’s silent gesture and he returned a nod. Then, he locked eyes with Henry. “We will accept your offer. Clearly, we are all heading in the same direction. You and your companions shall walk in front of us while we trail a hundred yards behind you.”

“Fine by me.” Henry shrugged. “Come on, let us keep moving.”

And thus, Henry and his companions resumed their travel. True to their words, the boy and his party only started moving once there was at least a hundred yards between them.

“The girl in the robes… The mage, she’s quite a curious girl,” Rayne mused, sneaking a glance behind.

“Don’t bother with them any more than we already have.”

“You noticed too, didn’t you, Master?”

“Notice what?” Alani asked.

“The mage girl knows,” Rayne answered.

“She knows? What does she know?”

“The depths of Master’s strength. I gather she has quite an affinity with Murux. I can’t smell her fear but I can see it in her body language. She’s going to tell her companions and the boy will be wary of us even more.”

“His opinion is not a factor,” Henry said. “They are not hostile. Therefore, they are not our concern.”

“What’s with you, Master? I have never seen you so… agitated, not since our first encounter.”

“The boy is an anointed one, an emissary of a god. Like me.”

“Oh? A champion of a god? Could this be fate? Were the two of you fated to meet?”

“Have you gone insane from not being able to save your battle lust and now you’re spouting nonsense?”

“It is no nonsense. Do you think it’s a coincidence that you met a person who is anointed much like you are? How many anointed ones do you think are out there?”

“I do not know and I don’t believe this is fate or anything like that.”

“Fate or not, I don’t think things are as simple as they seem.”

“You’re just hoping something will happen.”

“Something did happen. I can see it in the boy’s eyes. There’s no hostility but he wishes to fight you. The only reason he refrained is that he’s sceptical about his chances.”

Henry wanted to refute Rayne’s words but he couldn’t as he saw the same thing as she did. The boy exuded no hostility but he could indeed see hints in the boy that he wished to fight him. The boy was competitive and the first moment he laid eyes on Henry, a sense of rivalry was already brewing in the boy’s heart.

As for where that sense of rivalry appeared, Henry did not know for sure. It could either be the boy’s innate competitive desire or it was spurred by the fact that he was also an anointed one like Henry.

Henry glanced behind his shoulder, intermittently, as they walked along the ruins. There was around a hundred metres between him and the boy but he could still catch a good glimpse of him. The boy did not drop his guard despite the vast distance between them. More than just the boy’s wariness, Henry could also smell the boy’s impatience.

“Well, regardless of the boy’s true intention—” Rayne tittered and glanced towards Alani, “—I will say, he must be quite the charmer, isn’t he?”

Alani noticed Rayne’s glance. “I’m not sure why you are looking at me but I wasn’t charmed. Why would you even think so?”

“Didn’t you see the girls behind the boy? They’re more than just his companions. I saw the way the girls looked at the boy. They are in love. Whether the boy knew or not, that is another question. For a boy like him to have three girls fall for him, he must be quite the charmer.”

“If the boy’s a charmer, then what will you label Henry as considering the amount of girls and women he had charmed?”

“Strong,” Rayne answered immediately. “Women are attracted to strong men, after all.”

“You would know best, wouldn’t you?”

“Yes, I—” Rayne caught herself before she could spill her secrets any further, not that it was any secret. “Wait, no! Why would I know best? What are you babbling about now?”

“Still in denial, I see.” It was Alani’s turn to snicker.

“I am not in any sort of denial.”

“I’m sure Henry will forgive you and accept your feelings if you just apologise to him from your heart and confess your l—”

“You are delusional,” Rayne scoffed and hastened her pace, walking in front of the two.

“This girl… she’s too prideful for her own good,” Alani muttered.

Henry smiled wryly at the two’s exchange. It was still a very surreal sight to him. His lover was his wingman, or in this case, wingwoman.

Suddenly, he felt a shift from behind him but he did not turn around. He glimpsed behind him, over his shoulder, as discreetly as possible. He saw the boy’s expression had worsened and he was now discussing something with his party.

Henry frowned when a thought hit him. He came across an idea as to the boy’s sense of rivalry.

“It couldn’t be that simple and… petty…, could it?” Henry mused to himself quietly.