"What do you mean, Toshirou-kun is gone? What are you saying, Sensei?!"
The dark-haired teacher sighed softly as she addressed the confused girl once again.
"He has some serious business to handle, and I don't think he's going to be back anytime soon. It's... rather difficult to explain, Arisugawa-san."
Releasing a sigh, she slipped her phone into Chiyo's hand.
"I think this would explain it better. I'm sorry for not being of much help. Keeping you in the dark was Toshirou's final request. He said that you should hear it from him directly if this can be considered as such."
Sensing the enormity of the task given to Takezawa, Chiyo couldn't find it in her heart to pressure her anymore. It wasn't her to blame, it was Toshirou. 'He's' the one that left her, 'he's' the one who upped and went without saying a word, he's the... he's the one who chose to keep her in the dark. Tears welled up in her eyes. She took the phone and bowed to her teacher in gratitude.
"Arigatou, Sensei."
Astonished by her thanks, and feeling quite guilty as well, Takezawa averted her gaze from her and mumbled. "Ye-yeah."
Chiyo sensed this and took her hand in hers. Smiling despite her tears, she looked up at her and said. "Please don't feel guilty, Sensei. While I'm quite hurt by Toshirou hiding whatever it is from me, I know for certain that he has his reasons. He has always been that way, never telling me anything that would put me in danger, or showing something that would make me uncomfortable no matter how little, and yet, I somehow manage to be unappreciative of him. If anything, I should be the one feeling guilty for doubting him, for getting angry with him, but I just couldn't help myself. I'm sorry for putting you through this."
'This girl', Takezawa softened her expression and patted her head gently, same with how she always did for Ruri.
'She's too good for you, Toshirou.'
"I get it," Takezawa said with a smile. "Then we'll both wait with you for Toshirou to come back."
Brightening up at her teacher's words, she smiled back.
"Hai!"
...
'A rowdy business day, same as usual,' the raven-haired boy behind the counter sighed. People of different races, all assembled to partake in quests in the Adventurers Guild. This one in particular, along the riverbank of Thaimes in the province of Haesbich, Yeong-won, was particularly famous for its unique quests set out on the notice board in the guildhall every morning. The reward for fulfilling each quest was unreasonably high and the quests themselves were not all that difficult to accomplish. So, as expected of human nature, people would be naturally drawn to this guild for the sake of the money rather than compassion for the ones who sent out these requests.
"Oi, Joel-kun! Get a tray of beer for Table one, five at the table!"
The raven-haired boy, Joel, quickly recovered from his spacing out and ran to the kitchen to get a tray.
"Haaai!" He responded.
Manoeuvring through the bustling crowd, he eventually managed to reach Table one. Five huge men, with very muscular builds, were at the table, eating and talking to their heart's content.
"Err, Lad, be a good boy and pay for us now, would you." One of the burly men said with a gruff voice.
"C-come again?" Joel asked, dumbfounded.
"You deaf or something, lad? The bill's on you." He said again.
Knowing it was no use arguing with these kinds of people, Joel quickly nodded and scurried off to the kitchen. This is how it was every day, always having to pay for someone else's meal even though he hadn't had enough for himself. 'Life is very cruel,' thought the poor boy.
Joel Belshazzar, a ruddy boy of about eleven years, plum purple hair, with orchid purple eyes and a small stature for someone his age. He wore ragged clothes, consisting of a rough vest made of brown leather with black shorts and a pair of sandals. He also wore a rucksack on his shoulder and had a brown headband on his forehead.
Still going about his musings, thinking of how to settle the debt which would no doubt be added to his already existing one, the door of the guild suddenly swung wide open.
Everyone in the guild became quiet. A mysterious stranger walked into the guildhall. Wearing a black robe that reached to his ankles with a black hood that covered his face, the stranger walked towards the notice board beside the counter in the hall.
'Who's that?'
'Is he a new adventurer?'
'What a suspicious-looking person?
The murmurs of the crowd in the guild intensified as the stranger picked a paper from the board and walked over to the counter.
'Maybe he's a new adventurer.' Joel thought.
Placing the paper in front of him, the stranger asked.
"Will this request lead me to the archangels?"
"Huh?!"
"Heh?!"
"Whaaat?!"
The entire guild burst into laughter.
"Oh my, he said archangels!"
