While walking back to the village Art asks Lutin on why he didn't help him when he got pinned by the lycan. He answers "I was helping the gaurds. And seeing how you were ripping the lycans apart, i thought you didn't need my help. But i want to know, why did you get so violent?". He tells Lutin "I always fight like that". "Nope, i know what i saw. You were angry, not calm, not collected like usual. Just….. Angry" Art takes a deep breath and says "When the lycans attacked... They…*sigh* it reminded me when Domina got attacked by…." his hands clench and anger is apparent on his face "Demons!" Lutin tries to change the subject and says "Hey….. Did you have friends other then that Marine-folk girl?." Art's eyes widen and he says "I did. Her name is Lucia Darksteel. The Princess of Domina." Lutin looks at him confused "Princess? huh. You know i'm not even surprised at this point" He continues saying "She's the one who taught me how to use healing magic. But with this armor who keeps absorbing mana, i don't think i can use spells on enemys or myself anymore. But it does slowly heal my injuries".

  They reach the village, with Lutin heading to Vexli. Art decides to go to a scroll shop nearby. As he looks through the scrolls. A bundle of explosive scrolls catch his eyes. He grabs the entire bundle, which contains roughly one hundred scrolls. The shopkeeper is surprised and asks "Ya got enough cash for dat?." Art takes out the money bag and asks "How much?". The shopkeeper checks everything out and says "That'll be 10 gold coins". Art pays while saying "Just because their explosive scrolls don't mean it gotta be this expensive". The shopkeeper replies "Well, putting the magic in dem scrolls ain't cheap". Art leaves the shop and heads to vexli's workshop. He enters her shop and drops the scrolls off to Lutin and tells him to keep them in the spirit realm.

  "Art, you know that's not how the spirit realm works, right?". Art brushes him with his hand to do it anyways but before Lutin stores them, He grabs a handful and puts them in his bag. He tells Lutin he's going to bed. As he's leaving to look for an inn. Vexli stops him and says she's got a spare bed in a room on the second floor of her house. He whispers to Lutin to keep an eye on her, and heads to the second floor. He finds the room and he puts away his gear. He sits on top of the bed. Looking at the necklace Lumi gave him, as he holds it in his hands, his pupil's shake. He takes a deep breath and exhales. He puts the necklace back on, and lies down on his back. With his hands placed on his chest, he then falls asleep.

  He opens his eyes and sees that he is back as a kid training with his dad. As he runs towards Sigurd, he trip's and fall face flat onto the ground. Sigurd asks "Art!, You okay?" He gets on his knees and as Art gets on his as well. Sigurd grabs Art's wooden sword that's laying on the ground and hands it to him "you're getting angry again" He silently shows Art on how to grip his sword "focus. Analyze, and predict your opponent's next move" The two get up and resume training.

  A few hours pass, Sigurd tells Art that it's time to go back home "sorry we took all day. You couldn't hang out with your friend today"

  Art looks at some random kids playing. He looks back at Sigurd "it's okay. She'll understand" As the two of them get back home. Alva, who's wearing a brown headscarf, greets the two of them "welcome home!" She tells Art to get washed up. She looks at Sigurd "you too, Mister" As he's heading upstairs he notices Runa reading a book while laying on the couch. Sigurd,standing behind the couch asks "whatcha readin'?". "About the Icons. They're kinda cool" Sigurd stares and let's out a sigh "I… Erm…. I'm sorry. Art's training is bit of a handful right now" She looks back "why ya apologizing?. It's just some training" Sigurd promises after he's done training Art, he'll spend more time with her. We see Art fully cleaned up. He goes downstairs and sees his four year old twin siblings. Fai and Rai, playing with each other.

  Alva puts dinner down and they all start eating.

  Art's chest suddenly gets tight, his breath gets heavy. As he blinks, he finds himself back as an adult. He gets up from the dinner table and in a blink of an eye, he finds himself in a grass field. The sky gets dark. Disfigured Demons start surging from everywhere. They tackle him to the ground, biting and burning his flesh. He stretches his arm out attempting to summon Shiftnir, hearing a distant voice call his name.

  He opens his eyes, and quickly sits on the bed with Shiftnir as a sword. His eyes dart around in panic. As he's breathing frantically, Lutin cuts him off "you okay!?". "I was calling for you, over and over, and over. Are…. You having nightmares again?".

