Morning sunlight filtered through the tent.

  Birdsong echoed across the lakeside camp.

  Kaito was the first to wake.

  He blinked slowly, staring at the canvas ceiling, feeling warmth on both arms again. Serena and Renna were still asleep, breathing softly. For a moment, he simply watched the quiet morning.

  “…What a good sleep.”

  Carefully, he slipped his arms free and stepped outside the tent.

  The forest smelled fresh after last night’s battle. Mist floated above the river, glowing gold in the rising sun.

  Kaito stretched and began preparing breakfast.

  Soon the smell of omelette rice drifted toward the tent.

  Renna emerged first, hair slightly messy, eyes half-open.

  “Morning… Kaito…”

  Serena followed, rubbing her eyes.

  “You’re cooking already?”

  Kaito smiled.

  “Of course. We need energy before heading back.”

  They washed at the river, then sat together on a fallen log, eating quietly.

  No one mentioned the Orc General.

  No one mentioned how close they came to dying.

  But all three understood.

  This journey was changing.

  After breakfast, they cleaned the campsite thoroughly.

  Tent. Cooking tools everything returned to Kaito’s item box.

  Serena adjusted her robe.

  “Let’s head back. We need to report this to the guild immediately.”

  Renna nodded seriously.

  “If the Orc General is gone, the army may scatter… but there could still be some orc wandering around.”

  Kaito stood up “if there is an Orc General there is a Orc King, we must find out immediately”

  Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

  “Then we won’t show mercy.”

  The walk back felt different.

  The forest felt tense. Quiet. Watching.

  It didn’t take long before they found the first group.

  Three orcs hiding near the trees.

  The moment the monsters saw them, they roared.

  Kaito stepped forward without hesitation.

  “Earth Spike.”

  Stone erupted from the ground and impaled one instantly.

  Serena raised her staff.

  “Wind Cutter.”

  A razor-thin blade of air sliced through another’s neck.

  Renna dashed forward, sword blazing.

  “Crimson Slash!”

  The final orc split cleanly in two.

  Silence returned.

  No celebration. No conversation.

  They simply kept walking.

  The closer they got to town, the more traces appeared.

  Broken trees. Blood stains. Destroyed carts.

  Another group appeared.

  Five orcs this time.

  This time, Serena didn’t even wait.

  “Glacial Fall!”

  A massive ice boulder crushed two instantly.

  Kaito threw a Fire Spear through a third.

  Renna finished the remaining two in a blur of flame.

  They didn’t stop.

  They didn’t hesitate.

  Every orc they encountered fell within seconds.

  By the time the town gates appeared in the distance..

  The guards at the gate stared in shock and let them walked through.

  They headed straight for the Adventurers Guild.

  The hall fell silent when the doors opened.

  Sofia rushed toward them.

  “You’re back! Are you all safe—?”

  “We need to see the Guild Master,” Kaito said.

  His tone made her freeze.

  “…Right away.”

  Garrick’s Office

  Moments later, they sit inside Garrick’s office.

  The guild master leaned forward, serious expression replacing his usual calm.

  Kaito began explaining everything.

  The wolf corpses.

  The orc scouts.

  The growing army.

  The battle.

  The Orc General.

  When he finished, silence filled the room.

  Garrick wiped sweat from his forehead.

  “…You defeated the Orc General that was an A rank Monster?”

  Kaito nodded slowly.

  “Yes. But that’s not the real problem.”

  Serena stepped forward.

  “The orcs weren’t invading randomly. They were fleeing.”

  Renna crossed her arms.

  “They had moved their entire force near the town.”

  Garrick’s face paled.

  “…I was afraid of that.”

  Kaito frowned.

  “You know what this means?”

  Garrick nodded grimly.

  “The Orc King had territory in the mountains west of here. They’ve lived there for years without approaching the town.”

  He paused.

  “But if they abandoned that territory…”

  Serena whispered, realization dawning,

  “Something stronger forced them out.”

  Garrick’s hands trembled slightly.

  “That mountain range… is home to high-rank monsters.”

  Kaito’s expression darkened.

  “You’re saying something chased an entire orc army out of their territory?”

  Garrick nodded slowly.

  “Yes.”

  He swallowed.

  “There may be a fear monster now living in those mountains.”

  The room went silent.

  Even the air felt heavy.

  Renna spoke quietly.

  “…If that creature finishes with the orcs…”

  Serena finished the sentence in a whisper.

  “It will come for the town next.”

  Garrick leaned back in his chair, face pale.

  “We may be facing a disaster.”

  Kaito clenched his fist.

  “…Then our journey to Ironford might have to wait.”

  The storm was coming.