The day passed slowly. Kino led Gale on a roundabout route toward Arthur’s house, darting from stand of trees to stand of trees. In ermine form, he slipped through the tall crops, occasionally peeking up for a moment only to drop down again and bounce ahead. Gale followed him at a crouch. Whenever they could see the road, Kino paused and waited until no one could be seen before bounding ahead again. Gale followed, yawning.

At last, Arthur’s farmhouse appeared on the horizon. Kino made a beeline for a thick stand of trees within sight of the farmhouse and the road, then stopped. “We’ll wait here until it gets dark. Then we sneak in.”

Yawning again, Gale wiped his eyes. He gave Kino a thumbs-up.

In the distance, Arthur walked across the field slowly, examining his crops. He paused to tear a fruit off a low bush and examined it, then walked on, peering over the various plants. Gale lounged against a tree to watch him, but nothing exciting happened. He walked the fields. Tended to the crops. Bored, Gale suppressed another yawn.

Kino peered at the farm, then bounded around the small stand of trees, unable to stop moving. “Gale… is this… the right thing?”

“Is it the right thing to let the Demon King run wild?” Gale returned, cocking an eyebrow at the beastfolk.

“No,” Kino said. He popped up on his hind legs and peered at the farmhouse, then dropped down and spun around the stand of trees again.

“Calm down. You’re going to make me nervous.”

Kino froze. A few seconds later, he began to tremble. His whole body started shuddering, butt wiggling, shoulders shaking, paws kneading at the leaves.

“You know what? Run around. Forget about me,” Gale sighed, shaking his head.

Instantly, Kino raced off again. “But we’re breaking into something.”

“Isn’t that what monsters do?” Gale replied.

Kino stopped dead and scowled at him, ears swished back against his skull.

Gale waved his hand. “A joke, it’s a joke. We aren’t going to damage or steal anything that doesn’t deserve to be stolen. If I’m wrong, and it’s not anything illegal, we’ll back out and leave him alone.”

“Can you pick locks?” Kino asked as he ran off again. A blur of white and brown zoomed past Gale, kicking up leaves and wind.

Gale raised his eyebrows. He raised his hand and spread the palm open, breaking the scab. Blood Manipulation!

The blood shaped into long, thin spikes. He frowned at it. Dry. Become hard!

The blood shivered, then slowly solidified. From its sharp tip to the slightly thicker base, it became hard.

[Prerequisites Acquired] [Skill Unlock!]

Blood Needles

5 mana per needle. Each needle does a small amount of damage. Try throwing a handful at once!

Five mana per needle? I got scammed! A tiny needle for twice the amount of mana as Blood Manipulation? Ridiculous!

His eyes flicked upward, over the skill description. There’s that ‘prerequisites acquired, skill unlock’ dialog again. Is that going to happen every time I gain a skill? Seems excessive. Does everyone in this world put up with this?

Curious, Gale tested the needles’ hardness. One crumbled, while the other wobbled, not fully hardened. He twisted his lips. “I could… probably pick a lock.”

“Probably?” Kino asked.

“Who locks their greenhouse, anyways,” Gale muttered.

Kino bobbed in place, excited. His ears flicked forward. “Oooh! Me! A farmer who grows illegal plants!”

Gale clicked his tongue. He pointed at Kino. “That’s a good point.”

“If we can’t pick locks…” Kino muttered, dashing past again.

“We’ll find a way in. I’ve got a few tricks up my sleeve,” Gale said confidently.

Kino nodded. All at once, he stopped and stood up on his rear legs. “Look, look!”

Gale pushed off the tree and peered toward the road.

A small contingent of townsfolk climbed up the hill toward Arthur’s house. The swordsman from earlier, Dyer, led them, hands on his hips. Before they reached the house, Arthur emerged from one of the sheds on the farm’s periphery, a bale of hay slung over his shoulders. The group stopped and spoke with him. Dyer gestured emphatically, pointing back at the town, then ahead, where the fortress sat on Gale’s map. Arthur thumped the bale of hay down on the ground and wiped his brow. He stared at the fortress for a long moment.

“Bet they’re totally leaving out the part where they attacked first,” Gale complained.

“Humans are like that,” Kino agreed, nodding.

Dyer grew more emphatic, his gestures more dramatic. He grabbed one of the fellow townsfolk and dragged her forward, pointing at her bandaged head.

