“Geez, look at all these different weapons,” I muttered, flipping through the hefty book of weapons while riding Shade.

  “They’ve got longswords, claymores, rapiers…....” My voice trailed off as I turned another page.

  The sword section alone made up nearly a third of the entire book, with page after page detailing the countless types that existed in this world. Straight swords, curved blades, double-edged designs—each explained with diagrams and notes about their origins.

  Then came the sabres, cutlasses, and even katanas.

  “Cutlasses? Are there pirates here?”

  Yep.

  “And samurai?”

  Not exactly. But there are knights similar to them.

  I frowned and looked back at the book. “Polearms and axes—damn, there’s even a halberd?”

  Maces, bows, and even whips followed, each page packed with meticulous descriptions about their craftsmanship and fighting styles.

  So, why’d you get this book again?

  “To study every possible weapon I might face,” I said, still flipping pages.

  Do you have to?

  “Of course. I can’t just be satisfied with merely countering weapons.”

  Isn’t that enough? Back there with Malo, you were actually whooping him with those escrima sticks. Sure, he started turning it around once he used that ‘Brawling’ style or whatever, but you were still doing great.

  “That’s not enough.”

  I clenched the edge of the book, remembering how close that fight had been.

  “If I get complacent with just countering what I already know, how am I supposed to be ready for what’s next? For new moves, new variables, new attacks?”

  What I learned from both Elder Alric and that fight was clear: I needed to do more than simply react.

  I needed to counter anything.

  But isn't your Form already perfect for that?

  “It helps, but it’s more of a last resort than anything. Enhancing my whole body drains mana fast and using my arms and legs as weapons can only go so far. I’d rather wield an actual weapon and save my mana for when I really need it.”

  Like your summons.

  “Exactly.”

  But that also means relying on your weapons. There’s always a chance they could break or slip from your grasp, like with Malo.

  I sighed, running a hand through my hair. “True. I’ve got to figure out how to deal with that.”

  I could use mana to reinforce my weapons, but that would steadily drain my reserves, meaning less mana for summons and any spells. Not ideal.

  And relying on just one weapon went against my entire fighting style anyway. If I’m using a sword against an axe user and they suddenly switch to a polearm, I’d have to readjust completely.

  That’s why my Form worked so well. It’s able to adapt to any sudden change.

  What I really needed was a weapon that could……..change.

  Something that could shift shape, adjust length. Maybe like a sword that extends, or an axe that transforms into something else-

  An Artifact that can turn into any weapon.

  I glanced at Sys. “That’s possible?”

  As long as a skilled weaponsmith handles it, sure. With Alchemy magic to shape the form and Enchantment magic to give it substance, an Artifact like that should be possible. You could probably ask Volk for it if you win. Just make it your reward.

  An Artifact that could become any weapon I wanted.

  Since it’d be an Artifact, it would be stronger and more durable than a normal weapon. There would be no constant mana shielding required. At most, I’d only need mana to shift its form, which was far more manageable than keeping a weapon magically reinforced nonstop.

  It would fit me perfectly.

  I smirked. “That’s perfect, Sys.”

  Cool, now uh, hurry up. I’m starving.

  ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

  This place looks good.

  At the center of a stone crossroads, dimly lit by small, hanging lanterns for the setting sun, a tavern stood proudly.

  “Munch Munch.” I read the sign out loud.

  With a name like that, the food’s got to be hitting.

  “Not like you can eat any of it.” I muttered while recalling Shade.

  Oh don’t worry about that. I’m satisfied with just watching you eat. You know how people watch mukbangs to make themselves feel full?

  “I used to do that myself.”

  Walking up, I got a good view of the place.

  With its timber-framed walls that painted a deep, weathered brown gleaming faintly with oil, thick beams of oak crisscrossed the upper story, their edges rounded smooth by years and years of precipitation. The roof was steep and shingled with dark slate, dotted here and there with patches of moss that stuck out clearly.

