A few days after the undead Stampede, the town had already slipped back into its usual rhythm. Kids dashed through the streets shrieking with laughter, vendors hollered about their sizzling skewers, and the air was heavy with the scent of grilled meat. To anyone just passing through, it would have looked like nothing had ever happened. But among adventurers, things were far from normal.
"Hey, you hear the rumor? Someone actually stopped the Stampede."
"Yeah, they say some mystery guy handled it. The guild's losing its mind trying to track him down."
"'God Solo,' right? They're saying it was him again."
Their voices carried easily through the guild lounge. I stood off to the side at the vending machine, cup of the cheapest coffee in hand, trying not to react. No matter how tight the guild tried to clamp down, the story had already slipped loose. Too many witnesses had seen parts of it, too many mouths eager to talk. And not one of them realized the so-called god they were whispering about was sitting right here, grimacing at instant coffee in a worn-out jacket.
* * *
Far above, in the headquarters' top office, Hikawa Reina stood straight-backed in front of the guild executives. Her tone was steady, precise—like it always was—while she delivered her report.
"...That concludes the aftermath of the Stampede. And the one who guided us through it was adventurer Sato Koichi. F-rank. I am nearly certain."
"Absurd, Hikawa-kun."
The oldest of them, hair gone white as snow, scoffed so hard it came out as a snort.
"You expect us to believe an F-rank—a middle-aged man at that—could stop a Stampede that even A-rank parties couldn't face?"
Others muttered in agreement. Without clean evidence—especially with the conveniently missing footage—none of them wanted to believe her. But Reina's expression didn't falter.
"In that case," she said, voice cool as ever, "I suggest you meet him yourselves. You will find something there, something our common sense cannot measure."
* * *
"Things are getting messy again..."
The words slipped out as I picked my way through one of the dungeon's middle floors. The damage from the Stampede was everywhere—corridors collapsed, stone shattered, halls wrapped in rope and warning tags. Worse, the place crawled with guild staff and high-ranked adventurers, boots pounding, eyes sharp. Patrols, investigations... and hunts. All of them searching for the elusive "God Solo."
For me, it meant trouble. Working quietly was nearly impossible. I stuck to safer zones, scraping coins together with odd jobs, careful not to draw a single gaze.
"Sato-san, good work."
Momo came jogging up to meet me at the rendezvous point, waving. She had changed since that night—her expression tighter, her presence steadier, like the Stampede had burned away the last traces of her innocence.
"There's a guild survey team ahead," she warned. "We should take another path."
"Got it. Thanks."
Her detection skills had become something I relied on without thinking. Following her lead, we cut down a quieter corridor. That was when I heard it—the heavy rhythm of boots, every step landing in perfect sync. Light poured from deeper in the passage, sharp and dazzling.
I pulled Momo against the jagged wall, and we held our breath.
The glow swelled until it hurt to look at, and then they appeared: five figures in silver armor, weapons glittering with enchantments that cost more than I would ever earn in a lifetime. Their movements matched flawlessly, every step like part of a dance. Men and women both, but each impossibly beautiful, like characters carved out of some legend.
I didn't need to wonder who. I had seen them enough on television. The nation's pride. The pinnacle of adventurers. The S-rank party known as the Holy Sword Knight Order.
"So this is where 'God Solo' was last sighted..."
Their leader, Alexander—golden hair shining, eyes full of confidence that brooked no doubt—scanned the corridor like he owned it. His voice carried in a way that demanded the world listen.
"Hmph. Whoever he is, claiming glory before us... bold."
They marched past without so much as glancing our way. Even after the echoes of their boots faded, the weight of their presence lingered like a storm cloud pressing down.
Only then did I let out the breath I'd been holding.
"...They really are from another world entirely."
Momo just nodded. She didn't need to say a word. The truth of it was heavy between us.
The heroes I'd only ever seen from a distance, across a screen, were now walking the same halls, searching for me. It wasn't coincidence. It was a warning.
My easy days were over. And something much bigger was already on its way.