'Wait, I'm Supposed to Become a Goddess?! But I'm a Guy!'

The topic had taken a sharp turn into something genuinely fascinating.

Honestly, the sheer number of incredible things this territory offered was ridiculous.

Bart, clearly more impressed than he could handle, drank far more than he should’ve.

By the time the group settled their tab and stood to leave, his steps were noticeably less coordinated.

They eventually spilled back out onto the main street, taking their time as they wandered in the direction of home.

The residential area wasn’t too far, but not exactly nearby either.

Just enough distance that the walk didn’t feel like a chore, but still gave them a moment to unwind.

Loyd took it upon himself to escort the swaying Bart home.

Ilya and Joyce, meanwhile, veered off toward the shops, eager to indulge in a bit of late-night clothing shopping before heading back.

As for Kalen.

“I’m gonna walk around a bit,” he muttered casually, already peeling away from the group without looking back.

“Don’t stay out too late!” Ilya called after him, half-turning.

“Yeah,” Kalen replied with a lazy wave, disappearing into the stream of night-bound passersby.

Nudge!

“Ah!” Ilya jolted as Joyce bumped into her shoulder with a smirk.

“Since when do you care about that guy, huh? Having a change of heart?” Joyce teased, her voice dripping with mischief as they walked.

Ilya scoffed, though a flicker of red warmed the tips of her ears. “Don’t talk nonsense. He’s our teammate, and we’ve got another expedition tomorrow.”

“Really?” Joyce dragged the word out with a grin, eyes narrowing like a cat sniffing out scandal.

Not wanting to feed the fire, Ilya grabbed her arm and dragged her away without another word, squashing the sparks before they could catch.

The perspective shifted then, trailing behind Kalen as he melted into the city crowd.

It was a beautiful night.

The sky glittered with stars, and the town beneath buzzed with life.

Warm lights spilled from shop windows and restaurants, bathing the streets in a soft glow.

Street lamps stretched long shadows across the stone path, their amber hues veiling the flow of people in a slow-moving tide.

“This place is weird,” Kalen murmured to himself, hands tucked into his coat pockets.

“But... it’s the kind of weird I don’t mind.”

He exhaled slowly, head tilted back just enough to catch a glimpse of the constellations above. “I think I kinda like it here.”

Eventually, the crowds began to thin as he wandered farther from the center.

"I wonder why they made this city with so many maze like alleys for?"

The foot traffic dwindled, the noise softened.

He found himself entering a quieter part of town, less color, less light.

The alleys were narrow, the buildings pressed tight together like secrets.

Without much thought, he turned down one of the side alleys, letting the dimness swallow him.

The hum of the city faded behind him, replaced by his own quiet footsteps.

It was a hobby of his to explore in the darkness. A dark hobby from his prior job.

However...

Something felt off.

Kalen didn’t stop.

His body moved like nothing had changed, but his senses picked up something.

Eyes flicked from shadow to shadow.

He took a few more corners, navigating the tighter paths until the space ahead finally opened into a dead end.

The walls loomed close, and the only light came from a weak, flickering lamp overhead.

He halted.

Eyes on the wall, his face remained still.

“Show yourself,” he said flatly. “I already picked up your presence back on the main street.”

Silence answered him, but it wasn’t normal silence. It was the kind that crushed every other sound, leaving only his own breath and the steady beat of his heart.

His brow furrowed.

His hand slipped deeper into his pocket, fingers brushing the cool hilt of the hidden dagger strapped beneath his coat.

Then.

Swoosh.

Boom.

Something burst from the side, a warped, twisting figure lunging through the air.

Its limbs were grotesquely long, bending at wrong angles.

There was nothing remotely human about it. It didn’t move like a person. It didn’t feel like one either.

Monster.

Kalen moved in a blur, dodging to the side as a flurry of metal nails shot out from his sleeve.

Ting—ting—ting—!

The nails struck the creature’s skin but barely left a mark.

“So hard?” he muttered, narrowing his eyes as he dropped back, widening the distance between them.

His gaze locked onto the thing in front of him, posture low and tense, fingers flexing slightly around the dagger's grip.

The two stared each other down, silent.

Kalen squinted, trying to make out its shape, but the lighting here was abysmal.

Shadows hung thick in the alley, swallowing any detail past a few feet.

Just my luck.

His posture tensed as he slowly stepped back, gaze locked on the creature.

'a monster? No... something was off'

Its movements were too precise, measured, almost calculating, too smart.

A monster wouldn’t move like that. Not unless it was Tier 5 or 6 at least. Whatever this thing was, it didn’t fit that mold.

