The morning sun cast a gentle light over the village, the air crisp and cool after a long night. Tyuri, Aiko, and Nori made their way toward the medbay, intent on checking in on Nariku before beginning their patrol.
But as they turned the corner, they stopped in surprise.
Nariku was already outside, standing near the wooden fence beside the medbay area, stretching his arms as if trying to shake off yesterday's weakness. He still looked a little pale, but the fire in his eyes had returned—quiet, but steady.
Tyuri blinked. "You're up already?"
Nariku turned and offered a faint smile. "Yeah… guess I didn't want to waste another morning lying around."
Nearby, Iryosuka, with his usual messy hair and deep eye bags, sat on a bench sipping something warm. He glanced at the group and spoke in his half-tired tone.
"That black-haired guy with the sharp eyes? Rin, right? He stopped by earlier. Didn't say a word. Just looked at Nariku for a few seconds, then walked off."
Tyuri raised an eyebrow, but didn't comment.
Nori gave Nariku a light pat on the shoulder. "You sure you're alright?"
Nariku nodded. "I'm fine. Thanks."
The group moved on in silence, the early breeze brushing past them—unaware of the growing weight behind quiet stares and subtle moves already in motion.
Under the tall shade of a tree near the medbay, Rin leaned against the rough bark, eyes narrowed as he listened. He had made sure to stay unseen, his presence muffled by the background noise of the village. From this spot, he could clearly hear the voices coming from inside the building.
Iryosuka's voice carried out first—tired and matter-of-fact as always, discussing Nariku's condition. Honest. Straightforward. The kind of man who couldn't lie even if it helped him.
Rin's gaze shifted slightly. "That guy… Iryosuka. Honest people are the easiest to read."
His eyes then flicked to Nariku, who had recovered and was already walking out with that same quiet energy. Rin had already checked on him earlier, left without saying much.
A slight smirk tugged at the corner of his lips, but his thoughts were calculating.
Three pieces of information had solidified by now.
The final wave boss? An orc.
The system's latest hidden mission? Involving a hero and a villain.
Who the players suspected? Hairu as the hero… and no one had figured out the villain.
"Hairu, the hero," Rin thought, amused. "They really believe that. How precious."
The mission placed a target on both him and Hairu—two opposing roles tied by the system. But the others only suspected that Hairu was somehow involved in the secret mission. No one looked Rin's way.
Good. That was how he liked it.
He thought back to Kusahi—his new pawn. Poison user. Shaky morale. Easy to manipulate.
And Nariku…
The connection was slipping. Nariku still followed, still looked up to him—but something had changed. The boy was slowly thinking for himself.
"Useful, but not reliable," Rin muttered. "Maybe that bond's nearing its end."
He pushed off the tree, disappearing deeper into the village, cloaked once more by the shadows.
He had what he needed. And the game was only beginning.
Rin pushed off the tree and walked toward Nariku, who stood outside the medbay with his usual distant look. Tyuri was still chatting a few steps away, animatedly telling something to Aiko and Nori, not paying them much attention.
As Rin approached, his eyes caught a glint—a flash of something metallic.
There, perched silently on the rooftop of one of the buildings nearby, was the silver-masked man.
Rin's footsteps slowed.
He didn't look directly, but he saw enough. That eerie, reflective mask. That same stillness. No presence, no sound—just like before.
The first time was in the forest, after he and Nariku returned from scouting the water source. The man had been there, hidden among the shadows of the trees.
And then—confirmation of the orc being the final boss.
The second time was right before Hairu nearly got assassinated.
Now he was here again.
Rin's mind ticked faster. Pattern.
The masked man didn't appear randomly. Every time he was seen, something unusual followed. Something important.
Rin leaned slightly toward Nariku, his voice low.
"You doing alright?"
Nariku blinked, surprised. "Yeah. Why?"
"No reason. You just looked a little out of it earlier."
Before Nariku could reply, Rin's gaze flicked again to the rooftop.
Still there.
Rin smiled faintly, hiding the tension creeping into his spine.
So... what will it be this time?
He didn't say anything more. Just stood beside Nariku, his posture relaxed, while his thoughts sharpened like a blade.
Something was about to happen.
And he was ready.
Just as Rin was trying to decipher what the silver-masked man's presence meant this time—
BOOM!
A thunderous explosion rocked the village. The ground trembled slightly beneath their feet. Rin and Nariku instinctively turned their heads toward the source.
The medbay area was ablaze, flames bursting through the roof, thick black smoke billowing into the morning sky.
Shouts erupted instantly.
"Get water! Quick!"
"It's spreading—someone stop the fire!"
Rin's eyes narrowed.