  “Munch Munch” was on a carved wooden sign of a grinning loaf and crossed forks above the door. The windows glowed amber, letting out the smell of stew, bread, and roasting meat. From within, any passerby could hear the roaring of laughter and cheering from a huge group of people. It must have been fully packed, since there were even tables outside that sat some people, quietly enjoying their food.

  “Here, right?”

  My Soul Sense and Radar had leveled up over the years, and I now had the ability to somewhat sense specific souls near me. In this case, I could tell that my family, the Elders, and the rest were in here.

  Sys nodded.

  I then walked up to the door and pushed it open-

  “Sorry!”

  I quickly stepped to the right as someone dove out of the tavern, hitting the dirt hard. The guy scrambled back to his feet and took off running before I could even process what had just happened.

  I didn’t know why, but when I glanced back toward the doorway, my instincts screamed again, and I dodged just in time as another person barreled out, dead set on chasing the first one.

  He shot me a glare like I was in his way.

  I immediately raised my hands, showing I wasn’t about to get involved.

  You never mess with tweakers.

  “Real shit.”

  Once he stormed off, I finally stepped inside the tavern, already feeling like I’d walked straight into the middle of a fever dream.

  And yeah, I was right.

  The first thing I saw was a group of cat-eared people lounging on the railings of the upper floor, tails flicking lazily. One of them was casually relieving himself—downward—and the stream landed right into the hair of some poor guy trying to eat his meal. The man didn’t even notice.

  Yeah, this isn’t what I had expected.

  The place was packed, shoulder to shoulder with noise and motion. I had to constantly watch my step, sidestepping small kids darting between tables in a game of tag, stepping over drunks passed out cold on the floor, and dodging chairs being dragged across the wood. The air was thick with laughter, spilled ale, and the crackle of a fireplace that was doing little to calm the chaos.

  Meanwhile, the cat folk were still hopping around above, leaping from railing to railing, snatching food off people’s plates whenever they thought no one was looking.

  Long and short tables filled nearly every inch of space. One corner had a small stage where a bard was passionately singing about the legend of Yed, strumming his lute like he was performing for royalty instead of a half-drunk crowd.

  Behind a long counter, the tavern owner was barking orders, sliding plates and mugs toward a handful of cute bartenders.

  Don’t look at me like that.

  Trying to figure out where to even start, I scanned the room, which is when I heard a loud commotion coming from one side.

  I guess there.

  Carefully squeezing through the crowd, brushing past elbows and spilled drinks, I narrowly avoided tripping a passing bartender before finally reaching the source of the noise.

  Sitting on a chair that looked like it might snap at any second, Elder Alric was again locked in a heated arm-wrestling match with another older man.

  At first glance, the guy didn’t seem all that special, just another grizzled face in the crowd. The only things that stood out were his eye patch and his wild, spiky hair that reminded me a little too much of that crazy girl from before.

  Kaelyn.

  Yeah, her.

  The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.

  It turns out I was wrong about him being ordinary though, because whoever this guy was, he was currently making Elder Alric’s face turn red.

  The tavern crowd roared around them, packed tight in a circle of stomping boots and raised mugs. Coins clinked as people shouted over one another, placing bets on the match.

  “Ten coppers on Alric!"

  Same for Hume!”

  So that’s his name.

  “Come on, Dad!” a girl’s voice rang out above the noise.

  And there she was, Kaelyn, standing at the edge of the crowd, cheering on Hume with a fire that matched his.

  That explains the hair.

  As if responding to her shout, Hume’s arm began to bulge with muscle, veins tightening across his forearm. The once even struggle began to shift, slowly but surely tipping in his favor.

  The crowd’s cheers turned into wild, thunderous roars, half of them screaming for Alric, the other half losing their minds for Hume.

  “This is the first time I’ve ever seen him pushed this far,” I muttered.

  “This always happens,” I heard a man sigh.

