"What's his problem?"

  Cassian was leaning against a twisted tree, arms crossed, staring at Hiro in the distance with a mix of irritation and disbelief. The guy was fighting a pack of wolves—easily a dozen of them—his sword tracing precise arcs through the air. Every strike hit its mark. Every movement was fluid, almost choreographed.

  "This is the third time today we've stopped," she continued, her tone rising slightly. "We could've easily gone around those wolves. They weren't even blocking the path! But no, Mr. Hero insisted on fighting them."

  Lucia, sitting on a nearby rock, looked up from her prayer book. "Hiro takes his training very seriously. It's admirable, really."

  Lena, standing beside her, nodded enthusiastically. "He never misses a chance to improve. That's why he's so strong. He even insisted on fighting them alone."

  Of course he did, Cassian thought cynically. Because he doesn't want to share the exp.

  She'd watched enough anime, read enough light novels to understand how RPG-style systems worked. Experience got divided among party members. By fighting solo, Hiro kept it all to himself.

  Smart. Selfish, but smart.

  One last wolf tried desperately to flee, but Hiro's sword caught up to it, piercing cleanly at the base of the skull. The creature collapsed with a final whimper.

  Hiro stood still for a moment, sword still raised, eyes fixed on... nothing. Or rather, on something only he could see.

  His lips moved silently. Then his face fell slightly.

  [Side Quest: Wolf Exterminator

  Progress: 1821/10000]

  Hiro sighed softly. This is going to take longer than I thought. I don't run into wolves often enough. When I do, I have to make the most of it.

  He wiped his blade on the grass, sheathing it with a practiced motion.

  "All clear! We can go now!"

  "FINALLY," Cassian muttered.

  ---

  Two hours later, they stopped again.

  But this time, it wasn't Hiro who insisted.

  In front of them, partially blocking the mountain path, stood a thing.

  A bear. But not just any bear. This creature was easily four meters tall, its obsidian-black fur gleaming under the suns. And on its forehead, emerging like twisted daggers, two black horns.

  It was lazily chewing on the carcass of something—Cassian didn't want to know what—completely ignoring their presence.

  For now.

  "We turn back," Hiro murmured immediately, stepping slowly backward. "Now. Quietly."

  Cassian blinked. "Wait. What? Why?"

  Lena frantically motioned for her to be quiet. "It's special. Hiro can see it."

  "See what?"

  Hiro turned to her, his face unusually serious. "I have an ability. I can see... let's say, the relative difficulty of an opponent."

  Cassian straightened, suddenly interested. "Really? How does it work?"

  "It's not super precise, but basically: if something's weaker than me, I see a green marker above its head. If we're about even, it's yellow. And if it's definitely stronger..."

  "Red," Cassian guessed.

  "Red." Hiro nodded. "And this bear? Bright red. Like a giant sign screaming 'do not approach.'"

  Useful, Cassian admitted mentally. But not foolproof.

  "So all red enemies are dangerous?"

  "That's where it gets complicated." Hiro started backing away further, the group following. "The red marker covers anything stronger than me. A creature slightly more powerful? Red. A divine entity that could erase me with a glance? Also red. No gradation."

  A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

  Lucia added softly, "And sometimes, a green marker can beat a red. If the opponent has a specific weakness, or if circumstances are right. It's just a general guide."

  "But a useful guide," Lena insisted. "It lets us avoid the worst dangers."

  Cassian watched all three of them back away cautiously, the bear still ignoring them. A thought struck her.

  Wait. If Hiro can see that on enemies...

  "Hiro." Her voice was perhaps a bit too excited. "Can you see a marker on me?"

  He froze. His eyes widened slightly.

  Oh no.

  "Cassian, I..." He seemed to search for words, clearly trying not to bruise her ego. "Listen, it's just an indicator, it doesn't mean..."

  "What color."

  Silence.

  "...Green."

  Cassian felt something break inside her. "Green."

  "But it's probably just because you're a support mage and I'm a frontline fighter and the power measurement systems aren't designed for..."

  "GREEN."

  Lena looked away, but Cassian clearly saw the smile she was desperately trying to hide. Her shoulders shook slightly.

  That little...

  Cassian took a deep breath. Okay. Okay, I should've expected this. Hiro is literally a cheaty isekai protagonist. Of course he'd be stronger than me.

  Anyway, I plan to ditch this group as soon as we reach a real town. A town with real people. Civilization.

  Staying with Hiro is too risky. For my mental health. For the little dignity I have left.

  And besides, I never wanted to be isekai'd anyway. I was fine in my old world.

  "It's fine," she muttered finally. "I get it. Let's keep going."

  Hiro looked at her with something that resembled... sympathy? "You're still valuable to the group. Your water magic is..."

  "I said it's FINE."

  He nodded quickly and turned away.

  But Cassian caught his expression before he fully looked away.

  He thinks I'm cute when I'm angry, that asshole.

  ---

  Later, as they climbed a particularly steep mountain path, Cassian glanced at her oversized black robe.

  "Hiro."

  He turned. "Yeah?"

  "You wouldn't happen to have some more... appropriate clothes? In your magic storage ring?"

  "Hmm." He touched the ring on his finger, eyes glazing over. "Not really fitted, but..."

  He made a gesture, and something materialized in front of them.

  Armor. Full set. Massive.

  Cassian stared at it. "You're kidding."

  It was full plate armor—helm, breastplate, gauntlets, greaves, the works. In gleaming black metal with elaborate golden accents. It looked incredibly expensive.

  And incredibly heavy.

  "You got anything else?" Cassian asked in a flat voice.

  "Unfortunately no." Hiro scratched his head. "We only keep essentials in the ring. Limited space, you know."

