“Stop knocking on my goddamn door,” I snapped. “Did I not say we’re closed today?”

“What part of royal or holy order do you not understand, potion maker,” the voice sneered. “You will work if I tell you to.”

I opened the door, my gaze cold and standing before me was definitely not a towns person. They were never rude when visiting my shop, likely for obvious reasons. Always be respectful to your shopkeeper. They return the respect, and it makes shopping there all that more pleasant. You’d find yourself wanting to come back to the friendly atmosphere.

The person that stood before me was a black-haired boy with bright blue eyes that almost glowed and a standard muscular build that one would probably expect from someone that practiced the sword a lot. Despite his nearly pale skin, women would likely call him handsome or even pretty, given his noble attire, trousers and shirt that looked as if they costed more than a year’s worth of my rent payments back in the old world. Great, the arrogant young master has finally arrived at my doorstep. I did not feel like dealing with this shit.

“Listen buddy,” I said. “I don’t give a shit about how high and mighty your family is, if my shop’s closed for the day, it’s closed. Now this is your last warning, or I’ll ban your ass for good. You’d never get a thing from here.”

The man’s eyes widened, which made it clear that he never had someone talk back to him. A life of yes men probably. I had no intention of letting these stuck-up types govern my life. The moment he sneered, preparing to say some words or make threats that would surely get him banned and probably punched, another voice interjected.

“What are you doing, Ramon?”

Appearing from just a flash of light was a white-haired woman. Now if that was all, I honestly wouldn’t give a damn. His girlfriend coming to defend or retrieve him, so be it. But even Milia fixed her with a surprised stare.

Pointy ears, a dress that kind of reminded me of Milia’s attire, pointy ears. A real elf! Okay, so here’s the checklist. I met and is marrying a dryad, a half dwarf confirming the existence of dwarves, I made the griffin my pet, magic is real and sadly abused, and fought a few fantasy creatures that would normally crush people with ease.

“What do you think?” Ramon barked. “I’m trying to order us potions and this guy is refusing to comply to a holy order.”

The elf woman facepalmed. “Idiot.” She pulled him off to the side and whispered words, though they weren’t aware that Milia and I could still hear them just fine thanks to our mana-enhanced hearing. Still, I wanted to get closer or tell them to take their argument off my lawn. Milia didn’t disapprove of me walking over there. Then again, perhaps I should just watch. See if the elf could talk some sense into the arrogant young master. She didn’t appear to be his servant and I wasn’t sure if they were lovers, though I wouldn’t blame the Ramon guy for trying.

**

“For Wanda’s sake, you’re the last person I thought would screw things up first,” Iris said, her voice seeming to release years of weariness. “We’re supposed to be undercover, remember? You can’t go around throwing your weight or using royal orders. Please tell me you didn’t show him your badge.”

“First off, Iris, we’re way out here, far away from the backwater town that no one would see or hear anything,” Ramon said. “If there’s one person that should know our secret other than the mayor, it’s that potion maker. He’ll be donating an endless supply to us. In fact, I will show the badge.”

Iris was about to complain when a voice interjected itself into the conversation.

“Who’s going to donate an endless supply?” the potion maker said. “I could’ve heard wrong. I’m certainly expecting an endless supply of gold for a mass or daily order, right?”

Iris’s eyes were wide. She did not sense the man’s approach—no mortal could sneak up on them! Not even powerful magicians could do such a thing. If Ramon wasn’t occupied in an immature contest of establishing dominance, common with men even of her long-living kind, he would’ve picked up on the strangeness. Instead, the people’s hero turned to glare at the potion maker.

The potion maker himself looked maybe a few years older than the hero with white hair, as if carrying elf blood. Almost all life elves had white, pale or blonde hair after all. He didn’t have the ears or mannerisms of an elf, but barely had that of a human, which made Iris wonder about his homeland. The red eyes, now that reminded the woman of only one person.

But while the Peace Spawner could appear as a youth or old, really any age, including a child, the potion maker clearly wasn’t him. Iris would never forget the hair almost made entirely of darkness itself or terrifying red eyes, full of cold hatred, which glowed like embers. She didn’t feel raw evil from the potion maker either, which made her chastise herself for making an unfair comparison. She and the others were just too paranoid and really, so terrified of the Peace Spawner that sometimes rational thought ceased to exist. Which is why she had to break up this dispute.

Ramon flashed his golden badge, that everyone should know if they read a book, but the potion maker looked as if he didn’t give a Wanda’s buttocks.