  Turning toward the sound, I spotted Cedric sitting at a nearby table, lazily eating from a steaming bowl of stew while chatting with Merilda.

  “Cedric?”

  Both of them looked up.

  “There you are!” Cedric grinned, holding out his spoon. “Want some?”

  I shook my head. “I’m good.”

  “Did you find what you were looking for?” Merilda asked.

  “I did.”

  She gave a quiet “hmph” before going back to sipping her drink.

  I stepped up beside them, glancing back toward the arm-wrestling crowd. “So what’s going on over there?”

  Cedric pointed with his spoon. “Hume, over there, is an old friend of Master’s—or rather, his rival.”

  “Rival?” I echoed.

  He nodded. “Those two have been butting heads since their adventuring days.”

  Oh, right. The Elders used to be part of the same adventuring group. That’s why they’re so well known around here.

  Cedric continued, “Their rivalry even carried on to now, especially since both you and Kaelyn, Hume’s daughter, are competing in the tournament.”

  “Me?” I raised an eyebrow.

  He smirked. “Yeah. They’re both itching to see which of their students comes out on top. From what I remember, the two never actually figured out who was stronger. Every fight they ever had ended in a draw with no clear victor.”

  “That’s why they decided to let the next generation decide,” Merilda murmured, swirling her cup.

  In other words, me.

  A whole lot of pressure, but hey—you’ll be fine.

  “You think if it came down to it, I could beat Kaelyn?”

  She probably fights like Malo, so you should be chilling.

  “I only won because he hadn’t fully mastered both his Form yet.” I said quietly. “If he did, then—”

  True, but you still won. Whether or not he mastered it, you came out on top.

  “I guess.”

  Anyway, if you’re not going to take up Cedric on that bite, then don’t mind if I-

  As Sys tried to steal a bite with his invisible hands that went through Cedric’s bowl, I watched the two continue their unmoving arm wrestling.

  Was it an unstoppable force meeting an immovable object?

  If so, who was who?

  Or were they both the unstoppable force?

  Or the immovable object?

  Are they so strong that such titles don’t even matter?

  Very interesting to think about.

  The two were definitely immovable, but the table and chairs weren’t.

  The wooden table groaned under their strength, the legs bending as the pressure mounted. Cracks flowed across the surface until, with a sharp snap, the entire thing split clean in two, sending a ripple of noise through the crowd.

  The chairs didn’t last much longer. Their legs sank deep into the tavern floorboards, creaking, splintering, then breaking apart into a heap of debris.

  And yet, neither of them let go.

  Still gripping each other’s hands, Elder Alric and Hume continued their match as if the destroyed furniture didn’t exist, squatting in perfect sync and locked in some kind of invisible standoff, like there was still a table holding them up.

  And they probably would’ve kept going, too, if not for—

  “HEY! HOW MANY TIMES HAVE I TOLD YOU TWO TO STOP?!”

  Both of them froze.

  A bald, cranky-looking man with a graying beard stormed out from behind the counter, apron flapping as he marched toward them, brandishing a massive wooden spoon like a weapon.

  “Every time you two come in here, more and more of my furniture ends up in pieces!”

  The old men immediately let go and stood straight, almost like schoolkids caught misbehaving.

  “Sorry, Zarto,” Elder Alric said sheepishly.

  “I’ll pay for them,” Hume offered, pulling out a small pouch of coins.

  Zarto waved it off immediately. “No, no, no—I’ve known you two for far too long to make you pay for broken furniture.” He crossed his arms, glaring at both of them. “But would it kill you to take this outside once in a while?”

  The two glanced at each other.

  “Probably?”

  Zarto’s grip tightened on the spoon, and for a second it looked like he was about to swing. “Boy, I—” He exhaled heavily, clearly holding himself back. “Just keep it cool, alright? I’ve already got my hands full trying to get meals out for everyone here.”

  “Business is booming,” Cedric commented with a grin.

  Zarto shot him a look, but eventually nodded. “It is, Cedric, and that’s thanks to all of you, I admit.”

