The glow around Ayan began to dissipate.
Arin stood motionless as the huge dragon before him vanished.
In its place stood a young man.
Ayan had long, dark hair and sharp, golden eyes, along with the calm expression of someone who wasn’t surprised by the transformation.
His body was lean and strong but otherwise human.
Arin blinked.
Ayan looked down at his hands, then his arms, and then moved his head from side to side.
Arin finally spoke.
"So... you’re human now."
Ayan glanced at him.
"No."
Arin blinked.
"What?"
"I’m still a dragon."
Arin pointed at him.
"You look human."
"My appearance has changed," Ayan said.
"So you’re still a dragon?"
"Yes."
Arin rubbed his forehead.
"Right."
Saira gave Ayan a once-over.
"You haven’t changed," she said.
Ayan shot a glance at her.
"It has been a while."
"You still have the same eyes."
Ayan nodded.
"They are hard to change."
Arin studied them both.
"You two are really close."
They did not answer.
Arin sighed and opened Monster Appraisal.
A blue window appeared over Ayan’s head.
[Name: Ayan]
[Race: Dragon]
[Level: ???]
[Rank: ???]
[Status: Healthy]
[Information: Restricted]
Arin narrowed his eyes.
"Not helpful at all."
Ayan gave him a strange look.
"What are you doing?"
"Checking this out."
"Did you learn anything?"
"Nothing."
Arin closed the window.
"Apparently, you’re too powerful for my little appraisal skill."
Ayan nodded.
"It is possible."
"But do you not want to know your power level?"
Ayan shook his head.
"I already know how strong I am."
Arin was speechless for a moment, staring at the young man before him.
"Must be nice."
Ayan had no idea what he meant.
Saira turned away from him.
"We should get going."
Arin nodded.
"Right."
They began walking, and after a few paces, Arin turned back to Ayan.
"Hey."
Ayan halted.
"Something’s wrong."
Arin gestured at his bare chest.
"You need some clothes."
Ayan looked down at himself, and Arin quickly looked away.
"Clothes."
He nodded.
"Definitely clothes."
Saira sighed.
"You two are ridiculous."
Ayan raised his hand, and a small amount of magical energy gathered in it.
Then, before anyone could react, simple dark clothes appeared on his body.
Arin stared.
"You can make clothes?" he asked.
"Yes," Ayan answered.
"Can you create food?"
"No."
Arin’s smile vanished.
"Of course."
Saira walked on.
"Come on."
They followed her.
Dawn
The sun had risen over the village, and the Adventurer’s Guild was already bustling with activity when Mira arrived.
A large group of adventurers had gathered in front of the building.
The Guild Master stood at the front of the group with Rayan, Dev, Nisha, and Tara.
Behind them, a number of experienced adventurers stood, having been selected to assist in the rescue mission.
Swords, large shields, and spears could be seen, as well as a few healing kits and coils of rope.
This was no ordinary dungeon expedition.
It was a search and rescue operation.
Mira stood nearby as the Guild Master spoke.
"You should wait here," he said to her.
Mira shook her head.
"No, I will not."
"This is dangerous."
"I know."
"You are not an adventurer."
"I am aware of that as well."
Mira turned to look toward the dungeon.
"But Arin is in there."
The Guild Master sighed.
"He is your employer?"
Mira shook her head.
"He is more than that," she said quietly.
"I have been taking care of him since his parents died."
The Guild Master fell silent for a moment.
"I see."
Mira continued.
"I can’t just sit here while everyone else goes to rescue him."
The Guild Master looked toward the dungeon again, then back at Mira.
"Very well."
Mira was surprised.
"But you must stay with the support group."
"I will."
"You do not fight."
Mira nodded.
"I understand."
Rayan gave her a look.
"We’ll find him."
Mira met his eyes.
"You were the last to see him."
Rayan looked away.
"Yes."
"You left him behind."
Rayan clenched his fist.
"He told us to go."
Dev stepped forward.
"He saved us."
Nisha lowered her staff.
"He stayed back because we were too weak to continue."
Tara looked toward the dungeon.
"We owe him our lives."
Rayan nodded.
"That is why we are going back."
The Guild Master raised a hand for silence.
All the adventurers fell quiet.
"We will enter the dungeon together."
"No one will go anywhere without backup."
"If we encounter the Minotaur, we will not engage it."
Several adventurers frowned.
"But what about Arin?"
"Our priority is rescuing him," said the Guild Master.
"If he is alive, we will bring him back."
Mira whispered.
"Please be alive."
They started moving.
Deep Inside the Dungeon
Arin continued walking with Saira and Ayan at his side.
Ayan looked around.
"The dungeon has changed," he said.
Arin glanced at him.
"You could tell?"
"Yes."
"How?"
"I have been here for a long time."
Arin nodded.
"Understood."
They continued walking, and suddenly, Arin halted.
Saira turned.
"What is it?"
Arin stared ahead.
His Dungeon Mapping skill showed several blue blips near the entrance of the dungeon.
More than he expected to see.
Arin narrowed his eyes.
"There are people here," he said.
Ayan looked toward the tunnel.
"People?"
"Humans."
Saira showed no emotion.
"Adventurers?"
"Yes."
Arin watched the blips on his map as they moved deeper into the dungeon.
Then he spotted four of them.
His expression hardened.
"Rayan."
Saira turned to him.
"You know them?"
"Yes."
Arin’s mind wandered back to the first floor of the dungeon and the four individuals he had seen there.
Rayan.
Dev.
Nisha.
Tara.
The four adventurers who had escaped.
The four people he had told to run.
"They came back," he said quietly.
Ayan looked at him.
"Why?"
"To find me."
Arin’s voice was dark.
He thought of Mira.
She was likely waiting for him as well.
For the first time since he had entered the dungeon, Arin felt reassured.
They had not forgotten him.
But then he looked back at Ayan.
Then at Saira.
His feelings changed completely.
There was a problem.
These adventurers had come to rescue an injured comrade.
They were not expecting a demon girl.
They were not expecting a dragon in human form.
And they certainly weren’t expecting whatever Arin had become.
Arin certainly couldn’t explain the strange mark on his hand.
Ayan looked at him.
"What will you do?"
Arin scratched the back of his head.
"I don’t know."
Saira crossed her arms.
"You should make a decision soon."
Arin looked at his map again, seeing the group of adventurers drawing closer.
"Right," he muttered.
"This is going to be fun."
Suddenly, one of the blips on Arin’s map vanished.
"What?" he asked.
Then another one stopped moving.
Then the next one.
Arin’s eyes widened.
"They stopped," he said.
Ayan looked toward the tunnel.
"Why?"
Arin stared at his map.
"I don’t know."
A deep sound reverberated through the dungeon.
Then came a loud—
BOOM!
Dust rained down from the ceiling.
Saira’s hand went to her weapon.
Ayan’s golden eyes narrowed dangerously.
Arin swallowed.
Something was approaching.
Something powerful.
Arin looked at the map again.
His gaze fell on the remaining blips.
"They are turning around," he said.
"They’re running away," Saira said, staring into the darkness.
Another deep sound rolled through the dungeon.
BOOM!
Arin tightened his grip on his sword.
Whatever it was...
The rescuers had found it first.