Alix guides the flying carriage down slowly, the hum of mana crystals fading as the clouds part. Below, Sona City stretches out—its walls tall and sturdy, but scarred by past battles. Smoke rises faintly from repair sites near the outer barricades, and patrols of armed monsters circle the perimeter like restless sentinels.

He narrows his eyes. "No floating carriages around," he mutters, scanning the skies. The air above the city is clear—no other aerial vehicles in sight. "Better land before someone decides to make a scene."

"Good call," Mero says, lounging lazily in midair with his hands tucked behind his head. "If you land right in front of the gate, half the guards will panic before you even say hello. People living in this part of the continent are all country bumpkins."

Alix smirks slightly and redirecting the carriage away from the city walls. It glides down smoothly, the mana engines dimming until the carriage lands in a stretch of grassy plain a few kilometers out. Dust swirls briefly around the wheels as it settles.

The path toward the gates is lined with watchtowers and barricades. The city guards—mostly beastfolk with armored scales or horns—stand alert, scanning every traveler that approaches. Even from a distance, Alix can feel the tension hanging over the place.

As he nears the gate, two guards—one with silver fur, the other a lizard-like creature with a jagged blade for a tail—step forward, their eyes sharp.

"State your purpose," the lizard guard says, his tone clipped but wary.

Alix reaches into his cloak calmly and pulls out his adventurer's card. "Adventurer. Just passing through," he says evenly.

The silver-furred guard takes the card, his eyes flicking over the rank mark. The silver light of a diamond-tier seal glows briefly before fading. His ears twitch slightly, surprised. "Diamond rank, huh."

He hands it back quickly and steps aside. "You can enter. Just… keep your head down. Things are tense right now."

Alix gives a short nod and walks past the gate.

Inside, the city feels heavy. The streets are packed but silent, the usual chatter replaced by the clatter of armor and whispered worry. Merchants are closing early, guards patrol in pairs, and even the children of the city stay close to their parents, glancing nervously at the sky.

A group of wounded soldiers passes by, armor dented, fur matted with dried blood. The air smells faintly of smoke and fear.

Zevran's voice is low. "They already know what happened to the other city."

Alix said, arms crossed. "Word travels fast."

Mero scans the faces around him—exhausted, wary, desperate. "They're preparing for war," he says quietly.

Alix moves through the crowded main street, the hum of voices low and uneasy. The adventurers' guild isn't hard to find—the largest building near the city center, its towering doors flanked by a pair of stone beast statues. The faint shimmer of a mana barrier ripples across the entrance, and through the windows, he can see the glow of crystal lamps inside.

As he steps in, the murmur of conversation fills the air. The guild hall is lively but tense; adventurers of all kinds gather around tables, discussing rumors, cleaning weapons, or arguing over contracts. The smell of steel, ale, and parchment blends in the air.

Mero floats near the ceiling, his translucent form unnoticed by everyone else. "Looks like business is still running, even with a beast king nearby," he mutters.

Alix's gaze drifts across the hall, settling on the far wall where a massive board looms—covered in missions. The surface hums softly with mana, hundreds of requests flickering in and out of view as adventurers browse through them. Some are freshly posted, others faded from constant updates. Without hesitation, Alix strides toward it.

As he approaches, a few adventurers glance his way. His calm presence and the faint pressure of his aura make some instinctively step aside.

"Never seen him before," one whispers.

"Must be from another city," another murmurs. "Look at that badge. Diamond rank…"

Alix ignores the whispers. His eyes sweep over the board—missions ranging from low-tier errands to dangerous monster hunts.

"Hmm," he murmurs, scanning. "Even the iron and bronze ranks are being pulled into defensive missions."

He spots a cluster of notices marked with the same seal: City Lord's Order.

Each one offers gold and merit points for assisting in case of a beast king attack.

Even the lowest rank mission carries an unusually high reward.

But what really catches his attention isn't the city lord's notice—it's the upper corner of the board, where the diamond-rank mission located.

He steps closer, eyes narrowing as he reads.

