Vol 3 Chapter 37

Kapros's eyes met Un-o's.

At that moment, Kapros gave up on using magic and closed his eyes to the approaching arrow. Immediately, he heard something being forcefully embedded.

"..."

Quietly opening his eyes and looking down at his chest, Kapros found himself unharmed. Turning around, he saw the arrow stuck in the tree next to the one where the previous arrow had landed. Looking back at Un-o, the arrow that had been nocked on the bowstring just moments ago was already gone.

"Are you okay? What just happened?"

Kran, who had rushed over a bit late, shouted in surprise as he examined Kapros and saw the arrows stuck in the two trees. Un-o exhaled deeply and slowly closed and opened his eyes. Rashin Jin smiled and patted Un-o's back.

"Good. You pass. Well done. I don't know why you couldn't do it this perfectly before."

"Is this the arrow that goes beyond what's visible?"

As Kapros approached them and asked, Rashin Jin nodded.

"That's right. Beyond hiding its energy, it's an arrow that can change direction by harmonizing with its surroundings. Arrows, by their nature, can't be manipulated once they leave the bow, right? But what you just saw transcends that limitation. Hoho... Oh, come to think of it. You should be leaving now."

Kapros wanted to hear a more detailed explanation, but Rashin Jin didn't seem inclined to say more. Un-o, who had been standing quietly, approached Rashin Jin and bowed.

"Thank you for everything."

"Rather than thanks, remember this sensation and use what you've learned from me at the crucial moment. So you won't have regrets. Then I'll feel the satisfaction of having taught you."

Although we couldn't understand the cryptic words, Un-o nodded as if he had understood perfectly.

Afterwards, before entering the path out of the village, Kapros asked Un-o one thing.

"Are you coming with us?"

Un-o replied with a quiet smile, looking very much like a high school student.

"If both of you will have me, I'll go."

At those words, Kapros looked at Kran, who had been eyeing Un-o with disapproval for a moment before scratching his head and turning his gaze to the sky.

"Hmm... Honestly, I don't like the idea of ruining this perfect state, but since it's the first time Kap has asked, I can't say anything. Besides, we just happened to have a spot open, so let's go!"

"..."

The fact that they both immediately understood the meaning of that 'spot that just happened to open' probably meant that Kran and Kapros were thinking the same thing. Un-o looked slightly puzzled but soon nodded.

"So now we have an official lackey! Hahaha..."

"I won't be a burden. Please take care of me from now on."

As Un-o ignored Kran and greeted Kapros directly, Kran shouted angrily.

"Ignoring is as good as agreeing!"

"Let's meet at the dojo sometime too."

When Un-o obediently replied "Yes" to Kapros's words, Kran finally exploded.

"This bastard!"

Hearing others bicker after a long time, Kapros had to feel a strange sensation of mental and physical relaxation. He hadn't been sleeping well lately, and he wondered if he should turn on the TV loudly. Seeing how comfortable this noise was.

Time passed, and they arrived back in the desert city of Bala Monyak.

It was nice to see the lively city and numerous people again after returning to Bala. However, strangely enough, the gazes that had started to sneak up on them since entering the city had now reached their peak as they were walking across the market area crowded with street stalls.

How was it that with so many people staring, no one approached them? If Kapros were to describe his current feelings, it was as if he had become a rare animal trapped in a zoo enclosure.

"Are you alright?"

Un-o, who had been standing beside him, quietly asked as Kapros had pulled his hood down deeply several times.

Kapros was about to retort, asking if Un-o would be alright in this situation, but seeing him standing there completely unfazed by the many stares, he felt somewhat strange and looked up at him. Un-o glanced around and furrowed his brow.

"I didn't expect this situation... but this is a bit too much."

"...What do you mean you didn't expect this situation? What are you talking about?"

When they had come to Bala before going to the Elf Village, it hadn't been like this at all. Kapros remembered that although it was for a short period, no one had paid attention to them, and they hadn't felt any hindrance moving around.

As Kapros narrowed his eyes and asked Un-o, who seemed to know something, Un-o turned his gaze to Kran, who had been wearing an equally serious expression beside Kapros.

"Kap. I think we should move from here first and then talk."

Kran, who had been keeping his mouth shut and focusing only on looking around, spoke in a low voice. Then, before Kapros could respond, he nodded as if he had reached an unspoken agreement with Un-o.

"Excuse me."

A user approached hesitantly from ahead and spoke to them.

"...Yes."

As Kran stepped forward to represent the group, one of them spoke with a flushed face.

"Um, excuse me. Are you... the person who was in the video from Zagreb?"

Zagreb? Video?

As Kapros frowned, feeling like he was on the verge of understanding something, Kran shook his head with an expression Kapros had never seen before.

"I don't know what you're talking about. Please move aside. You're in our way."

In all of Kapros's memories, he had never seen Kran treat someone so coldly and harshly. Especially not towards a female user.

At the frosty voice that could almost rival Yu-wan's, the surroundings buzzed slightly, and the users who had spoken looked flustered and whispered among themselves, but they didn't give up and approached hesitantly again.

"It's not to brag, but I have a good eye for recognizing people. Um... I think you're the one who appeared in the Torelit and Zagreb guild battle video. Your hair and clothes all look the same..."

As the user continued speaking hesitantly, another person beside them added to the conversation.