The medbay? Why the medbay?
It didn't make any sense. The area held nothing but herbs, bandages, and tools. Destroying it would inconvenience the healers—but in terms of overall strategy, it wasn't a critical target. Not unless…
It's a distraction.
That word struck him like a cold splash. He stared at the fire for a moment longer, unmoving while others rushed toward it. He caught the sound of buckets being filled, people shouting, feet slamming the dirt in haste.
Then a sharp click echoed in the back of his head.
Something fell into place.
He turned on his heel and ran toward the well, helping pass along filled buckets with other players. His expression remained calm, focused. He even splashed water on the edges of the flame with hurried precision.
But in his mind—
Who needed this fire to happen? What were they trying to pull eyes away from?
He knew one thing.
The healers—all three—were fortunately not inside when the explosion occurred. They had gone with Hairu to the command building for a meeting just earlier.
That's too convenient, Rin thought grimly. Someone knew the medbay would be empty. That means it wasn't an attempt on their lives. It was a move against the village's infrastructure... or a cover for something worse.
And still, he hadn't seen the silver-masked man move.
Which meant, whatever was going to happen—hadn't happened yet.
Rin looked once more at the masked figure perched silently in the distance.
The medbay was burning. Everyone's attention was focused.
But his wasn't.
And that made him dangerous.
As the last of the flames were extinguished, thick smoke hung in the air like a warning. The remains of the medbay were charred and broken, with smoldering embers still cracking beneath scorched beams.
Aiko moved first, her steps quick and precise. She sifted through the blackened rubble, checking for any signs of what might've caused the blast. Her eyes were sharp, calculating, and she crouched beside a shattered shelf, inspecting the remains of scattered herbs and shattered jars.
Tyuri, sword still at his side, circled the perimeter, muttering under his breath. "No traces of a fight. No bodies. Just the explosion. Whoever did this wanted destruction, not death."
He paused near the edge of the blast radius, kneeling down to touch a scorch mark that still radiated faint heat. "This wasn't just fire… This was magic. And not the kind a beginner throws around. Whoever did this, they were powerful."
Nori followed close, shield slung on her back. She eyed the deeper scorch marks, then looked up at the sky, as if trying to piece together the timing and the angle of the blast.
Meanwhile, Rin and Nariku stood off to the side. Neither of them moved closer. Nariku's arms were crossed, his gaze flicking between the ruined building and Rin. Rin, for his part, leaned slightly against a tree, arms behind his back, simply watching.
Nariku noticed how calm he looked. Too calm.
He didn't ask anything, but inside, something tugged at his gut—Rin was hiding something. Something important. But as always, that warm smile was painted perfectly across his face.
And then they left the site, the smoke slowly drifting behind them.
As the smoke thinned and the last bucket of water was thrown, a heavy silence settled over the village.
Aiko moved with her usual quiet grace, scanning the blackened rubble for clues. She knelt beside a melted lantern, fingers brushing the scorched earth. Nearby, Nori hovered, her sword still at her hip, watching the perimeter like a guard dog.
Tyuri crouched near the edge of the blast zone. He touched the charred wood and frowned.
"This wasn't just an accident," he muttered. "It was caused by magic. A powerful one, too—nothing a beginner could pull off."
Aiko nodded in silent agreement, eyes narrowing slightly as she rose to her feet. Nori exhaled, muttering something about how nothing ever stayed peaceful for long, then simply went back to pacing the edges—doing her usual "Nori stuff."
Later that day, Rin, Nariku, Tyuri, Aiko, and Nori found themselves walking the outer path of the village together, away from the crowd. The scorched scent of burnt wood still lingered faintly in the air.
Tyuri kicked a pebble as they walked, glancing sideways at the others.
"The village feels different now," he said finally. "More tense. The explosion really shook people up."
He paused, then added with a shrug, "We're lucky the healers weren't inside when it happened. Would've been a disaster."
Nariku remained quiet beside him, his gaze distant. He stole a glance at Rin, who walked just a step behind them with that same warm smile on his face. But something in Rin's eyes was off—too calm, too knowing. Nariku could feel it in his gut. Rin knew something. He just wasn't saying it.
Aiko nodded slightly, arms crossed, while Nori exhaled and muttered, "Too lucky, maybe."
Rin gave a soft chuckle. His voice was calm, casual.
"Strange things keep happening, huh?"
Tyuri looked back. "Yeah. Strange… and getting stranger."
They continued walking, the village behind them buzzing with rebuilding efforts—unaware that beneath the surface, something darker was taking shape. Only Rin, ever observant, kept smiling with his usual warmth, hiding the cold thoughts brewing behind his eyes.