  His gaze drifted over Merilda, who gave a polite nod, then passed over me and toward the crowd, until his eyes suddenly darted back to me.

  “Wait…...aren’t you—?”

  Both Elder Alric and Hume followed his line of sight, and their eyes fell on me.

  “Oh, finally arrived, eh, Beric?” Elder Alric said with a grin.

  The tavern grew quieter as hundreds of eyes turned toward me.

  “Isn’t that the kid who beat Malo?” someone whispered from the crowd.

  Before anyone could say a word, a streak of fire erupted through the crowd, as Kaelyn appeared right in front of me, her boots skidding against the wooden floor as embers scattered around her.

  “It’s you!” she shouted with a mischievous grin that screamed trouble.

  “Oh, hello—” I started.

  Dodge.

  I leaned right just in time as a fiery punch exploded past my face, the heat brushing my cheek. Kaelyn’s eyes widened as she realized her strike missed, the blast sending a small shockwave through the air.

  “Whoa! You really are quick!” Kaelyn said, grinning from ear to ear.

  Her hands twitched, flames sparking at her fingertips as she readied another attack—

  “Kaelyn!”

  She froze mid-motion.

  “Would you please stop doing that?” Hume’s voice rang out.

  Kaelyn turned. “But did you see how he dodged that? It was like he knew it was coming!”

  Hume’s gaze drifted to me. For a second, it felt familiar, like the moment Elder Alric first looked at me with that same knowing expression, the look of someone seeing potential.

  “I did,” Hume said finally, “but that’s no excuse to start a scene here.”

  Kaelyn crossed her arms. “You made a scene by arm wrestling old man Alric.”

  “Old man?” Elder Alric repeated, affronted. “Do I really look that old?” He turned to Hume.

  Hume shrugged.

  Then he turned to Cedric and Merilda.

  They both shrugged.

  Finally, he looked at me.

  I shrugged.

  “Wow,” Alric muttered.

  “Anyway,” Hume said, clearing his throat as he walked over to me, “sorry for all that.” He extended a large, calloused hand with a friendly smile. “It’s good to finally meet you, Beric. I’m Hume Drinda—Kaelyn’s father and a long-time friend of Alric.”

  I shook his hand firmly. “Nice to meet you too.”

  He gave a low whistle as we clasped hands. “You’ve got some strength in you. I can tell you’ve worked hard to get here.”

  “Thank you.”

  Hume nodded approvingly, then glanced back at Kaelyn. “I hope you won’t hold what she just did against her. She’s always been……...a bit too energetic when it comes to fighting. She’s actually a very sweet girl once you get to know her.”

  “Dad!” Kaelyn’s face flushed red.

  He chuckled, ignoring her protest. “You know, Beric, when I watched your match against Malo, I honestly thought you were going to lose. You were up against a powerhouse. Even with Alric training you, I couldn’t really see how you’d prove me wrong.”

  His grip subtly tightened. “And yet, you did. You showed me that-” He paused. “Pure, overwhelming strength can be overcome.”

  Elder Alric’s expression twitched.

  Hume released my hand and smiled faintly. “I think Kaelyn would grow well if she got along with you, both as a fighter and as a person. Though knowing her, the latter might take a while.”

  “Dad, I’m right here,” Kaelyn said flatly.

  “I know it’s sudden,” Hume continued, unfazed, “but even though you two are opponents in this tournament, you can be more than that. A tournament isn’t everything, just like how fighting isn’t everything. I hope that soon, and for a long time, you will become good friends with her.”

  “What?” Kaelyn sputtered, eyes wide.

  “That’s very sudden,” I replied carefully.

  Besides, becoming friends with her?

  Hume stood straight and brushed off his hands. “Well, I can’t force you, but I think you’d make a great friend for Kaelyn.”

  “Dad, why are you like this?” she asked, her face now bright red.

  “Oh, forgive me for looking out for my daughter,” he said with exaggerated innocence.