Gale blinked. “That’s the girl who cast that spell at me. That doesn’t count! I’d be the one bandaged right now if I’d let that spell hit me!”

Kino looked at Gale, then at the girl, then back. “Mages only get the Ice Crystal spell at level five. She can take more damage than you. You’d probably be dead.”

“See? Totally unfair,” Gale said.

At the sight of the bandaged girl, Arthur’s expression darkened. He nodded at Dyer and followed him down the hill.

“There goes our reputation. And we can’t even defend ourselves,” Gale grumbled. Even if I ran out, we’d just get attacked by Dyer before we could say a word.

Kino nodded silently.

“Oh, well. Plan success! We got Arthur away from his greenhouse. Let’s go!”

“Won’t breaking into his greenhouse ruin our reputation even worse?” Kino asked, tilting his head.

Gale shook his head. “If he’s got something illegal in there, then we’re righteous beings bringing crime to light! If he isn’t, we leave without touching a single thing. We’re doing good here.”

“And when we confront Arthur…” Kino mumbled.

Gale shrugged. “That’s a problem no matter what we do. I’m not going to give up on recruiting the heroes because there’s a little danger.”

All the heroes are going to be higher level than us. No matter who we ask, there’s going to be danger. By that logic, we should only ask nicely, then move on. But if the heroes already aren’t helping this world, asking nicely isn’t going to change their mind. We have to do something to get them to move! If we just give up immediately, there’s no point in trying at all!

Kino shook his head. “I know. But it’s scary.”

“We’ll be careful,” Gale promised.

Arthur and the townsfolk walked back toward town. By the time they’d vanished down the hill, the sun was beginning to set. Gale crept out of the trees, glancing left and right. Alright. The coast is clear. “Let’s go!”

Kino leaped after him, transforming mid-leap. He jogged to catch up to Gale, and the two of them climbed up toward the farmhouse. At the top of the hill, Gale glanced back one last time. No sign of Arthur as far as the eye could see.

“Gale?” Kino asked.

“Coming.”

They turned the corner to the back of the farmhouse. The greenhouse stood there, glittering orange in the setting sun. Gale stepped up and tried the handle.

It stood steady, refusing to turn.

Furrowing his brows, Gale drew blood from his slit palm again. This time, he inserted it into the lock, taking a mold of the lock’s internal structures. He drew deeper on his mana. “Solidify!”

A small circle of red light burst out from around the needle. It hardened.

Carefully, Gale turned his makeshift key.

Snap! The key broke in two.

Kino and Gale both stared at the broken key. Gale pressed his lips together. I should’ve figured. He closed his eyes, then drew a deep breath. “Alright. Kino… let’s look for a key!”

Kino tipped his head. “Eh?”

“Trust me. I’m from the same place as Arthur. Back where I’m from, people always leave a key out under a mat, or a pot, or something! I bet there’s a spare key around here somewhere.”

Kino’s eyes sparkled. He nodded and darted off, peeking under rocks and pots.

Gale poked around as well. He lifted a vase full of some large, leafy plant, then sighed. “Keys would be more expensive in this world, too. Maybe he didn’t make a spare. mmm, we may have to break the lock, after all…”

“Gale!” Kino shouted at a mock-whisper.

“What?” Gale called back, quietly.

“The front door isn’t locked!”

“E…eh?” Gale jogged around to the front.

Kino stood there, door wide open, half inside, half out. “It’s not locked. It… doesn’t even have a lock, actually.”

Gale blinked, then frowned. I guess it’s not uncommon to have a farmhouse without a lock even a hundred, a hundred-fifty years ago in my world. And after all, Arthur’s inside. Who’s going to break into his house?

A droplet of sweat rolled down his back, but he immediately dismissed it. No, no. We aren’t here to steal anything legal. We’re only here to bring crimes to light!

He stepped past Kino into the farmhouse. Moving carefully, he stepped from room to room. The boards creaked under his feet, but nothing stirred. Sunset’s warm light swirled in the dust motes that hung in the air. A spartan kitchen, simple but clean, led into a dining room with a large table. A few cups hung above a sink basin with no spout and a drain pipe that punched through the wall and outside. Clean dishes sat in open shelving.