“We’re running an important mission,” Ramon said. “Under the authority of the Lord Ruler and my own, that of the hero’s party, I give you the honor of entering my service. You’ll be working in service for the greater good of humanity and perhaps one of these days, shall be rewarded handsomely by the Lord Ruler himself.”

“I’ll decline,” the potion maker said. “This will be your last warning, sir.”

He said that in somewhat of a mocking tone.

Sensing something was off about the man, Iris quickly spoke. “D—Don’t mind him—may I ask your name, please? I’m Iris, also known as the Heavenly Bow. The rude idiot there is supposed to be our hero, Ramon Thunderblade.”

The potion maker smiled warmly at Iris, perhaps too warmly, and it really made her feel bad about his day getting ruined by their so-called people’s hero.

“I’m Nate,” he said. “Just Nate the potion maker. This is my betrothed, Milia.”

Iris never met someone who didn’t want to share their family name and that may her more curious, but also a little annoyed, maybe slightly fearful. Just who the hell was this guy?

Nate continued. “My betrothed and I have a date, but I’d be happy to take your order tomorrow morning. You’ll see plenty of townsfolk walking in this direction and know when we’re open. For you, miss elf, my betrothed and I will be glad to reserve a potion for you. But we do have a business to run. I mean no disrespect, but absolutely no shop keeper in their right mind will give out anything for free. Not even for the hero’s party.”

Iris respected that and she certainly would’ve been skeptical had he offered anything for free. Sure, while they normally received free aid for their seemingly eternal mission, free almost raised the chance for poison. Even by those that didn’t support the Peace Spawner but carried bitterness for nobility or collateral damaged caused by the hero’s party. Sometimes they blamed some messes of adventurers on them too.

“We’d—”

“We can’t afford to be nice to everyone when the situation is this critical,” Ramon said darkly. He aimed a palm at Nate’s house to Iris’s horror. “So here’s the deal, mortal man. We’re trying to do you ungrateful peasants a favor by ridding the world of the Peace Spawner, you know, so your children, your wife, your loved ones could be safe. End the murders. If I have to play the role of the bad guy in order to ensure the safety of the world and its good people, then I will. So you will be under our service while we’re here or I’ll destroy everything you’ve built.”

Ramon let slip of his enormous electrical aura for the first time since he destroyed the Midnight Dragon. And he was so much stronger. She feared for the poor potion maker that got caught up in their mess.

Iris understood one must do what must be done, but she did not believe in bullying. The hero’s party served as a medium to keep each other in check, but also keep the hero himself from becoming like the Peace Spawner.

But before she could place herself in between Nate’s house and the hero’s palm, Nate laughed. Unaffected whatsoever by Ramon’s vast pressure, his killing intent. Nate shrugged it off like it was nothing.

“Are you sure about that?” he said.

Powerful electrical magic began to flicker in Ramon’s hands as he pushed his threat, likely hoping the potion maker would give in at the sight of magic. After all, he wouldn’t truly destroy the man’s house, not without risking the news getting out and everyone gunning for their location. Suddenly, Nate just disappeared, Ramon’s eyes widening. And then Ramon was gone, kicked into the forest at asinine speeds. She took a step back when Nate turned his icy gaze onto her. He only examined the elf for a second, seemed to determine that she wasn’t causing any problems, she really wasn’t, and then started into the forest after the hero.

Just…what was going on!? Knowing he wasn’t just some mortal now, she actually scanned him and nearly fainted.

“Wait!” she called after Nate, but it was too late. The man was gone. Should she run and get the others while the master magician… A real master magician. He would force Ramon to stop holding back, risking the destruction of this beautiful forest.

The creepy feeling from it rooted the woman. There was no way in Wanda’s ass she’d…No, this was important. She had to stop this fight. They may have found a new party member! Or an ally. She turned to the green-haired woman and just one scan and the golden eyes later, she realized that she stood in the presence of a dryad. A divine being.

“I wish no trouble,” Iris said, bowing to Milia. “I really do apologize. Our idiot of a hero was trying to force Nate’s hand, but he wouldn’t risk our cover by destroying your home nor want the scrutiny he’d get from the rest of the party. We don’t harm innocents.”

“Is that so?” Milia said, her voice cold and musical. She truly was someone incredibly beautiful and for a mere human to have caught her love, well, this felt unheard of to Iris. Elves relied on dryads…and in the past, used to worship them. The dryads did not consider themselves divine beings nor goddesses, only a strand of creation like everyone else, and ordered the worshipping to stop. Elves loving them so much, they honored their wishes…but the urge to throw herself at the feet of the dryad still rang within her bones.

