The devil-like creature saw another prey and chased it away. As Kyren held Hiro on the ground, Hiro smiled even though he was bleeding to death.

After a few seconds, Hiro’s smile turned into a strange expression. A sinister silhouette emerged—a girl shrouded in shadows, her eyes glowing with an eerie mix of purple and red, piercing through the darkness with malevolent intent. Kyren tried to move and escape, but it felt as if he were paralyzed, trapped in the grip of the Hiro that had become a silhouette girl. The shadowy figure drew closer to Kyren.

“Finally… my sweet… heart…” she whispered; her voice filled with an overwhelming sense of dread that enveloped Kyren. Her presence felt malevolent, as if she held the power to consume his very soul.

She walked away, each step echoing in his mind, growing louder and more terrifying even though she was moving farther away. Kyren tried to scream and run, but his voice was stolen by the suffocating grip of fear. Kyren's heart pounded as he desperately tried to break free from the clutches of the situation. The sensation of fear and helplessness intensified.

But after a few seconds, he heard something in his mind. “Kyren! Kyren!” He tried to remember whose voice it was, and then he realized it was Hiro’s voice.

Finally, with a jolt, Kyren woke up, gasping for breath. His body was covered in cold sweat, and his heart still raced as if he had just faced a real threat. For a moment, he was disoriented, unsure if he had truly escaped the clutches of the shadowy girl.

As he blinked his eyes, the sight of Hiro sitting beside him brought a sense of relief and grounding. “A nightmare after a nightmare,” Kyren thought.

Hiro looked concerned, "Kyren, are you okay?" he asked gently, placing a comforting hand on Kyren's shoulder.

Kyren took a few deep breaths to steady himself and nodded, grateful for Hiro’s presence. "It was just a nightmare," he managed to say, his voice still shaky. "I saw a dark figure, a girl... she felt so real."

Hiro offered a glass of water to calm his nerves. "Nightmares can be frightening, but they’re just illusions created by our minds. We have superstitions that the opposite of what happens in our dreams might give us a hint about what's to come," he said reassuringly.

Kyren nodded, trying to shake off the residual unease. "You’re right. It’s just a dream," he replied, appreciating Hiro’s reassurance.

As the night slowly faded into dawn, Kyren felt a little more at ease. He woke up to see Hiro preparing early for work.

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“Yo! You’re awake,” Hiro said, finishing his meal and setting out food for Kyren. “Do you want to rest for a while or come with me to work?”

“Maybe I’ll join you if it’s okay,” Kyren said.

“Yup, it’s fine. Come eat and prepare; we’re leaving early today,” Hiro replied.

After they left Hiro’s house, Kyren was amazed by the busy crowd in the small town. Suddenly, he remembered his nightmare and stopped.

“What’s wrong, Kyren?” Hiro asked.

“Nothing…” Kyren replied, but it was clear that something was bothering him. Hiro patted his shoulder to reassure him, and they continued their journey.

The air was alive with the sweet scent of ripe fruits, the earthy aroma of freshly dug vegetables, and the tantalizing fragrance of baked goods. Approaching a particularly lively stall, Hiro greeted its owner warmly.

"Cora, good morning!" he called out, drawing the attention of a woman busy arranging a display of plump, juicy fruits.

Cora, a seasoned figure with a twinkle in her eyes, turned toward Hiro. "Hiro, my boy! Good to see you," she exclaimed, setting aside a basket of peaches and giving him a warm pat on the shoulder.

Hiro smiled and gestured toward Kyren. "Cora, this is Kyren. He needs help finding his memories. He's my friend. I was wondering if you had any openings at the market and if he could work with us."

Cora appraised Kyren with a keen eye. "Well, Hiro has a good eye for people, so I trust his judgment." She patted Kyren's shoulder. "If he vouches for you, then I'm willing to give you a chance," she said, nodding in approval.

Grateful for the opportunity, Kyren expressed his appreciation. "Thank you, Cora. I'm eager to contribute and be part of the community here."

Cora gave him a warm smile. "Welcome aboard, kid! We work hard here, remember that.”

As Hiro and Kyren continued working at Cora's market stall, a townsman shouted while running through every stall. “They are here!”

Cora shouted at Hiro. “HIRO!”

Hiro began to hide every fruit that was being shown, replacing them with overripe fruits.

“What are you doing, Hiro?” Kyren asked, confused.

“I’ll tell you later, just help me display these ripe fruits,” Hiro said, panicking and pointing at the fruits.

Kyren helped, even without knowing what was going on.

After they were done, Cora and Hiro stood in front of the stall.

“So what’s wrong, Hiro?” Kyren asked.

“They are coming,” Hiro said.

“Who?” Kyren asked.

“The guild that always comes here to grab and steal our consumables,” Hiro said.

“Guild? You mean a team?” Kyren asked.

“Yes, it’s a guild. I’ll explain later,” Hiro said.

Hiro looked at the far road as horses approached. Kyren saw at least six horses with a caravan and about 20 armored people, resembling knights, walking and inspecting every food stall, grabbing food from vendors. The vendors didn’t do anything, but their faces showed sadness.

After seeing this, Kyren rushed towards the hidden crates. At Cora’s stall, the knights stopped and looked at the display.

“This is all the choices?” one knight asked.

“Yes, this is all we got,” Cora said, her voice shaking.

One knight doubted Cora's expression. “I don’t believe you.” He searched the bottom of the stall and found a hidden crate. “What is this?” he pointed at the hidden crate.

Hiro began to sweat, while Cora closed her eyes, knowing they had been discovered.

As the knight grabbed his sword to slash the hidden crate, Kyren grabbed his hand and stopped the attack.