Gale stepped into the dining room. A single chair sat at the end of a round, handwrought table big enough to sit five. He furrowed his brows at that. “I guess he lives alone, but… it’s still a little sad, somehow.”

“What’s a little sad?” Kino asked, appearing beside him.

“Nothing,” Gale said. “You find a way in?”

Kino shook his head. “There’s no way into the greenhouse from inside.”

Gale nodded. “But I bet he keeps a key in here. Either in here or on him, and I didn’t see a keyring on him.”

“It all smells like Arthur in here. My nose is useless,” Kino said, wrinkling his face.

Gale snorted. He patted Kino’s head and pushed open the door to the bedroom.

A huge greatsword hung on the wall over the head of the bed. Taller than Kino, it bore scars and scratches that spoke of battles past, yet shone brilliantly, perfectly polished.

“Uh… Gale,” Kino said, flinching back.

“He’s not here. Let’s… move a little faster, though?” Gale suggested. Shit. I guess he did pick up some levels the old-fashioned way, rather than live his whole life as a farmer! He backed out, then froze. A key sat on the bedside table.

That’s got to be it! Gale darted across the room, snatched up the key, and ran. “Go, go, go! I’ve got the key!”

Kino bolted, leaving Gale in the dust. The two of them burst out into twilight, the sun well on its way to setting. Gale followed Kino, rushing around to the back of the house. His heart beating in his chest, he fumbled the key into the lock and turned, opening the door. “The moment of truth!”

Leafy plants clustered in the greenhouse, climbing over each other, practically choking one another with their closeness. A heady smell filled the air, thick and enticing. Gale’s eyes widened. “It’s… they’re…”

“Huh?” Kino asked, tilting his head.

“T…tomatoes?” Gale stuttered, blinking. Tomatoes? He’s… he’s growing tomatoes in his locked greenhouse?

Who the hell calls tomatoes an ‘old vice?’ These aren’t drugs at all! They aren’t even good for making moonshine! They’re just… regular… old… tomatoes!

Numb, Gale stepped inside, gazing around at all the tomatoes. A wild variety greeted him. Narrow vines crawled along poles, drooping with grape-sized fruits in yellows, oranges, and reds. Thicker stalks supported heavy, fat tomatoes, so big he’d need both hands to grip them. One plant bloomed into a flower at its top, a flower that held a half-dozen tomatoes dangling from its base. In a daze, he simply stared, unable to process the truth. “Other-world tomatoes. What… what is this?”

“Gale!” Kino shouted. He slammed into Gale and threw him to the floor. A second later, one of the plants lunged, green jaws snapping shut where Gale’s head had been moments ago.

“Wh—what?” Gale asked, startled, staring wide-eyed at his would-be murderer.

The plant wiggled, as if displeased with itself. It strained toward him, thick stalk stretching, roots appearing from out of the soil of its pot as it reached with all its might. Its jaws opened again, dripping a thick, clear fluid. The fluid struck the floor and sizzled, eating away at the earth. The plump red fruits under its protective, broad leaves jiggled enticingly, emitting a sweet scent.

Gale sniffed. Smells like berries, not tomatoes.

All around them, the plants began to move. Vines crept over their supports. Stalks swayed. Leaves opened and shut, reaching toward the two of them. Sharp thorns whipped at them at the end of long vines. Sweet, putrid, and floral scents filled the air, clashing with one another. One scent left Gale drowsy, while another made him want to wretch.

Kino grabbed Gale and drew him toward the door. “These are carnivorous plants! Monster plants! They aren’t… whatever your ‘tomatoes’ are. They’re dangerous! No wonder he kept this place locked!”

Gale shook his head, flabbergasted. “I’m an elf! Plants love me!”

“Love to eat you, maybe!” Kino said.

Gale struggled upright and ran alongside Kino. “I got it, I got it!”

The two burst out of the greenhouse and slammed into a sturdy form. Gale rubbed his nose and staggered back, then looked up, up, up.

Arthur glared down at them. “Good thing I decided to come back for my sword, just in case. What are you two kids up to, in my greenhouse?”

Kino stepped between Gale and Arthur, throwing his hand out.

Gale swallowed. He licked his lips. “I… just…”

“Thought my old vice was something a little different than carnivorous plants?” Arthur asked, eyes stormy.

