Luine had run off at some point, and then she returned a while later with even more guests in tow. Fiya stepped through the door and immediately started fussing over her husband’s unhealed injuries, meanwhile the rest of The Harvesters followed behind her.

“Oh no, Dad!” Granuel hurriedly ran over to Baston and gave him a hug. The young man was still short, that was just how ishkawtans were, but he had actually become a fair bit wider than me. He was built like an immovable wall, sturdy and strong. “I’ve… I’ve heard from Luine. But what are we going to do?”

Baston patted his son’s head. “Don’t you worry about it Granuel. I can still work the store just fine like this.”

“Oh. Well then that’s fine then– No it’s not!”

I looked at the other two friends that I hadn’t seen for half a decade while the two of them reunited. Angerly had become as tall as my mother, meanwhile Therick also remained taller than me despite how much I’d grown. The former had a familiar grin on her face, while the latter seemed more… relaxed. That was good.

I and Moonwash too had changed in our time away. We’d grown larger, and our features got more defined. Moonwash even had a good amount of muscle definition going on now, meanwhile I… had actually gotten a bit thinner, if more lean. The constant use of my regen gland in combat just depletes quite a lot of my fat reserves, no matter how much I ate to offset it.

“Hey guys!” I waved excitedly at the new arrivals after we’d stood in silence for far too long. “Long time no see!”

Moonwash too got up from her chair, and followed after me. “Hello everyone. I have missed you.”

“And we’ve missed you!” Angerly ran forward and swept us both into a big hug while laughing boisterously and.even shedding some tears of joy. She finally let go of me after an entire minute and took a good look at my face. “Damn, how strong have you gotten… and Moonwash too. We’re gonna be able to take on so many more quests with you on our side!”

“Moonwash is almost… level 30,” Therick took a deep breath to let that sink in. “And Haell’s almost reached level 20 in everything.” He approached me and we bumped fists. “Or she already has, but there’s something weird…”

“I have reached 20 in all Mutations, but I haven’t evolved them yet. Still, nice level sense you’ve got there. I don’t think I can use it to that detail yet.”

That was interesting. I had literally lived in the middle of the wilderness for the past half a decade, so I assumed my level sense was really fucking good by this point. But perhaps I didn’t focus all that much on it, or Therick was just a lot more talented in the skill. Maybe a bit both.

“Heh, thanks. I’ve taken on a new role while you were gone, but I’m still hoping for a spar later even if I know it’ll be fruitless…”

“Hey, don’t be like that!” I grabbed him in a side hug and patted his shoulder. “Don’t give up before the fight even begins!”

He nodded, slowly at first then more resolutely. “You’re right, yeah. We’re even still in the same evolution bracket. I can win this!”

I laughed. “That’s the spirit! Not that I’d let you win.”

“That’s exactly what I want! Bring it on!”

Granuel came barreling at me last, but with the most force, dislodging me from the others. “Haell! I missed you! I’ve gotten a lot stronger since you were gone!”

“I can tell.” I laughed, returning the hug. “You gotta show me all your new tricks later.”

“You know it! I wanna see yours too!”

“Oh I have plenty!”

“Also, also! I have business now!”

“Damn! Good on you! You’d have to fill me in on everything later.”

We all hugged again, we huddled like a team about to take to the stage. We laughed and we cried until we were satisfied enough to go back to the dining table and eat.