Milia shook her head. “I’m afraid getting in between that will complicate things.” The mirth in her gaze threw Iris for a curve. “Nate doesn’t kill, but if you got caught in the middle of that fight, there would be no guarantee of your safety nor survival.”

“I have to try to break it up,” Iris said, running toward the forest, unleashing her own aura just to walk through a clash of oppressive pressures. Including Milia’s. This would be a lesson Ramon deserved to be taught, but they couldn’t allow the world’s hero to suffer a crippling.

**

[Enemy analysis.]

Ramon Thunderblade, Hero of Merridon.

Magician rank: 8th Realm of the Highcore.

[Boss fight begin!]

I had to give it to the fucker for being durable as hell. I kind of hoped he’d break a few bones after slamming through several trees. Honestly, being forced into violence made me a little disappointed in myself. I thought I could always keep calm, like a real master or something. But upon noticing the magic forming into his hand, a threat to destroy everything we built, I decided right on the spot that the only way this guy would listen if he received a punch to the face. When the system notified me of the boss fight, I kicked him instead, my hope to get the dickhead as far away from my house as possible.

I observed Iris a bit and saw terror in those eyes, a gaze of someone who truly didn’t have any intention of causing trouble. The true party leader, being the voice of reason, I’m sure.

I loomed over the rising hero.

“We’re matching realms,” I said. “Or we were when I last checked.”

Ramon snarled, pulled out a wand or so he thought. I snatched it and snapped it in half, tossing it to the side without taking my eyes off him.

Unfortunately for me, the wand was just a distraction. The staff of energy he manifested from pure gray mana felt like fire as he landed a blow, which sent me back a bit.

“You dare attack me! You’ll regret that!” Ramon’s staff shimmered, becoming a sword made of electricity moments later. I finished downing the third potion, begging my body not to empty its contents right now. It debated on it. A book appeared next to him, floating in midair. His spell book. He wasn’t fucking around. “I don’t know where you got that kind of strength, mortal or to think you can get the drop on me, but martial arts can only get you so far. Let this be a lesson to you.”

I softly facepalmed. “It’s just as the rumors say. You really are a dick, dude.”

Ramon pointed his sword at me. “Wanda’s might, give me strength, Lightning blast!”

“Kind of a lame—ah shit,” I dropped to the ground as if someone started shooting. Well, technically someone did. I looked behind for a moment to see a ton of Milia’s trees drilled through with ugly gashes. A fire sparked, but I was there in an instant, and with one wave, slapped it away.

Ramon took advantage of my distraction, bringing his sword on my right. The ugly look on his face as I caught the blade did damper my rising temper just a bit. But you see, I wasn’t the child.

“You dumbass idiot,” I said. “Are you really a hero? You’re going to set the entire forest on fire. Residents live here.”

Ramon wasn’t listening of course, his eyes widened at how easily I held back his blade. That did give him the opening to kick me a way unfortunately, but at least the fire was gone. Ramon’s attacks were mostly nuisances than anything, but if you think I’m going to underestimate someone potentially sharing the same realm, then you’d better think again.

I slipped into the shadows and emerged behind him. The karate chop I intended to knock him out with missed as his instincts forced the asshole to dodge. I…ended up leaving a giant ten-to-twelve-meter hole in the ground. Ramon’s eyes widened.

“What sect are you from, I will be reporting this to your Patriarch or if you’re attending an academy, your headmaster will be getting an earful.”

I didn’t reply, just baffled at how stupid this guy was. Why didn’t he scan me? Perhaps overconfidence would be the way to break his spirit? I didn’t have all day but going all out could result in the destruction of Milia’s forest. I kept my eyes out for any blueberries so that our little date wouldn’t get ruined. What? The so-called hero could rage all he wanted, he was just an arrogant teenager who got this far through the power of angst and the silver platter.

“Quiet now, are we? I think it’s time I stopped holding back,” he said. “Hero soul!”

His blue eyes glowed and aura covered him. His white aura formed a shape very reminiscent of angel wings.

“Aren’t you supposed to get boosts through the power of friendship?” I quipped, which only made the boy snarl.

[Boss fight, phase 2, begin! Showdown!]

Ramon Thunderblade blurred in front of me, his spell book following and somehow managing to keep pace like a magnet. I dodged all of his punches, his sword slash, and then slipped into the shadows.

That was actually not the right move. Somehow, he predicted where I’d end up and so I had a burst of lightning on its way to me. I aimed a palm at it and countered with a dragon magic burst. Thankfully the magic exploded into smoke, canceling each other out. I only checked Milia’s forest for a moment to make sure screwing around too much didn’t cause a wildfire. I was on borrowed time but breaking this guy’s spirit turned out to be more fun than I expected. Don’t get me wrong, his attacks hurt and did some damage, but I admittingly needed to test out the limits of my potions. They were my abilities after all. However, the only limit seemed to be how many I could consume before poisoning myself. If that was the case, then they were stupid overpowered. So stupidly overpowered.