“Ah… yeah,” Gale admitted.

Arthur scowled. He raised his hand.

Kino flinched.

Gale jumped out in front of Kino, shoving the other boy back. “Hit me if you have to! It was all my—”

Arthur’s slap slammed into Gale’s face, lifting him off his feet. He went flying and hit the ground.

“Gale!” Kino rushed to Gale’s side.

Gale struggled back upright. Pain smarted across his face, and his vision wobbled. He held his hand out to Kino, gazing up at Arthur instead. “It’s fine. This was my plan. I accept my punishment.”

Arthur raised his hand again, then dropped it. He huffed out and scratched the back of his head. “I remember being young. And… although you went about it the wrong way, I admire your determination. But I’m not going adventuring again. Nothing can change that.”

“Why not? The world needs you!” Gale shouted.

Arthur glared down at him. “So what? So—”

Kino’s stomach grumbled.

Both Gale and Arthur turned to look at him. Kino shrunk back, embarrassed. “I… I’m…”

Chuckling, Arthur shook his head. “Why don’t you boys come on in for dinner? And explain what happened in town. That was you two, wasn’t it?”

Gale harrumphed. “They attacked first. We were standing around, and they came at us out of nowhere. We only acted in self-defense.”

Arthur raised his eyebrows and turned toward Kino.

Kino nodded. “It’s true! We were! Dyer came at us first.”

The suspicion in his eyes faded, and Arthur nodded.

Gale pressed his lips together, somehow jealous. Trust him, but not me?

“Dyer… ah, I understand. His family died to a fortress raid when he was younger. He still holds a grudge against monsters and… Dark-aligned classes.” Arthur sighed and shook his head. “I knew this was nonsense that didn’t require my sword, but to hear him talk, it was an entire hoard of monsters and Blood Mages besieging the town.”

Arthur reached out and slammed the door to his greenhouse shut. The plants’ rustling quieted, settling back to silence.

Gale glanced at Arthur. Awkwardness welled up in him. He cleared his throat. A few times, the words almost came out, until they came out in a tumble. “I, er, s—sorry for suspecting you. I should’ve…”

Arthur sighed. He shook his head. “It’s in the past now. Or do you want another slap?”

Cheek still throbbing, Gale shook his head emphatically. He reached into his back pocket and held out the key.

Arthur tucked it in his back pocket without another word. He walked past Gale and Kino and stomped off around the edge of his house.

Kino glanced at Gale. He shrugged, then leaped after Arthur.

Gale hesitated. He scratched the back of his head, then followed.

“I have some bread and cheese, some vegetables, is that alright? There isn’t time to cook anything extravagant this late at night,” Arthur said, stepping into his house. He snapped his fingers, and two candles lit themselves: one in the dining room, one over the kitchen sink.

Kino’s eyes sparkled. He clapped, impressed.

Gale clicked his tongue. I want to know how to do that!

“A little magic goes a long way toward quality-of-life improvements,” Arthur chuckled.

“All I have are blood spells,” Gale grumbled under his breath.

Arthur glanced at Gale. “You can cast ordinary magic, you know. As long as you have mana.”

“I can?” Gale’s eyes lit up. The legendary Fireball isn’t out of my reach!

Arthur nodded. “Once you level up, you should be able to choose a mage subtype and start picking secondary spells. Should be around level… five? No, maybe three for a full mage… or is Blood Mage one of those picky archetypes…”

As he muttered, he moved around the kitchen, chopping vegetables. A hard cheese and crusty, solid bread joined the vegetables on a large wooden board, and he carried it over to the table. Kino followed at his elbow, drool dripping from his mouth. The second Arthur set it down, he leaped at it, crouching atop the table and digging in with both hands.

“Off the table,” Arthur declared firmly.

Sheepish, eyes locked on the food, Kino stepped backward off the table. The second his feet hit the ground, he leaped at it again.

“Sorry I don’t have extra chairs,” Arthur said, sighing.

“It’s fine. This is… more than enough, already,” Gale said honestly. He glanced at the rapidly-dwindling board, then scowled. “Kino! Leave some for me!”

Cheeks bulging, arms stuffed with bread and cheese, Kino glanced guiltily at Gale, then back at the board. He slowly reached his hand out toward the final chunk of cheese.

