The Protectorate of Baryngoria was a kingdom mainly inhabited by dwarfs and those seeking to trade with them. This resulted in a trade-oriented country which was under the protection of all nations.

It was a country that was outside the jurisdiction of anyone, even the dwarfs themselves. It was a free country in every sense of the word. There was no taxation, and the government only had rules for the distribution of land.

This in turn made the country very chaotic, to the point where those with significant power had to create order with an iron fist. Most guilds around the world had their headquarters here and all empires had their own embassy.

Many criminals would escape to Baryngoria and create a new life, while many merchants moved due to the no taxation and lax restrictions on trade.

Despite its challenges, Baryngoria remained a beacon of freedom and opportunity in a world filled with strife and conflict. It was a place where anyone, regardless of race or background, could come to seek their fortune and make a name for themselves. And for those who were bold enough to brave its chaotic streets, the rewards were often worth the risks.

The capital of Baryngoria was known as Larjia, which was under the jurisdiction of a dwarf known as Thrain. Unlike most dwarfs who loved craftsmanship, Thrain despised it and always had a brute-force nature.

He enjoyed money, alcohol, and women, ruling over the capital with an iron fist.

In one of the numerous taverns of Larjia, a hooded figure lightly nudged the tavern’s door, swiftly making its way in without attracting much attention.

The figure glanced around, its red eyes scanning everyone inside, clearly looking for something. Finding his target, he walked towards them and lightly patted the closest person on the back.

The individual didn’t react to the nudge and lightly smiled, extending a glass of red liquid toward the hooded figure.

“Thoran, you’re the last one to arrive. Here, it’s Draconian blood, courtesy of Kothog over there.”

The individual spoke, his long blond hair and bright blue eyes accentuating his pretty face,

Kothog, a young man with spiky black hair, golden scales on his cheeks, and golden horns on his head, frowned, but immediately turned his head in shame, clearly not wanting to start another fight.

He had previously lost to the blond man and he didn’t want to go through another humiliation.

“Rasiel, stop messing around. I may be a vampire, but I don’t take hand me outs…”

Thoran frowned, removing his hood and revealing his true appearance. He was a young man with pale white skin, sharp red eyes, styled black hair, and an incredibly beautiful face. His slightly pointy ears, as well as his sharp fangs, revealed his identity as a vampire.

“And the other’s, why are you guys accepting his shenanigans again? You know he is a buffoon when it comes to being a captain. I’m specifically talking to you Saria, you’re the most experienced here!”

Thoran continued, his voice clearly done with the situation.

Saria, a half-elf with countless scars covering her body, frowned. Her different colored eyes added a unique charm to her appearance, while her uniform and gear clearly revealed she was an archer and scout.

“That’s enough Thoran, I’ve already healed Kothog and Sgesbir has been behaving despite his temperament. I didn’t expect you to be the one to start arguments as soon as you arrive.”

This time the one who spoke was a very short girl with brightly colored hair that was shaped into buns in the side of her head. Paint marks covered her face while her purple eyes shone mysteriously.

“Nobile, not you too!”

Thoran said in exasperation, taking a seat and chugging the glass of blood that Rasiel handed him earlier.

Rasiel laughed at his actions while Kothog’s frown deepened.

As the tension simmered among the group, Rasiel leaned back in his chair, a mischievous glint in his eyes.

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"Now, now, let's not start the evening with bickering, shall we?"

He interjected, trying to diffuse the growing animosity.

Thoran grunted in response, his expression still sour from the earlier confrontation. He knew that Rasiel had a knack for stirring up trouble, but he also recognized that the blond man's charisma and charm often smoothed over rough situations.

Saria sighed, rubbing her temples in frustration. She had seen her fair share of disagreements among the group ever since they first met for the first time, but she knew that they needed to maintain a united front if they were to accomplish their mission.

"Nobile is right, Thoran. Let's focus on the task at hand,"

She said, her tone firm but not unkind.

Thoran begrudgingly nodded, realizing that arguing further would only serve to undermine their efforts.

"Fine."

He muttered, begrudgingly conceding defeat.

With the tension diffused, the group settled into a more relaxed atmosphere, their conversation shifting to lighter topics.

“As this generation's Heroes, what do we call ourselves? My grandfather kept bragging that his Starlight generation was the best by far.”

