The forest was still, the aftermath of the battle evident in every direction. The trees were shattered, the ground torn apart by the colossal Cyclops's rampage. Its remains lay scattered around the clearing—massive chunks of stone and cracked flesh, the remnants of the beast's immense body broken beyond recognition. Dust still floated through the air, carried by a faint breeze, and the only sounds were the distant calls of birds cautiously returning to the decimated forest.

Katsuo sheathed his odachi, his breath still heavy from the fight. He glanced around the clearing and noticed Silas wandering near the remains of the Cyclops’s head, his eyes scanning the debris. Silas’s usual smug expression had been replaced by one of concentration, his movements deliberate as he searched through the rubble.

"What are you looking for?" Katsuo asked, stepping over to him.

Silas, not looking up, replied casually, "The treasure. The real reason this dungeon existed."

Katsuo furrowed his brow, confused. "Treasure? From the Cyclops?"

Serena joined them, wiping sweat from her brow. "You mean there’s more than just this wreckage?"

Silas grinned, still scanning the remains. "Oh, there’s always more to these dungeons than meets the eye." He stopped suddenly, his gaze fixing on a particular spot near where the Cyclops’s eye had been.

Nestled among the shattered remnants of the red gem, partially buried in the dirt, was a small artifact—roughly the size of a clenched fist. It was shaped like a heart, though not a human one. It was twisted, pulsating faintly with an eerie, black energy, its surface slick and grotesque. The sight of it made Katsuo’s stomach turn.

Silas crouched down and carefully picked it up, holding it at arm's length as he examined it.

"That... looks disgusting," Serena said, scrunching her nose. "What is that thing?"

Katsuo stepped closer, his curiosity piqued despite the object’s unsettling appearance. "Is that the treasure you were looking for?"

Silas nodded, turning the artifact over in his hand. "This is it. Dungeons like this are often created to protect or contain something—an ancient relic, a powerful weapon, or, in this case, an artifact. But these artifacts aren’t just treasure. They’re far more dangerous."

He stood up, still holding the pulsating heart. "These things are imbued with unimaginable power. Some hold the essence of demons that were sealed away long ago. Others contain blessings from gods, or… curses. Old, forgotten curses that can destroy entire civilizations."

Serena crossed her arms, looking warily at the artifact. "So what are we supposed to do with it?"

"We keep it safe," Silas said matter-of-factly, slipping the artifact into a special pouch on his belt. "Back at the Aegis Guild, we have vaults designed to store things like this. We can’t leave something this dangerous out in the open. If it falls into the wrong hands, who knows what kind of chaos it could unleash."

Just as he finished speaking, the sound of marching footsteps broke through the clearing. An army battalion arrived, armored soldiers moving swiftly through the forest, fanning out to assess the damage and clean up the wreckage left behind by the Cyclops. Their leader, a grizzled man with a stern face and a heavy cloak, approached the group cautiously.

He surveyed the scene, his gaze lingering on Silas, Katsuo, and Serena. "You must be the Vanguards who handled this situation."

Silas gave a relaxed wave, his cocky grin returning. "That’s us. No need to thank us. We just saved the forest—and maybe the whole city."

The officer frowned slightly, clearly uncomfortable with the idea of thanking Vanguards but knowing he had no choice. "We’ll take care of the rest of the cleanup. The damages are extensive, but we’ll ensure no further harm comes to the city."

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"Good to hear," Katsuo replied, nodding respectfully.

Without another word, the soldiers began their work, moving through the wreckage and tending to the injured members of the Extermination Squad who were still being gathered from the earlier battle. The Cyclops may have been defeated, but there was still much to clean up.

Silas motioned for them to follow. "Let’s head back to the guild. We’ve got paperwork to deal with, and I need to get this artifact locked up."

As they made their way back toward the Aegis Guild, the atmosphere shifted from tense to slightly more relaxed. The battle was over, and though they were all exhausted, there was a sense of accomplishment in the air.

When they arrived at the guild, they were greeted by the sight of Monica, the branch leader, standing in the entranceway, her arms crossed and her face livid.

"Katsuo. Serena," she began, her voice like thunder. "You two were specifically ordered to stay clear of that dungeon!"