“Hey! I see that!” Gale jumped for the board. Before he could reach it, Kino snatched up the last of the cheese and backed into the corner, hissing.

Arthur chuckled. “Play nice, boys. I’ll be right back.”

“Kino, a piece of cheese, please, just one?” Gale begged.

Kino opened his mouth an inch and stuffed another piece of cheese into it.

“Kino…” Gale tried puppy-dog eyes on Kino.

Reluctantly, Kino selected the tiniest, thinnest slice of cheese. His hand trembling, he held it out toward Gale.

Gale cupped his hands to accept it. The shard of cheese brushed his hand. “Thank you, Kino.”

“I’ll… the next rat I catch is yours!” Kino promised, and stuffed the cheese into his mouth instead.

“Hey! Give that back! I don’t want any rats, I want cheese, dammit!” Gale said, leaping at Kino.

Kino kicked him back. “Mine! My cheese!”

“Kinooooo!” Gale shouted. He jumped to his feet and rushed at Kino.

“What’s all this ruckus?” Arthur grumbled.

Gale stiffened, stumbling to a halt. Kino froze, one foot lifted to repulse Gale again. Gale scruffed the back of his head and backed away, and Kino lowered his foot.

Arthur held out a cup to Gale. A thick, coppery scent wafted off it, slamming into Gale’s nose. He gagged, disgusted. “What…”

“Chicken blood. For you, Blood Mage.”

Gale eyed the cup. “I… don’t…”

Pain panged in his stomach, reminding Gale of the countdown. He scowled and took the cup. Hesitating, he stared into it. Can I… should I… do I drink blood? Gale’s reflection eyed him back from within the cup, gaze as uncertain as Gale felt.

All at once, he tossed it back. Hot liquid passed down his throat. He gagged, then spat. “Ugh. Disgusting.”

Kino stared at him.

Arthur snorted. “He really did drink it.”

“What was I supposed to do?” Gale asked, exasperated.

“Don’t Blood Mages usually…” Kino gestured, miming drawing something from the cup with his hand.

Gale threw his hands up. “I don’t know! Where am I supposed to learn these things? I’ve been here a whole day!”

[Prerequisites Acquired] [Skill Unlock!]

Blood Assimilation

When you drink the blood of your foes, you have a 5% chance to unlock effectiveness against them.

[Lucky Chance!] [Skill Unlock!]

Chicken Effectiveness

10% bonus damage on creatures with the [Chicken] subtype.

Gale gaped. He blinked into the cup. “Chicken… effectiveness…”

“Eh?” Arthur asked.

Gale shook his head. “N-nothing.”

Arthur settled heavily into his seat. The chair creaked underneath him, wood straining to contain his weight. He nodded at Gale. “So how did you end up here?”

“It’s a long story…” Gale sighed, then described everything that had happened to Kino and himself so far. At the mention of Kino and Anyu chained up in the forest, Arthur scowled, though his expression relaxed when Gale explained he’d killed the would-be slavers.

Kino gaped at him. “The… Demon King personally killed you?”

“And stole my body,” Gale confirmed.

“Wow,” Kino said.

“There’s nothing ‘wow’ about it! It’s annoying as hell!” Gale replied.

Arthur shook his head. “That’s why you want to gather the Legendary Heroes, then, boy? You’ve got an uphill battle ahead of you, starting as a Blood Mage and all…”

“I know,” Gale said. I already experienced it against you!

“Still, I won’t help.”

“Why not?” Gale asked, frustrated.

Arthur raised his eyebrows at him. “I’ve already done my duty.”

“You… eh?”

Leaning back in his chair, Arthur clasped his hands. “A long time ago… almost thirty years, now, I appeared in this world alongside my companions. There were five of us, back then. The Legendary Heroes. I… was known as the Hero of Light.”

Kino gaped. “The… The Hero of Light?”

Arthur nodded.

Kino whirled to Gale, grabbing him by the shirt and pulling him away. “We have to go! Now!”

Gale batted him away. “Kino, he just fed us dinner. I don’t think he’s going to kill us.”