"Retrieve the Elder Vein Herb from the fourth floor of the Wailing Catacombs Dungeon. Reward: 5,000,000 gold and one high-grade mana core."

Alix selects the mission. For a brief moment, the surrounding chatter falters—just enough for several curious eyes to turn his way. The diamond-rank request vanishes from the board in a shimmer of light, and the sudden disappearance draws the attention of everyone nearby.

He walks toward the counter where a young receptionist, a feline-type beastwoman with bright amber eyes, looks up. Her ears twitch as she sees what he's holding.

"Uh… sir," she begins carefully, "you're taking that mission?"

Alix places the slip on the counter. "Yes."

She blinks, clearly taken aback. "You're sure?" she asks again, voice dropping lower. "That's one of the most dangerous assignments on the board right now."

Alix simply nods. "I'm sure."

Her tail flicks nervously as she glances at his adventurer's card. "Do you… have a party with you?"

"I don't."

That short answer earns a few chuckles from the tables nearby. A group of heavily armored beastmen, clearly also diamond ranked adventurers, exchange grins.

One of them, a burly boar-man, leans back in his seat. "You serious, kid? Going into that dungeon alone? You got a death wish or something?"

Another, a lizard beastman polishing his spear, snorts. "Even if he's diamond rank, his aura's weak. Probably just hit low-level tier 6. You'll be shredded before you reach the second floor."

A third man joins in with a smirk. "Even a group led by a high-level tier 6 barely made it to the fourth floor—and the item for that quest is on the fourth. You really think you can do better alone?"

The guild hall fills with a low ripple of laughter and murmurs. Some shake their heads, others mutter things like "another fool chasing glory" or "we'll be collecting his remains next week."

Zevran shifts on Alix's shoulder, eyes narrowing. "They talk too much," he mutters under his breath.

Mero floats lazily behind Alix, smirking faintly. "Let them. They'll shut up soon enough."

The receptionist, clearly uncomfortable, lowers her voice again. "Sir, please think about this carefully. The dungeon isn't just filled with beasts and corrupted creatures. There are human adventurers too—raiders who attack others for loot. You'd be a target the moment they see your card rank."

Alix looks at her calmly, his expression unreadable. "Don't worry about it," he says, voice steady and quiet. "I'll be fine."

The receptionist hesitates, then exhales slowly, tail flicking once. "Very well," she says reluctantly. "Just… make sure you come back alive, alright?"

"I will," Alix replies simply, taking the slip and sliding it into his cloak.

----

The forest outside Sona City grows darker the farther Alix walks. The path is marked with broken stones and faint mana runes, leading through thick trees twisted with old energy.

Ahead, the dungeon's entrance comes into view—a massive stone gate half-buried in earth and vines, carved with symbols that glow dimly like dying embers. The faint sound of chanting, steel clashing, and voices drifts from the clearing below.

Alix slows his steps, his eyes narrowing slightly. "Looks busy."

Zevran peers from his shoulder, wings flicking open slightly. "That's… unexpected. I didn't think both monsters and humans would gather here together."

They descend the last slope, and the scene becomes clear. Two large camps sit across from each other near the dungeon gate—on one side, human adventurers in metal armor, banners fluttering weakly in the breeze; on the other, monsters of every kind, scales and fur gleaming under the pale sunlight.

And yet, no one is fighting.

They glare. They growl. Weapons are ready. But neither side moves.

He approaches a group of beastfolk resting near the treeline—three of them, wolf-like in form, with jagged blades strapped to their backs. The eldest, his fur streaked with silver, eyes Alix warily as he nears.

"What do you want, stranger?" the wolf-man growls, his tail twitching.

"Information," Alix answers evenly. "Why aren't they fighting? I thought humans and monsters didn't tolerate each other."

The wolf's ears flatten, but he exhales sharply through his nose. "Normally, you'd be right. But the city lord of Sona and that human city lord across the border made an agreement."

Alix raises an eyebrow. "A truce?"

"Only for the dungeon entrance," the wolf says, his tone rough. "Too many bodies were piling up before anyone could even enter." He glances toward the humans, eyes narrowing. "So now, no one fights until they're inside."