Nodding, Wana turned and commanded a room be prepared.

"First, bathe, eat, and rest; you can leave once you're done."

Succeeding her generous gesture, Artie was escorted to an inn where he could wash and change into provided clothes. Since he'd just eaten and slept, he left the room searching for the woman.

Just outside his door, two men awaited him with orders from Wana. They would escort him to her, but Artie dreaded how miserable it'd be to travel through town and passed the offensive residents. But, acknowledging it would be the last, he found the nerve to follow through.

Down dirt roads and past the dirty glares of citizens, Artie was led to a crowded assembly. It took place at the same round clearing his trial was, but instead of being the center of attention, he was guided to a roped-off area. Because all of the notable figures were settled there, he assumed it was a VIP section.

"You're alive," Observed Mayumi, lightly dressed with her arms crossed.

Ryu, who'd been next to her, quickly peeked plainly at Artie before returning his attention to Wana.

Sebastian and Rachel were also among the high-status persons there. Once they caught a glimpse of him, they delightedly approached.

"The forest has been treating you well," Laughed Sebastian, grabbing onto Artie's upper arms.

His face and limbs were slightly less thin, and color returned to his complexion. The reason was, per what Mayumi informed, hunters grew exceptionally fast when fighting stronger enemies. And since he'd be in battle with a strong foe, he'd improved much quicker than typical.

"Incredible!" Rachel added, reaching to feel his developed frame.

Before coming within a foot of him, she stopped and withdrew her hand. The woman's delight deflated, and she averted her gaze.

"I'm sorry about before," he apologized, steadily hovering his hand over the cheek he'd previously struck.

Rachel lifted her sight and resumed a genuine smile. Her ability to immediately shift moods bewildered Artie, but he un-admittedly liked the oddball woman. It was always easy to clear up his own mistakes because she did not linger on the past.

"Guess you didn't learn your lesson, asshole," Grumbled Skull, squeezing past others to arrive at him.

"Eh!?" Barked the gray-haired man, bumping his chest against Artie's.

Remembering the man's assault, Artie locked eyes and scowled at him. His deep yellow and catlike gaze sent an unmistakable message.

"I'm not afraid of you."

Tension elated but was quickly subdued when Rachel tugged the man's large ear.

"If you continue to act like a thug, I'll never speak with you again!"

The man shrunk beneath her words. Backing off of Artie and looking sulkily at the ground.

The sight triggered Sebastian, and he exploded in laughter while pointing mockingly at Skull.

"Ooooo, scary!" He teased. His outburst alerted everyone in the proximity, and Wana ceased speaking to address their fiasco.

"Is there something you wanted to add, Sebastian?" Glared Wana, looking down from the platform she stood on.

The goofy man controlled his laughter, then began to apologize for interrupting; However, a sudden mischievous grin crawled across his face.

"Actually, I'd like to nominate cat-boy as a new guild leader."

Artie had missed the news of the town's decision to abolish the current guild structure. Instead of a draft, people would be allowed to create their own guild under the condition they recruited twenty members; hunters or colorless.

"Don't call me that," Complained Artie, mean-mugging the man.

Being identified as a cat-boy was so significantly worse than the man's silly recommendation for guild leader that he glossed over it completely.

"I think that's a wonderful idea!" Rachel taxed on.

"It's not"

"After I collect supplies, I'm gone." Artie firmly declared.

Wana bluntly ignored the scene and returned to the crowd that awaited her announcements.

"Where we going?" Inquired Sebastian.

"I'm going to search for my parents." Emphasized Artie.

"Do you know where you're going?" Smirked Sebastian.

The answer was no; Artie knew a fraction of the local area but had zero ideas about what to expect beyond that. His biggest concern was if the states were positioned in the exact general location as the first Earth.

"Dad was on the west coast."

"But terrain here is completely different… there's no telling if the map is the same or rearranged."

Knowing the man's troublesome personality, he didn't bother to demand information or a map. In fact, Artie couldn't help but wonder if things would have turned out differently if Sebastian had been there the day he encountered the lizard monster.

After deep contemplation, Artie begrudgingly sought the man's aid. However, there were strings attached. According to him, only guilds were allowed to leave the town for prolonged periods. This was an issue because Artie was far from adored, and gathering twenty bodies to fill spots seemed hopeless. That is, without assistance. Conveniently Mayumi had listened in on the conversation and voluntarily provided solutions to their dilemma.