It was good to be back.

~~~

I told them all about my adventures as my newly arrived friends had their own lunch. I spoke of the countless battles I’d been in, how fun it was to learn and use my new magic, and how I’d trained and honed my body for the past few years. I told them of the home we’d built, Moonwash elaborated on the specific details of the secret base, and then I reminisced on what was now lost forever.

But it was fine, I realized that now. That chapter of our lives was really over, and even if we somehow were able to keep the secret base, it’d never be the same again. It was better to go out with a bang.

I glanced over at Luine and Baston.

I am only glad that the people I spent that time with still live.

I also told them about the new friends that I’d made who couldn’t be with us yet. Astan was nice and surprisingly thoughtful despite our first meeting, meanwhile Elfrafim was just amazing. She had helped me with my incessant training, she participated in our experiments no matter how stupid they might sound, and she was even on a quest right now to fetch something so very very rare for myself.

She was a dear friend.

“You’re trying for another whole species evolution!?” Grandpa slammed his hands down on his personal gigantic table. And then he cackled wildly. “That’s the spirit, Haell! Knock em right out!”

“It’s stupid,” Therick sighed, giving me a very serious look. We really weren’t children anymore. “Do you really have to take that risk again?”

“Well, I don’t have to. I want to.”

Angerly just smiled. She knew it was futile to try and convince me, so she didn’t even try. Meanwhile Granuel was totally on my side. Hell yeah!

“You can do it, Haell! I’m so excited to see you evolve again! You already look awesome!”

“You know it! Damn, you really know what to say!”

“No need to encourage her,” Therick groaned. “But well, it’s your choice, as it's always been. Just don’t die! We’ve been waiting for you all this time you know!”

“Of course I won’t. Who do you think you’re talking to?”

“Haell. Haell Zharignan. The craziest person I know.”

“Eh? The craziest, not the best? I don’t really get why I’d be crazy though…” I was aware that I do some non-standard things, but my mind seemed coherent. I didn’t think I was crazy.

“You literally just told us about your menace mana and how you’re probably thinking of ways to torture us right now.”

“Hmm.” I examined myself and my thoughts. “Well, part of me does think you're annoying and that I should put you in your place.” Therick tensed. “But! I have those thoughts about everyone and I’ve learned to ignore them. I am me, I am myself, I am in control, no matter what intrusive thoughts I may have. It’s not like I never had thoughts like that before I got my menace mana anyway, they just got more intense.”

“You’re not making this sound any better…”

Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.

I shrugged. “It’s up to you if that makes you too uncomfortable. But let me ask you, Therick,” I shifted in my seat and looked him eye to eye. “Can you reveal every horrible thought you’ve ever had right now? Do they define you?”

He shied away from my gaze. Therick was silent for a few seconds. “...No. You’ve got a point. Sorry, Haell.”

“Water under the bridge. Don’t worry about it.”

“What does water being under a bridge have to do with anything?”

“Oh, it’s just an idiom from my world. I’m from Earth by the way. Originally, I mean. I have the reincarnator Soul Feat, and I retain my past life’s memories.”

I grabbed a piece of steak from the table despite having already had lunch earlier. “Mmmm, that’s good.” I chewed on the roasted piece of warsymbol meat while everyone else was having a moment of stunned silence.

“WHAT!?”

Predictably, inevitably, the dam of questions broke. I had to explain this one thing that everyone always freaks out so much about all over again.

Hooray.

~~~

Angerly looked at me, drank her porkupine soup, and then back at me again. “That makes so much sense. I always knew you were special, Haell!”

“It does explain some things...” Therick said. “She always seemed so much smarter when we were children.”

“I’m just naturally intelligent.”

“Sure.”

“It’s amazing!” Granuel boasted, finishing the rest of his meal fast. “Why didn’t you tell me sooner!? I would’ve loved to know all about an entirely new world!”

“Well, I’m telling you now aren’t I!?” I realized I was dodging the question, so I gave a serious answer right after. “It’s not… It’s not that I didn’t trust you guys. I’d rank this secret as below me being a demon and you clearly know about that!” I pointed at my naked helmet-less red face. The human-colored make-up had been washed off, and the horns were on full display. “It’s just… a hard subject to bring up. And I saw no necessity to do it, so I just… didn’t.”

“Oh, sorry Haell,” Granuel deflated. “I didn’t mean that you did something wrong for not telling us or anything…”

“It’s fine, it’s fine. Now tell me how your last half a decade have been!”

“Oh! Well…”

My friends talked animatedly about the adventures that they had while I had isolated myself in the middle of fuck-off nowhere. The three of them had apparently become active adventurers already, teaming up with the other orphans and other people who wanted a start on the profession. They told me of all the monsters that they’d slain, the hardships they encountered, and all the nasty surprises life as an adventurer had to offer. They’d mostly stayed in the vicinity of Latarus, not confident enough to venture out all that far.

“Granuel! You mentioned having a business earlier! Spill the deets!”

“Oh! Well, I do have a business now! I named it The Harvester House after our group.”

“That’s nice! All the Congratulations Granuel!” I went all the way around the table to give him a big hug. Then I took a closer seat, which was also the one Moonwash was using. It was no problem, we had big chairs, and my feet still dangled like a child’s! “I’m so proud of you. You made your dreams come true, even with the world against you. That’s not something many people can do.”

“Oh well, thanks!” Granuel scratched his head bashfully. “Although it’s not actually technically mine, and Therick had to sign off on it because I can’t…”

“It’s yours,” the man himself interjected. “Literally punch me in the face if I ever claim otherwise.”

“Oh I will,” I was the one to respond.

“I didn’t mean you!” he chuckled. “But sure. Please do so.”

“I was actually going to wait for you so you can sign off on it!” Granuel told me. “But we were already bringing in a fair amount of materials, and I wanted to get started now so…”

“Ouch,” Therick clutched his heart. “Is my name really that bad?”

“What? No! But I mean… I don’t know. Haell offered before anyone else, and I wanted to own it myself of course, but if not…”

I laughed. “It’s fine, Granuel. Therick is a better choice.” I pointed once again at my absolutely gorgeous and fabulous demonic features. “This is a secret that’ll get out at some point. I’m not human. So I don’t know if my name would still carry the weight of a human in the future.”