Sgesbir who hadn’t spoken till now disrupted the conversation, changing the topic abruptly.

They were, after all, the new generation of heroes.

Rasiel Dragonlance, the possessor of the [Demon Slayer] aspect.

Thoran Duskblade, the possessor of the [Soul Sucker] aspect.

Nobile, the possessor of the [Ever-Growth] aspect.

Saria Sunsurge, the possessor of the [Eagle-Eye] aspect.

Sgesbir Arslan, the possessor of the [Boil] aspect.

Kothog, the possessor of the [Transmute] aspect.

The most powerful aspect users of their time possessed aspects that were handed down through generations, the aspect's strength increasing with each new generation.

Rasiel belonged to the human race, Thoran belonged to the Vampire race, Nobile was a Druid, Saria was a half-elf with mixed human blood, Sgesbir was of the Minotaur race and Kothog was a Draconian.

In the previous timeline, they had died six months into their adventure, completely manipulated and fooled. This was the true start of troubles for Roia, since after the seal was broken open, there was no one able to fix it, despite the countless attempts by those remaining.

As the conversation shifted to their group name, Rasiel leaned forward, a playful smirk on his lips.

"Well, if we're going to have a name, it has to be something legendary, right? Something that strikes fear into the hearts of our enemies and inspires awe in our allies, how about The Unstoppable Six' or 'The Heroes of Destiny'?"

He suggested, his eyes sparkling with excitement.

Thoran raised an eyebrow, his expression skeptical.

"Are you serious, Rasiel? 'The Unstoppable Six'? 'The Heroes of Destiny'? Those sound like something out of a cheesy play."

He remarked, his tone dripping with sarcasm.

Nobile, trying to keep the two from fighting, chimed in with a thoughtful expression.

"I think we should choose a name that reflects our strengths. Something simple, yet powerful."

She suggested, her voice soft but firm.

Saria nodded in agreement, her gaze thoughtful.

"I agree with Nobile. Since we don’t really know each other well, it needs to be a name that can unite us."

She said, her tone serious and resolute.

Sgesbir scratched his head, his expression blank.

"I don't really care what we call ourselves, as long as it's something cool."

He said with a shrug, his tone nonchalant.

Kothog remained silent, his golden eyes flickering with inner thoughts.

After a moment of contemplation, Rasiel snapped his fingers, a grin spreading across his face.

“How about Radiants? I think that sounds simple and cool enough right?”

Rasiel's suggestion hung in the air, each member of the group considering it with varying degrees of interest.

Thoran leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Radiants, huh?"

He mused, his tone contemplative.

"It's not bad. It's definitely better than 'The Unstoppable Six'."

Nobile nodded in agreement, a small smile playing on her lips.

"I like it, It's a name that reflects our strengths and the light we bring to the world."

She said softly.

Saria's expression softened a hint of approval in her eyes.

"Radiants, It has a nice ring to it."

She repeated, testing the name on her tongue.

Sgesbir shrugged, his expression indifferent.

"Sure, why not? Radiants it is."

He said with a nonchalant shrug. At least it sounded better than the previous generation’s, ‘Starlights’.

Kothog finally spoke up, his voice deep and resonant.

"Radiants."

He rumbled, his golden eyes alight with approval.

Rasiel grinned, feeling a surge of satisfaction at the group's agreement.

"Radiants it is,"

He declared, raising his glass in a toast.

"To us, the Radiants, the protectors of Roia!"

The others raised their glasses in response, echoing Rasiel's sentiment. As they clinked their glasses together, a sense of unity and purpose-filled the air. Meanwhile, those around them stared strangely, some even pointing fingers.

“Are you saying these idiots are the new Heroes? What the hell did the older generation teach them? Did they just focus on training and nothing else? They seem so gullible. Not only that, there is no guardian around here either…”

One of the figures sitting in the back of the tavern muttered to himself, his amber eyes covered by a hood, while a hint of the iron armor beneath his robes glistened slightly.

“Will, I hope you’re right. I didn’t train to this state just to take care of some incompetent fools…”

The figure removed his hood, revealing a battle-hardened young man with a few scars running across his face. The scars were obviously new since they had yet to heal properly. Messy brown hair, and almond-shaped amber eyes, paired with an angular face made him blend in with the other adventurers and warriors next to him.

A messy stubble was growing on his face and his eyes were emotionless, as if he had seen through some truths of this world.