Katsuo swallowed hard, already anticipating the lecture. Serena tried to play it cool, but Monica's piercing glare bore through them both.

"We thought—"

"You thought?!" Monica interrupted, raising her voice. "You thought it was a good idea to disobey orders and take on a Cyclops? What would have happened if Silas and Venom hadn’t shown up?"

Before Katsuo could respond, Taka stepped forward, waving his hands in an attempt to calm Monica down. "Come on, Monica, they handled it! Sure, they might have bent the rules a little, but they’re still here, right?"

Monica didn’t even hesitate. She spun around and punched Taka square in the face, sending him flying across the room. "Stay out of this, Taka!"

Taka groaned from where he landed, rubbing his bruised cheek. "Worth a shot…"

Zin, standing off to the side with his usual calm demeanor, chuckled softly. "At least they’re safe. They handled themselves well, considering the circumstances."

Monica sighed heavily, her anger simmering down into exasperation. "Fine. You’re both lucky you made it out alive. But next time, you follow orders. Understood?"

Katsuo and Serena nodded quickly, grateful the scolding was over.

"Now," Silas said, stepping forward and pulling the pouch from his belt. "There’s one more thing we need to take care of."

He revealed the artifact, the grotesque, pulsating heart still faintly glowing with that eerie black energy. The room fell silent as everyone stared at it.

Zin’s expression darkened, his usual calm exterior replaced by a deep sense of unease. "That... doesn’t look like anything good."

"It’s not," Silas confirmed. "But that’s why we’re taking it to the vault. The last thing we need is for something like this to fall into the wrong hands."

Monica nodded, though her eyes remained fixed on the artifact. "You’d better move fast. I don’t want that thing anywhere near here for longer than necessary."

Zin reached out and took the artifact from Silas, carefully handling it with a level of caution that made it clear just how dangerous it was. "I’ll make sure it’s secured properly."

With that, the tension in the room eased, and the group disbanded, each returning to their own duties. Katsuo sighed, knowing his next task was perhaps the most dreaded of all—paperwork.

Several hours later, with the last of the reports signed and sealed, Katsuo finally returned to his room. The sun was already setting, casting a soft glow through the windows of the guild. As he opened the door to his room, he found Serena and Lilith waiting for him.

"You look like you’ve been through hell," Serena remarked, a teasing smile playing on her lips.

Lilith, sitting on the edge of Katsuo’s bed, grinned mischievously. "Don’t worry, we saved some dinner for you."

Katsuo chuckled, though the exhaustion was still evident in his voice. "I’m glad someone’s looking out for me."

They sat down for a quiet dinner, the tension of the day slowly melting away. As they ate, Serena glanced up, her expression softening.

"I heard about Joel and the rest of the Extermination Squad," she said. "Most of them are in jail or under probation for the damages they caused. Joel’s facing the worst of it."

Katsuo looked at her, sensing there was something more. "Why did you enter the colosseum to face him?"

Serena’s eyes darkened as she set down her fork. "It was to avenge my father. He died in that colosseum, fighting Joel Ragnarok. My father was a proud warrior, but he was forced to fight for sport... for people’s entertainment. Joel killed him. Ever since then, I’ve been training, fighting, trying to prove that I’m stronger than the world that took my father from me."

Katsuo remained silent for a moment, letting her words sink in. He knew what it felt like to carry the weight of loss, to fight for something greater than yourself.

"I’m sorry," Katsuo said softly. "But you’re not alone. We’re all fighting for something. You don’t have to carry that burden by yourself."

Serena offered a faint smile, her gaze softening as she looked at him. "Thanks, Katsuo."

Lilith, now drowsy, leaned against Serena, her small body curled up in sleep. Serena stood, carefully picking her up. "I should get her to bed."

Katsuo nodded, watching as Serena carried Lilith out of the room. "Goodnight."

As Serena disappeared down the hall, Katsuo sat alone in his room, the weight of the day settling over him. He glanced out the window at the darkening sky, his mind filled with questions.

What was he truly fighting for?

With a heavy sigh, Katsuo lay down on his bed, staring at the ceiling as exhaustion finally claimed him.