“Oh… Yeah. You’re right… I wish you didn't have to hide, Haell…”

I snorted. “Come on! No need to be so down! I intend for Haell Zharignan to be a heavier name than any other, no matter what anyone else thinks!”

“Oh yeah…!” He started, cheering up. “That’s great! I want to see that!”

Granuel elaborated on his plans after that. Right now they were just selling the materials that the party were able to get by themself, but my friend had grander dreams for the future than that. He wanted to build a caravan, but just for us, with only the minimum amount of other employees. His vision was for The Harvesters to tour the entire Edengar Kingdom and beyond, slaying the monsters in our path, trading at every stop, and even taking on quests whenever we were in the vicinity of one. It was an exciting plan, which I totally approved of!

“I like it!” I exclaimed. “I’m in a brand new world, yet I’ve seen so little of it yet! It’s time for me to finally go out there!”

“I also want to see more of the world!” Angerly grinned broadly. “We can also do some of the better quests with you two here!”

“There are so many materials we can seize or buy,” Moonwash added. “I need your help to get the most I possibly can, Granuel.”

“Can do! I already have a lot in stock, and I can negotiate for you, especially in the coastal cities. I’ve also bought a lot of different bestiaries for all the Edengar territories! There’s so much we can hunt for profit!!”

“That’s all fun, and I’m excited to branch out too. But let’s not forget to be careful,” Therick said. He had taken on a leader role among The Harvesters while I was away. At first only in paper because the adventurer’s guild wouldn’t allow anyone else from the three of them to be the party leader. But upon taking on some missions, they’d agreed he was indeed the best man for the job. “It’s great to have you here though, Haell. I know just how powerful you are, and I can’t wait to fight with you again,” he paused. “We missed you.”

I smiled. “Just leave it all to me! Although…” my hand awkwardly scratched at my hair. “I’m gonna be honest, I’ve gotten way too used to taking out opponents solo, and while it’s just a hunch, I can… feel my soul responding whenever I do so. I’ve felt it from the beginning actually, before I became a demon. I think that’s important for level growth.”

The three of them shared a glance.

“I wanna watch!” Granuel was quick to add his own demand.

“If we take the missions for her under The Harvester party,” Angerly thought aloud, “then we can rise in rank very fast…”

“Eh… that feels like cheating a little bit,” Therick glanced at Angerly. “And it’s also massively dangerous. You still had people with you back then, right Haell? When you went on your almost spiritual journey of violence.”

I laughed. “That’s one way to put it. Yes. I did have the benefit of a safety net in the form of Luine and Baston. Thanks for that, by the way.” I smiled at them, and I couldn’t help but have my face fall when I saw their unhealed wounds, but I powered through the negative feelings. I was used to it, for that was my entire existence. “We should take it slow then. See what works for us. Whether I go off solo sometimes, or if it’s too dangerous. We won’t know how powerful I am until I evolve my species again anyway.”

“Right. Because we’re taking it for a given that you’ll succeed. Are you really sure about this?”

“Yep. Imp is just the beginning. That’s actually a very low class of demon. My leveling speed has been insane, far more so than when I was a human, which I like to think is because this form just resonates so much with me. And my evolution prior felt good too!” I paused. “Save for those first few seconds of agony… or maybe longer. It really felt like a lot longer than what actually happened, apparently. But that’s beside the point! I believe this‘ll work. I can feel it in my bones!”

“Alright, alright. I didn’t think I could actually convince anyway. And well shit, your reasoning now is at least far better than the last time. Speaking of…” Therick trailed off. When he saw that no one else wanted to finish his sentence for him, he continued. “There’s one more.”

“One more?”

“Of us, I mean.”

I looked around. “Are they in hiding, lying in wait…?”

“No! Not them! I mean, when we were teaming up with other people as adventurers, there’s one person that we partied up with so much that she might as well be part of the group at this point. Her name is Berry, she’s a crustecar… And I think you’ll like her!”

“Why do you sound like someone introducing his girlfriend to his parents?” I chuckled.

“That’s not what I mean! I don’t even have parents!” Therick retorted, and I winced at my choice of words. “I would’ve brought Berry here today, but Luine stopped us, because…” he trailed off, looking at me with my blood-red skin, enchanting goat-like eyes, and the super cool horns atop my head.

“I know what you mean. But yeah, I don’t want just anyone to know about this.” I gestured down at myself.

“She can be trusted! I’ll vouch for her, I promise.”

I was silent for a few seconds. I trusted my friends, and I was ready to fucking fight if my secret ever did get out. But I’d still rather it didn’t happen for now…

“I’ll be the judge of that,” Luine said, finally breaking the silence that dragged on for way too long.

“Alright,” I agreed. I trusted Luine more than myself for matters of this sort.