"A total fool!!"
Joel could only look at the stranger in shock.
'Archangel? Is he serious?'
"E-Ehm, what do you mean, a-archangels?"
The stranger sighed.
"Do you or do you not know if this quest will lead me to them? Don't waste my time if you do not have an answer for me."
A bit frightened of angering the stranger, Joel quickly nodded his head sideways and waved his hands in front of him.
"No, no, no, I don't mean anything by asking. It's just... it's just kind of rare to see someone asking about the archangels."
Taking a look at the paper laid before him, his eyes widened in shock at the request and the pay.
'T-two million gold coins, just to save a village from an oppressor?'
Gulping, he faced the stranger and examined him. Everything was off about him. His clothing, his voice, his way of talking, body language, it was all suspicious. But the most astonishing thing was why he would assume that a quest that requires getting rid of an oppressor would get him closer to the Archangels.
'Except if his image of the Hosts is that of one who bears down on others or one who forces others to do their bidding because they have a slight edge over them. Just what in the world happened to this stranger to make him have such an impression?'
"Oi, tavern boy!"
A burly man with a heavy beard pushed aside the mysterious stranger and walked over to Joel. He slammed his hand on the table and demanded more beer and for the bill to be placed on Joel, again.
Not wanting to be humiliated in front of the stranger, he gathered his wits and refused the burly man.
"I'm sorry Sir, but I can't add that to my increasing debt. Please pay for your own drink."
The tavern grew silent again. Everyone's head focused on the exchange between the man and the boy. A rumble of laughter grew from the companions of the man - the huge men at table one, and the whole guild snickered along with them.
Embarrassed at the outcome of his boldness, the boy put his head down in shame at being the laughing stock of the entire guild.
The burly man suddenly grabbed him by the shirt with one arm and lifted him into the air. Bringing his face close to Joel's, his breath stinking of alcohol, he told him.
"Repeat that, you little shit! You're going to pay my bill and that of my friends, got it brat?"
Steeling his resolve, Joel faced the bully head-on and did not waver in the slightest. He put on an air of courage and looked into the eye of the immature male.
"No," Joel said. "Pay your own bill yourself."
"Little shit!"
Ticked off at the boy's response, the huge man punched him in the stomach and sent him flying across the guildhall.
"Puah!!"
With a loud crash, the poor boy crashed into the wall. All bruised, beaten up (and he was pretty sure his arm had been broken), the boy slowly stood up, holding his right arm and twitching in pain.
"Hoho, you're a tough little brat. Let's see you take this one too!" The burly man rushed at the boy with a fist aiming for his heading.
The boy sniffed, tears streaming down his cheeks at having lived such a pathetic life.
'I hate this world, I hate it so much. Why do I have to go through this? Why do I have to suffer? I didn't do anything wrong, I've never hurt anyone before, so why... why?'
Joel brought his head down in resignation, losing all hope to the blow that would end up devastatingly hurting him or at most kill him.
"If life is cruel to you, steel your heart and resolve your mind, and be cruel to it back."
*Swish*
Joel felt a strong gust of wind against his face and heard his attacker cry out in pain.
'W-what happened?'
He looked up and what he saw, shocked him to his very bone. The hand of the large man was gone. Blood spewed out of his arm and his cut off hand lay sprawled on the floor.
Everyone in the guild was on high alert after they witnessed this scene. Their attention was focused on the mysterious stranger who placed his hand on something on his waist.
"What the hell did you do to Orcle?!" One of the man's companions shouted.
The stranger only looked at the man before averting his gaze.
With a calm and cool voice, the stranger addressed him.
"I simply saw trash and disposed of it. Isn't that the right thing to do to scum?"
"You bastard!!" The other man rushed at him.
The stranger simply moved to the right at the man's attempt at an attack. He kneed the man in his stomach and palmed the huge man on the chest across the room.
The man flew through tables and chairs, crashing into the wall with full force.
"You'll pay for this!!" The remainder of the man's companions all went after the stranger.
In a flash, they all had their hands cut off. Both left and right disconnected from their arms leaving them gasping and screaming in pain.
In the midst of this, no one in the guild dared make a move, all too afraid of getting caught up in the dangerous moment.
Orcle recovered and went after the stranger.
"Damn you, I'll kill you!!"