  "THEN WHY IS THIS ARMOR IN THERE?!" Cassian pointed at the thing. "It's obvious NO ONE here can wear it! It's gigantic!"

  Lucia gently interjected, "We found it during one of our quests. Hiro insisted on keeping it."

  Of course he did.

  In Hiro's head: It's armor with insane stats. Incredible Defense, triple Magic Resistance, Vitality bonus. But my Strength stat is still too low to equip it. Need to level up more.

  "So you pulled it out... why?" Cassian's voice was rising dangerously. "I just asked for CLOTHES. Normal clothes."

  Hiro laughed nervously. "Honestly? It's been in there so long I forgot why we couldn't use it. I even forgot it existed."

  Cassian stared at him.

  He kept laughing, clearly uncomfortable.

  Hiro quickly stowed the armor away, which vanished in a shimmer of light. "Sorry! Really sorry. I'll find you something in town, I promise."

  Cassian massaged her temples. I'm going to snap. I'm literally going to snap.

  ---

  They were now on Silver Fang itself—a mountain named for its summit that gleamed silver under the suns. The terrain was rocky, dotted with alpine vegetation.

  "Technically," Lena said, consulting her detailed, colored illustration of the plant, "Summer's Tears aren't that rare on this mountain. You just need to keep an eye out."

  That had been three hours ago.

  Three hours of searching.

  Nothing.

  "What is this bullshit?" Lena growled, flipping over a rock for the tenth time. "We have a PERFECT illustration. In color. Detailed. How are we finding NOTHING?!"

  Lucia sighed, wiping sweat from her forehead. "Maybe they only grow in specific spots?"

  "We thought we'd fill the ring," Hiro muttered. "Like, grab as many as we could. But we can't even find ONE."

  Cassian was absentmindedly inspecting a strange bush when Lena yelled, "OH! I think I found..."

  "What?!"

  "...No. False alarm. Just a weird mushroom."

  Collective groans of frustration.

  A piercing cry tore through the air.

  The whole group froze.

  Cassian turned slowly.

  Three figures were emerging from the rocks above them. Human. Wearing worn light leather armor and rusted weapons—an sword, a spear, an axe.

  But it wasn't their weapons that froze Cassian's blood.

  It was the particles.

  Black. Constantly leaking from their bodies.

  Like the centaur.

  The three figures spotted them. Their eyes locked on the group.

  And they charged.

  "SHIT!" Hiro drew his sword. "Defensive formation!"

  Lena was already moving, her short sword gleaming in her hand. Lucia stepped back, her hands starting to glow with golden light.

  Cassian... froze.

  Those particles. It's not just the centaur. It's... widespread.

  "Cassian!" Hiro shouted. "Stay with Lucia!"

  Like I was planning anything else.

  Hiro and Lena rushed forward. The enemies—because they couldn't be called human anymore—raised their weapons.

  The clash of metal on metal echoed through the mountain.

  Lucia raised her hands, chanting quickly in a language Cassian didn't recognize. Golden light enveloped Hiro and Lena, their movements suddenly faster, smoother.

  Combat buffs. Of course she can do that.

  Cassian raised her own hands, channeling mana. Ice began forming around her fingers, ready to launch.

  But...

  They're moving too fast. If I miss, I hit Hiro or Lena.

  And I'll definitely miss. I have ZERO real combat experience.

  Back on Earth, I knew how to fight. Punches, kicks, street brawls. But with MAGIC? Aiming at moving targets?

  I'm useless.

  She lowered her hands, the ice dissipating.

  "You're not helping them?" Lucia asked, surprised.

  "I... I don't see an opening." Lie. "Don't want to hit them accidentally."

  Lucia nodded, accepting the explanation.

  Fortunately, Hiro and Lena didn't need help.

  They moved in perfect sync—Hiro drawing attention, Lena striking weak points. Hiro's sword severed tendons. Lena's blade targeted joints—knees, elbows, wrists.

  They're not aiming to kill. They're disabling.

  In under two minutes, the three enemies were on the ground, unable to move but still alive.

  "Go. Now." Hiro wiped his blade, sheathing it. "Before they regenerate."

  They ran.

  ---

  Ten minutes later, out of breath, they stopped in a rocky crevice.

  "What are those particles?" Cassian asked, panting.

  Lena looked at her like she had two heads. "You're kidding, right? Everyone knows that."

  "Lena," Lucia gently reprimanded.

  "No, seriously." Lena turned to Cassian. "Did you live in some isolated village or something? Like, completely cut off from the world?"

  Cassian gritted her teeth. "Just answer the question."

  Hiro stepped in. "A long time ago, a calamity struck a massive empire. It turned it into... this." He gestured at the lands around them. "The Cursed Lands. All the inhabitants were changed. Corrupted."

  Lucia continued softly, "History books talk about it, but there are a lot of gaps. We don't know exactly what the calamity was. Just its effects."

  "The black particles mainly target humanoid creatures," Hiro added. "Anything that remotely resembles a human. But there are exceptions. Wild beasts sometimes."

  Lena chimed in. "And the victims can't really die. They regenerate. Over and over. That's why we target joints—disable them, not kill them."

  Forced immortality, Cassian realized.

  "So Hiro," she asked slowly, "when you look at them... what marker do you see?"

  He hesitated. "It varies. Some are green. Others yellow. A few red."

  "Anyway," Hiro said, standing up, "we're not here for the calamity. We're here for our quest. Find the Summer's Tears."

  Lena groaned. "Which we're still NOT finding."

  "We'll find them," Lucia assured. "We just need to be patient."

  Cassian looked at the desolate lands around them.

  An entire empire. Destroyed. Transformed.

  What could do that?

  And more importantly...

  Could it happen again?

  She kept those questions to herself.

  For now, survival was all that mattered.