“Lightning slash!” I heard the idiot yell. He really was giving it all, sweating, while I…was kind of bored. Ah well, I needed to make this interesting. I caught his sword again and this time, yanked it from his hand and pointed it at him.

“Feels weird,” I told him. “Hey listen, I don’t know a thing about swords, except what I saw on TV. But you’re full of openings, like Swiss cheese. Did you not get trained by an old master or something? How the hell are you going to beat the Peace Spawner guy if you’re this pathetic.”

Those words triggered him because he charged me. The sword in my hand vanished into the ether.

Yet each punch and kick moved so slow. I emitted just a little killing instinct, causing Ramon to freeze. Then lightly, I backhanded him, following that up with three punches. One to his face, his stomach and his chest, instantly.

With eagle sight, I watched him fly.

“Could I reach the other side before him?” I thought aloud. “Nah.”

I…did. How I moved this fast was still a mystery, but I caught Ramon with a single hand before he could smash into a tree. Blood oozed from the side of his mouth. His right eye was perhaps bruised, maybe too much. He looked as if he took a trip to Atlanta, back when stomping people was popular for some reason, and got trampled by five parades.

The glow dimmed for just a moment before it brightened in response to his anger. But no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t break my one-handed hold.

“Wh…what kind of trick is this,” he said. “What the hell are you?”

“Just the guy who kicked your ass,” I said. “With little effort.”

The words must’ve dawned onto the boy because when I tossed him into the hole, he quickly leapt out and finally scanned me.

As I emerged from the shadow beneath his foot, I flicked the back of his head, knocking him out.

“Finally, peace at last,” I said to Iris who stared at me, mouth open, eyes wide. Milia walked up, yawning.

“So how was the forest protection exercise?” she asked.

“Only a couple of trees lost…maybe a few,” I said. “Sorry.”

Milia waved off my apology. “Just a quick thought and they’re restored. As long as they aren’t burned to ashes, I can just turn back forest time and fix everything. It’s my job of course.”

I saw Iris look at Milia with a mix of awe and even lust. Okay, not lust, but…reverence, as if she worshipped my fiancée.

“Could you not look at her like that,” I quipped. “She’s taken. Go find your own.” I smiled at her. Irish blushed furiously.

“It—it’s not like that,” she said. “Any elf that doesn’t have respect for a dryad isn’t an elf. Besides, if you think I’m bad, you haven’t seen a wood elf.”

Milia sighed. Within a few seconds, she completely restored the forest.

“Tell your idiotic friend not to cause us trouble anymore,” I said. “Also, he seriously needs some professional combat training. Did your Lord Ruler not bother to provide this?”

Hell, even I got professional training from Milia, but I wasn’t going to dwell on that realization. Hey, I’m not ashamed of the possibility that my soon-to-be wife could kick my ass. Isn’t that true for every married man? Thought so. So no judging!

“Can…may I ask a question, Master Magician,” Iris asked.

“You just did,” I said, causing her to flinch, but an easy smile calmed the elf down. At least she knew how to take a joke, though I wouldn’t be surprised if she bitched about me later. “What’s your question?”

“Why didn’t you…you know, cripple or kill him?” Iris said. I looked at her, but the elf was serious.

It served as a reminder of what the people dealt with in this world. There would probably come a day when I had to get my hands bloody, but until then, I’d delay it as much as possible.

“That’s a strange question to ask,” I told her. “It’s like asking, why do humans breathe, why do we drink water, why do we smile. Perhaps I just don’t have the nobility’s mentality to understand why a death would be necessary. Not unless he did something extreme. Like kill my wolf.”

Wolverine trotted next to me, startling the elf.

“I’d curse anyone who’d lay a hand on Woofy,” Milia said cheerfully. Iris seemed to pale, poor girl.

I laughed. “Ms. Elf, you’re welcomed to our shop any time. As for Ramon, he needs to grow up.”

“The same words as Nuwa,” Iris murmured, then smiled. “Thank you for…going easy on him.”

I shrugged. “Keep everything about me a secret and we can all live in peace.”

“Peace,” Iris said softly. “The wisdom of a powerful master magician…I will treasure your words, my lord.”

Milia softly facepalmed as if fending off a headache, prompting a laugh from me. I kissed the dryad.

End of Phase 4…