  “That’s not what I meant—you—!” she started, flustered.

  The two continued bickering, Kaelyn’s voice sharp and fiery, Hume’s calm but teasing, leaving Elder Alric, Cedric, Merilda, and me standing there, quietly observing the father and daughter chaos unfold.

  “Ah, fatherhood,” Elder Alric sighed, shaking his head with a nostalgic smile. “I remember when Merilda used to do that exact—”

  He stopped mid-sentence as he caught sight of Merilda’s reddened cheeks and the sharp glare she shot his way.

  I cleared my throat. “Elder Alric?”

  “Yes?”

  “Do you know where Elder Walden is? I’ve got a few questions about Soul Bonding magic, along with some other stuff.”

  His brows lifted with intrigue. “Did you figure it out?”

  I met his gaze. “I’m close to.”

  A proud grin tugged at his lips. “Good.” He pointed toward the stairway leading to the upper floor. “He should be upstairs. It’s quieter there.”

  “Got it,” I said, turning to go, only for Elder Alric’s voice to stop me again.

  “However, Beric, what Hume said earlier was correct.”

  I turned back. “What do you mean?”

  “It would be good if you tried to befriend the other competitors.”

  Ehhhhhhhhhh…

  I tilted my head with a doubtful look. “I don’t think teenagers would really want to ‘get all chummy’ with a kid like me. And besides, like you said, we’re opponents. It’s not exactly the best environment for making friends.”

  He crossed his arms. “True, you’re all rivals in a contest meant to prove who’s the strongest. But that’s not all you are. Before being competitors, before being separated by age or experience—you’re human. And humans are meant to connect. To learn from one another.”

  I scratched my cheek. “You’re probably right, but I doubt that—”

  “Beric!”

  I turned to see Kaelyn staring straight at me with her hands on her hips.

  “Yes?”

  She hesitated, her confidence flickering for once. “...........Are you hungry?”

  I opened my mouth to say no, but then I caught Sys glaring at me, a glare that made me realize I could go for a bite.

  “Yeah, I could eat,” I admitted.

  Kaelyn scratched at her hair awkwardly, avoiding my gaze. “Then........uh..........come eat with us.”

  “Us?” I repeated, raising a brow, only for Elder Alric to shove me forward before I could get an answer.

  “Have fun!” he said, grinning far too widely. “I’ll let Walden know you’ll talk to him later!”

  “No, wait, I actually wanted to—”

  “Have fun!”

  “I’d really prefer to just—”

  “Have fun!”

  “Okay,” I sighed in defeat.

  Before I could prepare myself, Kaelyn grabbed my wrist and dragged me off through the crowd.

  “So, where exactly are we going?” I asked, weaving past tables as the smell of roasted meat and spice filled the air.

  “Where we all eat,” she said simply.

  “‘We all’? Who’s—”

  My question answered itself the moment we stopped.

  At a large, clearly reserved table sat none other than Malo—hunched over several massive bowls piled high with meat, rice, fish, fruit, vegetables—basically a feast fit for a small army. Next to him, Mayern was lazily stirring his food with his fork, looking half-asleep. Across from him sat Corven, who kept dropping his spoon into his bowl as he kept shaking. And beside Corven was Nyra, calmly polishing her throwing knives as if that was a normal dinner activity.

  It was the table of winners.

  “You forgot me,” a whisper brushed against my ear.

  I nearly jumped out of my skin as Noll materialized behind me like a ghost.

  “Hey everyone!” Kaelyn shouted, slamming her hand against the table loud enough to make half the tavern turn.

  All eyes snapped to her, then to me.

  Malo grinned and gave a cheerful wave. “Yo!”

  I waved back weakly. “Hey.”

  Kaelyn clapped a hand on my shoulder. “This is Beric! He’s eating with us.”

  A pause.

  The others just stared at me.

  I forced a smile. “Hello!”

  No one answered.

  Yikes. This is going to be rough.