'So then... what the hell are you?'

Kalen lowered his stance, spine curved like a coiled spring, ready to lash out or run at a moment’s notice.

Whatever this thing’s intention was, he didn’t plan on finding out the hard way.

'Judging from its speed and the force behind that first strike... Tier 1, middle realm minimum. Maybe even nearing Tier 1 peak'

Tch.

He clicked his tongue quietly. With how tough its skin felt, his hidden weapons likely wouldn’t scratch it, especially not with that speed and durability.

'Troublesome'

After a brief, sharp assessment, Kalen made his move.

One hand dipped smoothly into his pocket.

Without a sound, he pulled out a small, round object and flicked it forward.

A strange metallic orb soared through the air, humming faintly.

The creature sensed the threat instantly. Its eyes narrowed.

But before it could react.

BOOM!

A thunderous crack split the alley as the orb exploded in a blinding flash of light.

Kalen raised an arm to shield his eyes, feet grounded against the shock.

A wave of heat brushed his face, and when the light faded, he dropped his arm slowly to take in the aftermath.

No smile crossed his lips.

“Missed?” he muttered, crouching low with his dagger drawn, fingers tight around the hilt.

In front of him, a small crater simmered with arcs of fading electricity.

But no body. No blood.

No sign of the creature.

“It escaped,” he said, voice low with irritation.

After several tense seconds of silence, he moved, his steps brisk as he cut across the winding maze of back alleys, hoping to find another trace of it.

Then he stopped.

His gaze caught something down a nearby alley, something strange... something... wrong.

His chest tightened as he stepped closer.

"This is?"

At the end of the narrow dead-end path, there were no doors. No crates. No signs of human activity.

Just bones. Everywhere.

"What the hell is this?'

A jumbled mess of white fragments scattered across the stone ground like someone had knocked over a tower of morbid dominos.

But that wasn’t what made his stomach churn.

Near the back wall, half-slumped on the side, was the body of a girl.

She was young.

Most of her lower half was gone, chewed through, torn apart.

Her face, though, was untouched. Frozen mid-scream, eyes wide in terror even in death.

Kalen froze.

Then his fists clenched, jaw locking tight as he turned his head away, unable to look any longer.

“...Fuck,” he hissed under his breath, voice raw. “What the fuck is this...”

His chest rose with quick, uneven breaths.

“What the fuck is this?!”

Without a second thought, he yanked a flare gun from his pack, aimed it straight up, and fired.

The flare exploded into the sky like a red sunburst, dyeing the buildings and alleys in crimson hues.

There was no doubt the guards would see it.

One last look at the carnage, and Kalen turned away in a hurry.

He disappeared into the dark, footsteps sharp against the stone as he vanished from the scene.

—

Back at the house, one of the better rentals near the main street, close to the central square, calm had returned.

Sort of.

When Kalen entered, the door creaked softly open.

Inside, warm lighting spilled over polished floors.

And in the living room, sitting dead center on the couch, arms crossed and foot tapping impatiently.

Was Ilya.

She looked up the moment the door opened.

Her eyes narrowed. “Did I not tell you not to come home late?”

Kalen blinked, slightly startled. “Yeah…”

He scratched the back of his neck, awkward.

Avoided her eyes.

“And you did it anyway!” she snapped, standing now. “Do you know what time it is? It’s two in the morning, Kalen. We’ve got an expedition tomorrow!”

“Yeah... I’m sorry.”

That stopped her.

She stood there mid-scold, her finger still raised. It wavered, then slowly lowered, her expression faltering.

“I... uh...” She cleared her throat, cheeks puffed slightly with frustration. “It’s okay. Just don’t do it again.”

“Yeah.”

Kalen brushed past her casually, heading toward the staircase.

But right before he climbed the first step, he paused.

“Hey... Ilya?”

She looked at him, arms dropping to her sides. “What?”

“Don’t go out too much these days.”

She blinked. “Huh?”

The sudden shift in tone caught her off guard. Was that an order? A warning?

“Why?” she asked, frowning faintly.

“I don’t know...” he said, still facing away, hand resting on the stair rail. “Just... be safe. You know?”

She stood there, a little stunned.

“O-okay?”

Without another word, Kalen climbed the stairs and disappeared around the corner, his footsteps quieting as they carried him away.

Left behind, Ilya stared at the empty stairwell, arms still slightly raised in confusion.

“What the hell was that about?”

Still, despite herself... she smiled a little.

'Kalen caring? Since when?'

It was unexpected.

And, maybe, just a little cute.