Kino glanced at Arthur and hesitated. Still thrumming with tension and fear, he hunkered down and whispered in Gale’s ear, “This guy, this guy, he’s—he’s one of the original five Legendary Heroes! For hundreds of years, no heroes were summoned to this world, to the point summoned heroes became a myth, no more than legend… until they suddenly appeared again, the five Legendary Heroes! They cut a bloody swath through monster- and demon-kind all the way to the Demon King. Untold thousands of monsters died before their blades! If, if they’re still alive, they’re… they’re the greatest threat to monsters like us that ever faced this world!”

Arthur sighed. “Child, be at ease. If I wanted to kill you, you would already be six feet under, fertilizing my plants.”

Eyes as wide as dinner plates, Kino visibly vibrated. The hair on his head began to puff up like the fur on a frightened animal, and he backed away, edging toward the door.

“Kino, I’ll protect you. If he wants to kill us, which he doesn’t, he’ll have to get through me first,” Gale promised quietly.

“Thousands of monsters! There’s only two of us!” Kino whispered back. His eyes darted to the door.

“I… in many ways, I greatly regret those days,” Arthur said quietly, so quietly Gale almost missed it. He heaved a deep breath and crossed his arms, staring at the table, or maybe through it, at something far, far away, ancient histories neither of the boys could comprehend. “I was young. Naïve. I thought I was in the right, on the side of good. That this world was like a video game, simple, black-and-white, kill the monsters and save the humans.” He lifted his eyes and gazed at Gale, then snorted. “In some ways, you’re already ahead of me, boy.”

Gale frowned. “So… you did it? You killed the Demon King?”

Arthur nodded. “Me and my party… after all the killing, we finally arrived at the Demon King’s castle. There were only three of us left by then. Myself, the swordsman. Elena, the cleric. Torvus, the mage. We marched into the Demon King’s castle, full of righteousness and certainty, and slayed the Demon King.

“By then… it was only myself and Elena, and Elena was fading fast. She used the last of her magic to heal me, and then… it was only me. I stood there, atop the Demon King’s castle, Elena’s lifeless body draped in my arms, and looked down at all the destruction I had wrought. At the countless monsters and demons draped across the battlefield, bodies mangled and souls crushed. The thousands and thousands of lives who felt exactly as I did in that moment, holding Elena. The brave warriors’ families and loved ones who would never be able to see them smile again as I would never see Elena smile. In that moment, I realized…. how empty it all was.”

Arthur sighed. He stared at the table in silence, reminiscence and sorrow swirling in his eyes.

Gale frowned. “The Demon King is still out there. He’s still causing havoc, spawning fortresses… How could you have killed him?”

“Kill one, and another rises up. They’re like bugs, those damnable Demon Kings. Though it’s not as though I can say much. Isn’t it the will for vengeance I myself brought upon this world in killing my way to the Demon King that spawned the enmity that forced the downtrodden monsters and demons to hoist up another Demon King?” Arthur sighed.

“Then finish the job. Let’s take down this Demon King, too. And this time, do it in a way that doesn’t spawn enmity,” Gale replied, leaning forward.

Arthur shook his head. “I’m a tired old man. I’m done with fighting. Let me retire in peace.”

“Isn’t that selfish?” Gale asked.

Arthur narrowed his eyes at Gale. “Says the boy who wants me to fight the Demon King so he can get his body back.”

Gale flinched. “I…”

Arthur sighed and waved his hand. “I understand. I can’t blame you. Who knows what that Demon King’s up to with your body? I’d feel the same disgust and horror you must feel right now. And at level one… take it from me. It’s a long road to beating the Demon King.

“But leave me out of it. I’m done. There’s other Legendary Heroes. I can point you to the closest, if you like. Just let me rot away in peace.”

Gale stood abruptly, his face dark. “Excuse us.”

“Where do you think you’re going this late? The sun’s already set. The demons and monsters will be out, hunting. I’m not going to kick a couple of kids out into the dark. Stay the night. You can leave in the morning.”

Kino glanced at Gale. He shook his head subtly.

Gale bowed. “Thank you for the offer, but…”

A loud howl sounded from outside the farmhouse. A second howl answered, then a third, then a fourth, each one louder than a siren and slowly growing nearer.

If possible, Kino stiffened further. He turned to Gale and slowly, very emphatically, shook his head.

“…but we accept your kindness, and greatly appreciate your hospitality!” Gale finished.

Arthur chuckled. “I’ll get you boys some blankets. We’ll set the two of you up under the table. Should be plenty spacious down there.”