The beasts surged forward in endless waves, and the walls of Velmoor rained arrows down onto the battlefield where they gathered. Archers loosed volley after volley into the thick of the horde, but for every beast that fell, three more clawed their way forward to take its place. The battle stretched past the first hour, and both knight and adventurer alike began to feel the weight of exhaustion settling into their arms. Still the beasts kept coming. "Where are they coming from?" one adventurer shouted, cutting down a wolf-like creature only for two more to lunge at his flank. "We must have killed a thousand by now," another cried, breathless. "And still they come." The tide did not slow. Soon both adventurers and knights found themselves too spent to keep pace with the endless assault. A cluster of goblin mages broke from the horde and hurled a wave of flame toward the weakened line. Those still able to move scrambled to raise a shield spell, but the barrier flickered and buckl

The building rose out of the fog like a rotted tooth jutting from diseased gums, its stone walls cracked and blackened as though something had burned through them from the inside long ago. Vines choked the windows, and what glass remained was shattered, hanging in jagged shards that caught no light at all. The air here felt heavier, thick with the coppery scent of old blood and something fouler beneath it, something that had been left to fester for years. Diablo stepped through the collapsed archway that had once been a door. His boots crunched against something brittle underfoot. He looked down. Bones. Human bones, scattered across the floor in uneven piles, some still bearing scraps of rotted cloth, others bleached pale and clean as though they had been picked over meticulously. Skulls stared up at him from the corners of the room, empty sockets catching whatever dim light filtered through the broken windows. Deep gouges scarred the walls, claw marks dragged in long, deliberate st

The next day, Diablo went to the guild. When he got there, he went straight to the guild master's office."Hey, Diablo.""Yes, sir.""I called you here because I heard what happened at the front line. You said it wasn't a normal rampage but an overflow, which led you to the mastermind. You caught him and stopped him from summoning more beasts, and your good work has been noticed. You shall now be promoted to B rank.""I see. Thanks for the promotion.""Yeah, something else. The king has decided to host a tournament. This tournament is done every five years. Adventurers, knights, anyone is allowed to participate, and I would like you to participate.""I don't think I'm interested.""Ugh, I see. But the winner will be rewarded with the sum of one million gold."*I sure could need that money to get a base. It's about time I leave the tavern. Even though I have the money to currently buy it, I wouldn't want to pass up the opportunity,* Diablo thought to himself."I am now.""I know you're

The next two days passed quickly. Velmoor buzzed with an energy Diablo hadn't seen since he'd arrived, banners strung between buildings, merchants setting up stalls along the main road, and adventurers from neighboring towns filtering in by the dozen, all chasing the same prize. The training grounds stayed packed from sunrise to dusk, and by the second day, Diablo had sparred with nearly every serious contender in Velmoor's guild at least once. On the morning of the third day, he woke before the sun and found the streets already stirring. He dressed, strapped on his sword, and made his way toward the guild, where a crowd had already gathered outside despite the early hour. Isyrae stood near the entrance with a clipboard, checking names off a long list as adventurers filed past her toward the registration table. She spotted Diablo and waved him over. "There you are. I was starting to wonder if you'd changed your mind again." "Not this time," Diablo said. "Good, because the are

The break between rounds gave Diablo just enough time to find Natsu's group again before the next bracket was called. They'd claimed a spot near the fighters' tunnel, close enough to watch the ongoing matches through the gap in the stone archway."That was insane," Mari said the moment she spotted him, practically vibrating with energy. "You made Coldrick look like a rookie. He's supposed to be one of the best swords in the whole garrison.""He was good," Diablo said. "Better than he probably realizes.""Better than you, apparently not," Leo said dryly, not looking up from the bracket sheet he'd been studying. "You're through to round two already. Some of the earlier matches are still dragging on."Akeno leaned against the stone wall, arms crossed. "Any idea who you're facing next?""Not yet."As if summoned by the question, Isyrae appeared through the crowd, clipboard in hand, threading her way toward them with practiced ease. "There you are. Round two brackets just got posted." She