"Really now?" He replied. Putting his hand inside his cloak, the stranger revealed two weapons strapped to his waist. One by his left and the other behind him.
He pulled out the sword by his left from its scabbard and rotated it in his hand. Catching it and holding it up, he said.
"Come."
'What kind of sword is that?' Joel thought, it's pitch black and the handle looks just like the wings of a Slavor. Just who exactly is this stranger?'
"Arghhh!!"
Joel turned his head to the frightful scream. He saw Orcle on the floor and the stranger pointing the black sword at his head.
"So what will you do now?" The stranger asked.
"Please, please, let me go. I promise I won't bully anybody else again. A-At least let my comrades go. It was all my fault, I was the one who roughed up the boy. Please, I beg you, spare them." Orcle frantically pleaded.
Staring down the frightened man with such emptiness in his eyes, the stranger replied.
"Get out."
"Ye-Yes!!"
Scrambling to his feet with impressive speed, he gathered up his comrades - with their injury - and scurried out of the main entrance of the guildhall.
No one moved an inch, no one said anything. There was nothing to be spoken. Slowly and lazily, the stranger walked up to the boy on the floor, who was still in pain and badly wounded. Placing his right hand on his chest, he whispered,
"Be healed."
A blue light encompassed the boy. He felt lightheaded as if he was floating, but it felt good too, and peaceful as well. He felt his body reforming, fixing itself and restoring its strength to its former state, eradicating all bruised and wounds inflicted by Orcle.
"Get up, kid. You still haven't given me an answer."
The entire guild stared in silence at the exchange that just occurred. Many of them in astonishment at what transpired, others in mild amusement at the mysterious stranger and the counter boy.
They watched the boy get up looking at his body in surprise, bowing his head in gratitude and walking behind the counter to his original post. He and the stranger had some kind of conversation before he took a stamp and used it on the paper, no doubt sealing the quest for the stranger to embark on.
The tables in the guild are marked with numbers ranging from one to fifty, for easy identification and access to the occupants. It prevented confusion and allowed the serving of food, drinks, and quests to run orderly.
There is also a structure that existed within the guild - the Master of the guild, Sub-master, the Warlord, Sub-warlord, the Tavern Head, and then the guild members. The Master of the guild is the head of all affairs of the guild, including its administrative functions. The Sub-master is the direct assistant to the Master who holds veto power in the guild. The Warlord is the commander of the army that belongs to the guild. As an Adventurers tavern, it is only natural for a powerful army to be erected by it. It consists of powerful adventurers who take up the mantle of protecting their guild, their home. The Sub-warlord is a direct assistant to the Warlord. He takes charge of the army when the Warlord is not available. The Tavern Head takes care of the welfare of the guild. Food, water, rewards and quests are all for the Tavern Head to handle.
"I see, even in a place like this, there is still a chance to play politics." The stranger let out a small sigh. 'Fascinating.'
All of a sudden, the sound of a chair screeching on the floor was heard, interrupting the conversation between Joel and the stranger.
A young man with brown hair bunched up in a ponytail and sharp green eyes approached them. Sporting good looks and a well-trimmed body, he wore a dark short-sleeved vest with brown pants and black boots. On his right hand, he wore a dark fingerless glove with silver stones on the knuckles and had a keychain with the symbol of wings around his neck.
Watching at the man with caution, Joel couldn't help but wonder what exactly he wanted with them. 'Or maybe it's just the stranger,' he thought.
"Pardon me for cutting in on your conversation." The man said with a smile. "The name's Enel by the way. "
"You've made the stamp on the quest, right? Good, I'll be taking it."
"Don't just ignore me man, that hurts," Enel said, with a pained and yet dumbfounded look.
Shifting the gaze of his eyes to him without moving his head, the stranger asked,
"The hell do you want?"
Taken aback by the man's bluntness, he recomposed himself and spoke again, mindful of his next choice of words.
"You're strong you know, how about being a member of the guild's army? You get a place to stay, free meals, women, and even daily rewards. A pretty good offer ain't it? In return, you'll lend us your strength and your skill. Not a shabby deal for a newbie, don't you agree?"
The stranger didn't spare him a glance before replying,
"Get lost."
The occupants of the guild mumbled to each other in astonishment.
"Hot damn."
"He refused Enel-san?"
"Cocky shit, thinking he's all cool with some black hoodie over him."