"You're aware of how political campaigns are run, yes?"

"First, you identify your audience. Then you arrange promises that'll benefit all parties."

"If you apply the scarcity principle, you'll likely attract those targets faster."

She seemed disinterested while sharing her advice; nonetheless, Artie was grateful for the input.

"I understand, but explain this principle to me." Artie requested.

Mayumi shifted her sights from the speaker, Wana, and over to Artie.

"The scarcity principle affirms that humans place a higher value on things that are scarce."

"In this case, if you make a favorable promise, then limit the number of people it can be applied to-"

"People will be inclined to buy the tickets before they sell out." Finished Artie.

While he simplified it, the idea made sense to him. Rachel offered the missing pieces by suggesting their target be the researchers of the town. As for what they'd promise…

"I'm not going to offer myself up like some rental lab rat," Refused Artie.

"As much as it pains me to share my subject, nothing intrigues researchers more than the unknown." Frowned Rachel.

"The unknown…"

"I got it."

"After the meeting is over, I'll talk to the res-"

"Hey! Mayor Wana." Interrupted Sebastian, yelling over Artie and gaining the woman's attention.

"Catbo-"

"Horns has something to say!" He shouted.

Swiftly swinging his body around, Artie sneered at the childish man. Like last time, his objection referred to how he was identified more than the message itself.

"Keep it brief," Suggested Mayumi, writing Artie off without his confirmation.

Though he'd expected Wana to be upset by the frequent interruptions, she willingly paused and allowed him on stage.

Once up in front of the sea of exasperated faces, Artie felt feverish. Not because he was nervous, but because he acknowledged that they'd won. Their efforts to ostracize him paid off, and he would soon flee town with his tail in between his legs.

As Artie gazed across the audience, he happened to spot Freddy and the sister whose shoulders he sat on. Fearful of what revulsive expressions they could have worn, he hurriedly looked away. Their time together was short-lived, and even after his untimely transformation, he wished they could have become friends.

"..."

"Let's at least leave a good last impression."

After straightening himself and taking a calming breath, he began.

"I'll be forming a guild with the researcher Rachel."

"The guild's purpose will be to travel and discover more about our new world."

Artie spoke slowly and clearly, trying to match Wana's masterful public speaking. There was nothing he could do about the sour faces that stared at his steadily swinging tail. It was a new nervous response that he had no control over, but he was proud of how he maintained composure.

"Everything that we document on our journey will be available to our members."

"Applications will start immediately after, but only eighteen spots are aval-"

"Seventeen!" Sebastian shouted, interrupting to make sure he was included.

"Seventeen spots are available. Once they fill, you'll miss out on all the exotic plants, animals, and locations we document." Artie concluded, then promptly turned and left the stage with his head held high.

"The name drop was a nice touch," Praised Mayumi.

"They're called endorsements, right?" Verified Artie.

Mayumi nodded, then Sebastian hassled Artie for not including him in his initial count. For whatever reason, the man was adamant about joining.

"Pssssh"

"Over here"

A discreet whisper broke up their banter. Standing on the other side of the dividing rope was a sketchy man who'd often looked back over his shoulder. When approached, he urgently petitioned to join the proposed guild. He wasn't the only one pursuing a head start because more bodies transversed the mass of people to arrive at the secured area.

Within five minutes, a mesh of desperate townsmen huddled to seek an audience with Artie. Based on appearances alone, the group appeared to be a majority of researchers and scientists. The noise levels rose because of how frantic they were, and Wana again stopped to address the commotion.

Since Artie had no genuine interest in the whole ordeal, he pushed the recruiting onto Rachel. All seventeen spots were filled within no time, and additional stragglers still lingered and pleaded to join.

"Now, there shouldn't be any trouble with Sebastian guiding me." Thought Artie, massaging his bruised body.

"So, when do we leave?" Rachel happily asked, jubilantly bobbing her head in every which direction.

"What's with you people and "We." Groaned Artie, looking dismissively at the woman that used a crutch to stand.

Her simple response was to freely smile. Radiating the merry liveliness she managed to possess despite the world's horrors.

"You can hardly walk." Stated Artie, turning and roaming away.

Finding it difficult to deal with her, he fled. While escaping, he could hear the women's wooden crutch tapping against the hard ground behind him. To combat her pursuit, he pushed through the dense crowd of townsfolk, assuming she'd give up and return.

