Hazel got her legacy, making her able to summon the Witch for a short duration. However, it was still a powerful summoned creature that would rival Jin's monsters combined. Even still, Hazel remained humble, only becoming a bit more confident.
The group left the ice castle afterward, heading back toward the green lands. They met fewer monsters on the way back, easing their travels back toward a better climate.
At night after they departed, Arthur left the group resting in the tent and sat outside. Even with the time they spent together, he still preferred the loneliness of his thoughts. He gazed at the tower shining brightly in the distance, too far away to threaten them.
They could now, as a group, hunt a peak-mid-tier monster without getting grievous injuries. However, they still lacked the means to conquer the tower. What kind of people cleared it? Arthur wondered for a second time. He imagined himself at the top, ringing the giant bell that signified his glory, letting others know of his accomplishments.
The reality was different. He had to flee, hide, and use every means to survive. Ever since the termination of his contract, life seemed like it wouldn't stop rolling. He wanted to take a short rest, but it wouldn't allow him such a luxury.
"What are you thinking about?" He turned around toward the person who emerged from the tent, it was Hazel. Her eyes have gotten a shade of blue after she gained her legacy, fitting her brown short hair well.
"The tower, I wonder what sort of people can clear it?"
"Strong ones, for sure." She said as she sat down next to him, leaning on Kira's back as well. "I don't know them in person, only heard of them. They're on a different level altogether. The first trial is merely a piece of cake for them, the real challenge starts in the next trials."
"That's scary," Arthur gave a hollow laugh, dreading to even think about another trial. He just wanted this one to end.
"It is," Hazel nodded, snuggling into her scarf. She half-closed her eyes as she looked at the ground. "Especially for us, the bottom feeders."
Arthur felt his heart aching at this indisputable truth. They were just like Hazel said, bottom feeders. In society, before he got his legacy, he was like that. After he got his legacy, he thought it would be a breeze to get stronger. Now, he was thrown into a larger pond, being a bottom feeder again.
"We will change." Said Arthur with conviction. Only a month ago, he was a nobody. Now, he could fight against Erin Voldor and come out alive. "You changed, haven't you?" Arthur stared at her, and she stared back before nodding with a grin.
"It's all thanks to you, Arthur," She looked at him and continued before he could answer. "If not for you, I would have drowned in the river or died in the swamp. And then again, you came to save me when Erin held me captive."
"You were held captive because of me." Arthur corrected her, but she shook her head.
"Miko told me. She told me the reason you confronted with Erin was that you didn't betray her, standing up to her even if she was a stranger you saved." Hazel stared deeply into his eyes, looking for something that would make her understand him.
"We don't do that usually. Saving people, helping them, and fighting against injustice are things we choose not to do. We are trying to live safely, this is our world, this is the world that we created."
Arthur felt slightly guilty hearing her words because he wanted to leave Miko at that time. He didn't know her that much, and she didn't deny that she tried to kill Erin. He didn't want to interfere with them, so he felt it was better to leave before the voice had guided him.
"I'm not as good as you think I am," Arthur shook his head, remembering the two people he killed. He would still remember their faces, pale and cold, after what he had done. "I killed people before." He added, his voice cracked a bit unknowingly as he stared away from her.
Hazel reached out her hand and turned his face towards her. She stared into his eyes, finding sorrow in them.
"They attacked you, didn't they?" She asked knowingly, and Arthur nodded. He was about to add that it was still killing, but she cut him off.
"Would you rather that you would have let them do what they wanted?" She asked, and Arthur was suddenly conscious of Kira's breathing behind him. As he thought about her question, he didn't even need to think to answer. Kira was the friend who protected him unconditionally, for reasons he didn't understand.
"No, if anyone tries to hurt Kira, I'll kill them." Arthur realized how attached he was to the giant wolf, who kept his company all those nights. If he was alone, he would have gone insane from anxiety and worry. He would have been unable to sleep peacefully, protected by Kira.
Hazel heard his words and felt her heart beating loudly. He might have answered reflexively, but she understood why he killed those people. They endangered him and his friend and even that wasn't enough to turn him into an emotionless killing machine. He was still the kind person he was, unblinded by rage.
Before she knew it, her lips touched his. The tower shined brightly in the distance, dyeing the sky as she kissed someone for the first time. The second round has ended.
***
"Do you like Hazel?" Jin asked after he sat next to Arthur, who was barbequing the lunch by the stream. Arthur remembered what happened the other night. Hazel kissed him, before returning to the tent leaving him lingering for more.
After his father's disappearance, Arthur was isolated from his friends without realizing it. He had some he liked to hang out with, like Noah and a few others, but he never was that close to a male friend.
"I…" Arthur remembered how Jin looked at Hazel and felt he can't say the truth. "I like her as a friend, just that." Jin looked at him and nodded.
"Thank you for helping us," Jin said. "If there's anything I can help you with, please tell me."
"I will," Arthur nodded, feeling slightly guilty. He fidgeted in his spot before asking his question. "What about you?"
"I loved her ever since we were kids." His answer was a firm one, making Arthur regret asking since he felt so guilty. He felt like couldn't do this to a friend of his, so he decided to back away.
"You knew each other when you were kids?"
"Yeah, we used to play all the time. You know, she's like the first person I loved, and she was the only one who treated me nicely."
Arthur wanted to say something, but he saw that Jin wanted to keep talking so he shut his mouth and listened.
"But we got separated after our abilities appeared, it's so stupid. What use do these abilities have if they're the reason we're miserable?" Jin was looking at the ground, his hands turning to fists.
"Abilities are meant to help us gain what we want, not the other way around," Arthur said.
"That's what I thought before, but I don't know anymore. Since she got her legacy, things would be different now. That's why I'm so grateful, so let me help you."
"There's one thing," Arthur said, smiling. Hazel and Miko came back and they sat next to them. He turned his gaze toward the other two and continued. "Miko already knows about this, but there's something I need to do."
"No matter what it is, I'll help you. You have already done so much to help me," Hazel's eyes were filled with determination and gratefulness.
"There's a monster I need to take down. It's probably high-tier, hopefully, a low-high-tier monster. I didn't think I can do it alone, that's why I want you guys to help me. If you feel that it's too much of a risk, then we can call it off."
He felt nervous telling them, but his worries were unnecessary as Hazel laughed. She was a lot more confident after receiving her legacy, strengthening her greatly.
"We can do it, my new summoned creature is the Witch herself, and she's really powerful."
"That's true, but we can't have Kira help us this time. The monster is underground, and there's no way that Kira could go there."
The situation was now different, and the atmosphere got a lot tenser. Jin's eyes flickered, but he nodded after a short moment of thinking.
"There shouldn't be an issue. It would be a close-call, but I think we can manage. If it's something you need to do, then we're willing to help you out."
"That's right!" Hazel chimed in.
"Thank you, guys. What about you, Miko?" Arthur turned toward Miko, who simply sighed and agreed.
With this, they were ready to go underground. Arthur longed for his humble home and safe life, and now he would finally be able to return to it. There were so many new things that he needed to do like his training with Master Ronin, the academy, creating artifacts, making skills, and free his family of their debt.