Michael frowned before shaking his head.

“No. It’s better for them not to find out that we know one another.”

James retorted immediately.

“You’ve been around us ever since you entered Redglow. If you’re going to reveal yourself as the Monster, the connection will be made regardless.”

“That’s why it’s better to delay it as much as possible. I don’t want to bring unnecessary trouble to you guys. You have already been implicated once; you were even tortured.”

“And just like back then, I won’t be broken by the consequences of my own actions. I’m not ashamed of being your friend. We’re allies. Let us support you.”

Michael shook his head once more.

“It’s too dangerous.”

He wasn’t willing to budge, but James seemed to be the same. Neither wanted to discard their decision. Michael was adamant. His friends needed to be safe for as long as possible; wishing for their safety to be maintained forever was a pipe dream, but he could do whatever was in his power to ensure their well-being. He didn’t want them to be stigmatized as associates of the Monster of Bluestone Village. On the other hand, James didn’t seem to care about that. Given that none of the others spoke up, it was possible that they all agreed. Michael frowned. Elizabeth spoke.

“I agree with Michael’s perspective. We are friends, so the fact that we are siding with him will be found out eventually, but there’s nothing wrong with delaying that moment. It’s also still likely that the other people in the Village will think that Michael deceived or lied to us to obtain our help. In the end, we might not be considered to be allies with the Monster at all.”

James turned to her with a heavy scowl.

“Are you suggesting that we lower our heads and leave with our tails between our legs just because it might be dangerous? That we deny our friendship with him?”

Elizabeth hesitated with a flinch. She continued.

“…I’m not saying we’ll stop being friends. I’m only saying that the most level-headed decision is to avoid having others find out about our connection, for our own safety.”

“Fuck that noise. I might have already been kidnapped and tortured once, but I don’t regret my actions. I will stand with Michael, no matter what comes. I won’t let him be isolated.”

James spoke as if his decision was final. Elizabeth replied with her characteristic slight frown.

“Be sensible. You won’t be the only one in danger if you go through with that. Not all of us are fighters or people who can withstand torture.”

A disappointed expression crossed James’ face.

“I didn’t think you would be the type to abandon a friend when it’s convenient.”

“That’s not what I’m saying! We’ll continue to support Michael, only in secret!”

James’ frown intensified. Michael stepped in between them before the argument got worse. He grabbed James’ shoulder firmly and spoke with a smiling, warm expression.

“My friend. I know your heart. I’m deeply grateful for your willingness to stay at my side, but Elizabeth is right. I can’t put any of you in more risk. Please understand. It’s for your own good.”

At that moment, the usually silent and timid Naomi spoke up with a surprisingly firm tone.

The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

“I won’t be able to call myself your friend if I shrink back when it fits me. I will shoulder the burden of the decision to blatantly support you. That is my will. I agree with James, but I think only those who are prepared should go. Those of us who don’t want to be implicated should stay behind.”

Michael donned a conflicted expression as he turned to her. His chest felt warm due to his friends’ intentions, but he couldn’t put them in danger. James’ kidnapping had been a shocking reminder. His eyes were filled with steeled conviction. He would go alone, without dragging his friends into the mess. That was final. He spoke, his determination bleeding into his words.

“I will go alone. If you guys really want to help me, then keep looking for Lohann alongside the others from Redglow. We can reveal our connection after Lohann is dealt with. Once I kill him, all of us will be safer.”

James kept his frown, but he didn’t try to argue any further. Michael knew that it was because of his tone. He had made his decision. Nothing would convince him to give up on it. In the end, James only let out a couple of words.

“…Good luck, Michael.”

Michael nodded, letting his stern visage break into a grin.

“I don’t need luck. I’m strong.”

“Luck is always needed, no matter how strong you are.”

His grin turned into a smile. He nodded at his friends, turned around, and left the small house.

Now, to the place of the information exchange.

He made his way through the dirt roads as if he had been a Redglow villager from the start. He clearly remembered the path to his destination.

I feel like my memory has gotten better with the stat increases.

It was an effect of his higher Intelligence, as Tairy had once told him. A warm smile made its way into his face as he thought of his teacher. The old man would have to hang tight and deal with his loneliness for some more time. Michael would return once the situation was settled.

We’ll be able to get right back to training.

At the very least, he’d had the chance to clear the Lizard Labyrinth. Watching his own power develop and change was incredibly gratifying. In particular, it was satisfying to see the numbers in his Status Window increase. He wasn’t sure why. Even though he had killed some humans, the XP gains had been unremarkable. It was better to hunt monsters, both for morality’s sake and in terms of efficiency. He needed to find and tackle another high-level Dungeon, especially now that he had Mana Field. Risk and reward went hand in hand. He wasn’t afraid of fighting strong enemies.

There’s also the Consumed Territory and the Forgotten.

While there was no need to worry about the rest of the Territory Wars until Lohann was killed, thinking about it wasn’t useless. Michael needed to have a plan regarding what came afterwards. First, he would strengthen himself before heading to the Consumed Territory and seeing what it was about. Naturally, he would talk to Tairy before doing so, to properly grasp how powerful the Forgotten were. He was filled with anticipation. He wasn’t sure why, but the thought of fighting strong enemies filled him with an unknown emotion.

Michael continued making his way to his destination. Soon, he arrived at the clearing. The leader and his four men from before stood to the side, while an unfamiliar woman and man were in the middle. All gazes turned to him the moment he appeared. With a stern expression, Michael walked toward them. Once he was around ten meters away, however, the woman raised her hand and spoke with a firm voice.

“Stop.”

He saw no reason not to comply. Michael stopped. She continued to speak.

“Who are you?”

She didn’t reveal anything about her group or their purpose in being there; she merely asked for one-sided information. It didn’t make him angry. This level of caution was the bare minimum.

“I am Michael Gray, also known as the Monster of Bluestone Village.”

At that moment, something strange happened. It had been easy to miss, but Michael’s precise eyes had captured the expressions of the woman and man once he said his name. They had been a mixture of shock, wonder, and fear. The two people got their expressions under control almost immediately, but they couldn’t hide the look in their eyes. They stared at him as if they had been caught off-guard and surprised by something. Michael slightly frowned. What was this situation? Weren’t they expecting him?

The man next to the woman spoke, but he stammered.

“I-I’m called Leo, and this is Samantha. We are captains of Yellowbright’s main organization, Challengers.”

Michael tilted his head.

“Challengers?”

It was a childish name, but Leo spoke as if he were proud of it.

“We challenge this fucked up Tutorial, with the conviction to prevail and rise above its twisted rules. We will become the largest Village and-”

Samantha hurriedly raised her hand. Leo’s next words died in his throat. He coughed awkwardly. Unaffected, she spoke.

“It will suffice to know that we are in the upper echelons of Yellowbright’s ruling organization.”

Michael nodded. Indeed, it was enough. They had a common enemy and goal; there was no need to waste too much time on anything besides that. It was the most important thing. Samantha continued to speak.

“Can you prove that you’re the Monster of Bluestone Village?”

Michael’s eyes narrowed.