After a short jog, the squad reached the market square.
"They're here!" someone in the crowd shouted, heads snapping toward them.
"Yes, we're here. Make way!" the Captain barked, cutting a path through the murmuring crowd as they pushed forward.
"Shit!...." one of the men gagged, covering his mouth as the stench hit him.
"What the hell happened here?" The Captain froze at the sight ahead.
Seven massive pillars jutted from the ground – six arranged in a perfect hexagon, and the seventh towering at the center.
It loomed above the rest, jagged and gleaming in the sun.
At the top of that central spike….Davis's body was pierced straight through the torso, his face twisted mid scream.
"Who the hell could've done this?" the Captain muttered, surveying the scene with a grim scowl.
"Yeah, Davis was a pain in the ass, but who did he piss off this bad?" He knelt beside one of the icy pillars.
"These aren't just pillars….. they're made of solid Ice," he said, his voice low.
"Whoever did this is Planetary Type Longinus User."
Then louder: "Get those bodies down from there. Now."
"Yes, sir," one of the squads replied already moving. The Captain turned toward the gathered crowd, his voice steady but commanding.
"We're with the Stellaluna Circle Guild. We've got this handled. If anyone saw or heard anything, now's the time to speak."
Silence.
The townsfolk just stared, eyes wide, lips sealed."Please," the Captain said, his voice dropping into something close to a plea.
"If they could do this to Davis and the others, they won't think twice about doing worse to the rest of you."
The silence held – until a small boy tugged on Seth's coat. The boy clutched a ragged teddy bear, his eyes wide.
"Sir…. I – I saw something."
"Captain!" Seth called and the Captain was there in seconds.
Seth crouched to meet the boy's eyes. "It's okay. You can tell me."
The Captain stood behind them watching.
"Last night…" the boy began, voice trembling. "I heard screaming. From the forest."
Seth looked up. "The forest, huh?" The Captain nodded. "Good. That's more than enough. You've done great, kid."
Then, to the crowd: "You can go back to your businesses. We'll handle this."He turned to his team.
"Half of you, with me – we're checking out that forest, and be prepared cause if whatever took out an A-rank party is in there we're going to fight. The rest of you, get the bodies back to HQ."
"Yes, sir!" they echoed.
........
"Ugh, how much longer do we have to wait?" Akeno groaned, flopping dramatically onto Boros' back like a cat claiming a sunny windowsill.
"Get off me!" Boros snapped twisting to shove her off, but she clung tighter with a teasing grin. They wrestled briefly – her laughter mixing with his irritated grunts – until a calm voice cut through the chaos.
"Excuse me," said a middle aged man approaching with a polite smile. "Looking for gear?"
"Yes, we are," Kinuko replied smoothly, stepping forward.
"Right this way, then."As the group followed the merchant toward his shop, heads turned – all eyes on Boros.
But not because of him.
It was the girls.
Akeno and Kinuko walked with the effortless grace of people used to attention. They looked nearly identical – perfect proportions, flawless faces, perfect posture.
From a distance, they could easily pass for twins. Their hair set them apart though: Akeno's was a deep, flowing blue, sleek and long, while Kinuko's shimmered white and silky, falling just past her shoulders.
Boros muttered under his breath. "Why do I feel like I'm the one on display?"
"Hey!" Boros snapped, grabbing a guy by the collar. "Why the hell are you staring at me?!"
"Yeah, what's your deal?" Akeno chimed in, stepping up beside him.
"You got a death wish?" The guy just stood there, frozen in shock, trembling.
"You wanna die?!" Boros shouted again.
"Yeah, you wanna –" Akeno started, but stopped as Boros suddenly turned to glare at her.
"If you don't want my help, just say it," she muttered, awkwardly digging her toe into the dirt and looking away.
"I didn't ask for your help, dumbass!" Boros snapped, shoving the guy away and letting go.
"Oh that's real nice," Akeno shot back, stepping up until their foreheads nearly touched.
"That's how you thank a lady for backing you up?"
"Uh, guys?" Kinuko cut in, trying to break the tension.
"Remember? Gear? We were supposed to get some?"
"Tch. Fine," Boros muttered, walking behind Kinuko and the old merchant.
"You've got quite the energetic crew," the merchant chuckled as they walked.
Boros narrowed his eyes. "How'd you know we were looking for gear? You following us, old man?"
"Oh, not at all. I ran into the blacksmith earlier. He mentioned you were heading my way."
As they reached the shop, the merchant turned to them. "Sorry for the delay – something big happened over at –"
"Yeah, yeah, save the stories," Boros cut him off. "We're not here to gossip."
"Right, right – this way," the merchant said, leading them inside. As the merchant stepped behind the counter, he looked up with a grin.
"So, what kind of gear are you folks looking for?" Boros crossed his arms.
"Depends. What've you got?" "Oh, the usual spread," the merchant said, motioning toward the walls. Swords, daggers, bows, spears – you name it.
Got armor too: light stuff if you want to move fast, heavy if you're looking to take hits."
"Hmm. Good to know," Boros nodded. But… you got any regular clothes?"
The merchant raised a brow, then smirked. "Rough stretch, huh?"
Since leaving the Eastern Cardinal, Boros, Akeno and Kinuko had been stuck in a rinse and repeat cycle – literally. Same clothes, different day.
"Yeah, it's been a minute," Akeno muttered, tugging at her slightly worn sleeve.
"Say no more," the merchant chuckled. "Come on – this way."
He led them past racks of glinting steel and leather, into a tucked away section of the shop where the scent of fresh fabric replaced the tang of metal. The merchant leaned on the counter, flashing a casual grin.
"Alright, what can I hook you guys up with?" Boros glanced around, eyes skimming the racks.
"Not gonna lie – there's a lot to choose from." He scratched the back of his head.
"Ah right! Before you pick anything, there's something you should know," the merchant said, holding up a finger.
"Clothing isn't just about fashion – it's categorized by function and status."
"Function and status?" Kinuko raised an eyebrow.
"Exactly," the merchant nodded.
"We've got gear for all kinds – everyday folk, adventurers, guild members, even nobles and royals. The kind you're looking for right now? That'd be Flow-wear – basic clothing most folks wear on the day to day."He gestured to a nearby section lined with light, layered outfits.
"So… knowing that, have you made up your minds yet?"