"Excuse me"

"Pardon, sorry," Apologized Rachel, still treading onward through the bulk of people between them.

The blockade of people made it hard to see. Still, when he turned around, he observed her blonde hair being shuffled left and right, pressing forward before being engulfed in the sea of people.

Once Artie's line of sight broke, and he could no longer see her, he became startled. Launching his arms and shoulder into those on his path, he forced himself through until he found her. One of her crutches had fallen while she struggled to bend over and grab it, tightly sandwiched between several masculine bodies oblivious of her feminine presence.

"Move!" Shouted Artie, shoving strangers to make way for Rachel.

He cleared room for her, collected her crutch from the ground then returned it. She gave a word of thanks, then scurried to his side. Only moments after he helped her, the nearby townsmen began to stare threateningly at him.

"Keep your filthy hands off us."

"Monster"

"Mayor Wana won't be able to protect you forever."

Their insults were nothing new, but they crawled under his skin. Once he confirmed Rachel could move, Artie walked up to the wall of hunters that peered at him and asserted.

"You're in the way."

As guessed, their tempers flared, and they immediately became even more offensive.

"You gonna make us move!?" Shouted one of the men, grabbing Artie's collar and pulling him in.

The answer he wanted to give was "Yes"; however, Rachel intervened and attempted to defuse the situation. She addressed the strangers by name and pleaded they clear a way for their exit. Since they held some respect for her, he assumed they were hunters she'd examined in the past.

The man clasping onto his shirt shook him in place, then grumbled.

"Lucked out again."

"One day, you won't have these women to save you."

"It's not like I'm asking for help…."

The man began loosening his grip, freeing Artie. But, before he could fully release him, more trouble stirred.

"Back off!" Yelled an unfamiliar voice.

It charged from his rear, then a woman's hand flung past him and smacked the man on the face. He didn't budge an inch from the slap, but he did heat up and retighten his grip on Artie before angrily lifting him and flinging him upward. As he twirled several yards in the air, he thought about how unbelievable the stranger's strength was.

Unable to defy gravity, he crash-landed on another person who'd been invested in the assembly. The stranger stumbled forward upon impact but managed to hold upright. They concerningly glanced down at Artie, who laid on his back and stared up at the bluish discolored sky.

"You good, bro?" They asked, not angry but clearly muddled as to why he'd collided with him.

"I'm good," Muttered Artie, again climbing onto his feet.

"You're messing with the wrong guild!" Yelled out the same woman that'd slapped the last man.

The slap-happy woman had tracked where Artie fell, squeezed through the crowd, then jumped up off the ground. She latched onto the unsuspecting man and began to hold him in a headlock. While attempting to choke the person out, she revealed her motive to protect the new guild leader. Except, the woman was highly ineffective at doing so. The man wore her like a backpack as he tried to reason with her.

"..."

Finding the moment opportune, Artie promptly snuck away from them both. Once he made it outside the crowd, armed hunters quickly subdued him, some of whom he'd recognized as Wana's escorts. They explained that he wasn't being apprehended because he resembled the God-type monster but because he was seen soaring in the sky amid an important meeting.

Since Artie planned to leave, there was no need for disciplinary action. He willingly left the town and awaited Sebastian before embarking.

 

<>

 

It took thirty minutes before the bridge was extended, and Sebastian crossed over; With him, four bodies and a headache for Artie.

"Sebastian…"

"Why are all these people here?" Artie dryly inquired.

"Well, since it's a guild expedition, it's natural we assemble a skilled team."

"The deal was that just you would guide me," Reminded Artie angrily.

"I don't remember making any deals." Mumbled Sebastian as he looked idly away and rubbed his nape.

Baffled, Artie palmed his own face and contemplated ever recruiting the man's help.

A woman named Laria interrupted his grievances to introduce herself as a species expert. He recognized her as the same person who'd gotten him thrown into the air like a tennis ball. Next, a man named Harvey presented himself as the group's navigator.

Glancing over, he spotted Rachel waving at him on horseback and Mayumi standing on the ground at her side.

"It's going to be hard to safely travel with this many people…" Worried Artie.

"I will take care of the normies," Announced Sebastian, shooting a confident thumbs up.

Artie didn't find his words reassuring; he was greatly concerned if his usual method of avoiding enemies would work with a group of that size. Nonetheless, nothing more could be done, and he took the first steps towards the parlous forest.