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  Art grunts, and gets up. He puts everything on and wears his hooded cloak. He then turns to Lutin "Yuuki mentioned there are villages around. Let's go check one out". As the two of them head out of the house. They meet Vexli who's moving building resources around her house. She looks at Art "See them materials. Your one-man ship will be done by tomorrow" He looks at her and nods. "Oi, once I'm done with this. Give me ma reward aye?" As she point's at her lips. He looks down on her and proceeds to leave the house while grunting. They walk through the forest and get on top of a high hill. They take a look around, and notice a town nearby. Art point's it out and says they're going there. Lutin looks at Art with confusion "how are you planning on going in a "No human town"?" He puts his hood on and answers "I smell like a wolfkin, and now that i covered my head. You can guess what will happen if ya want too"

  Shiftnir near follows by calling Lutin dumb. He stares at her "Not funny, Nir". Art looks at him "when the hell did you give her a nickname?" He gets close to Art and whispers "Saying her whole name is a hassle. Just roll with it". They eventually get close to the town with Art telling Lutin "Go into the spirit realm. You'll end up drawing unnecessary attention" Lutin stares at Art with an annoyed expression. Art says "just roll with it".

  We see Art going into the town alone. He eventually finds a bar and goes in. He sits at the bar top next to a demi-cat male who's drinking , and orders a meal with some water. As he starts eating, the demi-cat next to him begins a conversation "didn't expect a wolfkin to eat at a bar, bad hunt?" Art doesn't reply. The demi-cat looks at Art who lets out a grunt "ughhh…. Sorry. Didn't mean to. Just… ugh… being friendly". Art asks "the town. There's barely any kids around". "Guess ya noticed. *sigh* lately kids and teens were getting kidnapped by bandits and slave traders. You'd think it be just humans who do the kidnapping but it's different races working together. Disgusting, just disgusting". Art then asks about if he knows their location. The demi-cat replies "heard they were switching up places so they don't get tracked down. But also there are some rumors that they're currently hiding in between some large hills a little southeast from here" Art, as he finishes his food says "why not go there yourself?, you're an adventurer" as the demi-cat finishes his drink he answers "I'm strong, but those assholes are crazy. If i go there I'll be ripped to shreds" Art excuses himself and leaves the bar then heads out of the town. Lutin gets out of hiding "Don't tell me you're going to the bandits?" He replies "Free stress relief". They eventually find the hideout.

  Observing from a far. The two see demi-human bandits riding carriages into what looks to be a cave inside one of the large hills. Art follows them, and as he's walking through the cave passing by the empty carriages. He hears cries and screams echoing throughout the entire cave. Hiding behind a large boulder he listens to the bandits. As the bandits talk among themselves on where to sell the slaves, one of them decides to leave the cave, only for Art to silently end him. The bandits keep talking, only to hear something rolling its way to them. They look down to see that the thing that was rolling is the head of the bandit that just left. As they stand there shocked, in a matter of a second. Art standing in the middle of them, sends them scattering. And proceeds to beat them to death with his hands letting out all the frustration inside of him. As their lifeless body's lay on the ground. One of the bandits who is still alive, tries to crawl away. He raises his head to see Art standing before him. He kicks the bandit, sending him on his back. "Who the fuck are you?" The bandit's says while his face is bleeding. He walks up to him, grabs the bandit's jacket, and starts punching him over, and over, and over and over. By the time he was finished, the bandit's face is nothing more then a pile of mushed meat. Art gets up and walks up to the cells containing the slaves. As the slaves shake in fear, he stares them down with a calm look. He grabs the bars and bends them. Art kneels down on one knee, reaches out his right hand, his eyes turn into a welcoming look. Lutin pops up and says "Oooookayy! Friends. Come on let's get going" the kids smile and giggle. As Art bends more cell bars, and Lutin guiding all the kids outside. Lutin asks "is there anyone left?" "No, but i don't think a carriage or two will be enough".

  They decided that Art should take some of them back to the town and come back and take the rest. It took a bit, but they were able to get everyone back to their homes. As Art finally stops for the last time in the middle of town. The kids jump out of the carriage excited to see their families. He jumps out of the carriage and is leaving the town, the mayor stops him "How can we possibly thank you?". He looks back and says "Watch your kids, okay?".

  He exits the town and heads back to the demi-goblin village.

  End of chapter