"Don't be jealous man."
"Shut it, woman!"
Now on full defence, Enel's eyes widened in surprise.
"U-um could you repeat that?"
Standing upright and coming to his height, the hood still keeping his face hidden, the stranger matched Enel's eye level.
"If you don't want to die, get lost."
"Bro, that's really harsh, don't you think?" Enel asked.
"I have no business with an organisation that makes jest of others because they are weak. If I wasn't here, this boy would have died, wouldn't he? And wipe that smile off your face, you're not deceiving anyone here."
Letting his bangs cover his eyes, Enel let out a small chuckle at the words of the stranger.
"You're soft, you know? But for you to see through me so suddenly, you really are dangerous. And for you to care about someone whom you just met less than thirty minutes ago, it's newbies like you who piss me off the most. You and your crappy sense of justi-"
"You really underestimate me, don't you?"
In a flash, he pulled out the sword from behind his waist and swung it at Enel. Out of reflexes, Enel brought out a wooden staff and blocked the frontal assault.
"It's not a matter of justice, justice was scraped ever since the fall of man. I simply felt like saving the kid. If you have a problem with that, then go rot in hell."
Leaving the weapon in the air, the stranger bent to Enel's stomach area and put his hand in his cloak, wrapping it around the hilt of the scabbard by his left side.
"Hollow."
He struck him with the katana. Blue light emanated from the blade and sent Enel flying across the hall, smashing into the wall with a mighty terrible force.
'What the hell's up with this power. This guy... He's no newbie.'
And that was it, Enel was down for the count.
"I can't believe it!"
"He took down Enel with just one hit?!"
"Just who exactly is this man?"
Not sparing a second look at the beaten-down man who lay on the ground, the stranger picked up his sword from the ground, the one he left in the air, went over to the desk and took the paper that contained his quest.
Joel couldn't help but feel sad as the stranger was about to go, yet there was this awe and newfound respect he had for him.
'I simply felt like saving the kid.'
Seeing the stranger ignited something within him, a burning passion to be different, to do something extraordinary, to be of value to someone, and he felt that with this man, he could accomplish that.
"Stranger-san!" He leapt over the counter and ran up to him before he could cross the door.
"Please let me go with you."
The stranger stopped walking and looked back at the boy below him.
"No. Go back to your job, kid. I don't have time babysitting brats."
"I know," Joel said. "But even if I go back, I'll still be bullied and there'll be nothing for me to do to protect myself. All my life I've always been taken from. Everything I ever had had always been taken from me. I've lost the people close to me, I don't have anything to lose anymore. If I died today, no one would care"— tears filled his eyes— "that's why I want to do something meaningful with the remaining life I have. Even if it's to be of little help to you, I want to do it, because I know that by doing so, I'll at least have one person I could be beneficial to and I would have added value to my life no matter how much little. I know it's a lot to ask, especially since I'm just a random, good-for-nothing kid you just met. But I'm begging you, please take me with you. I want to be useful to you, at least consider it thanks for saving me. "
The stranger remained silent before speaking.
"There's a good chance you're going to be killed. "
"I know."
"I'm not as reliable as you make me out to be. I won't always be there to protect you."
"I know."
Staring at the kid a bit longer, the stranger rubbed his head with his hand.
"Man, you're persistent. What's your name kid?"
"Joel, Joel Belshazzar." The boy replied.
"Joel, that's a cool name."
The stranger walked out of the guild into the blaring brightness of the afternoon sunlight and removed his hood.
Joel stared in awe as the hood came off. With the sun casting a serene appearance on him, winter blue hair with deep blue highlights revealed itself, the hair coming downwards and yet spiky in a way he could never understand, with his bangs framing his forehead perfectly and glittering cobalt blue eyes that reminded him of the sparkling nature of the deep blue ocean. With perfect jawline, cheekbones and face, the only coherent thought Joel could process were how handsome the stranger was. There was a small commotion in the guild from the girls and ladies who saw the stranger's face.
'Su-Sugoi,' Joel thought, 'He looks just like an angel.'
Staring directly into the eyes of the stunned boy, the stranger said,
"My name's Toshirou, Aosaki Toshirou. From here on, we'll both be in the other's care. Let's go."
Coming out of his trance, Joel broke into a huge smile and ran up to the stranger.
"Hai!"