‘Did it just turn into… um… dust?’

Kairen looked at where the monster was supposed to be and blinked his eyes. No one expected something like this to happen. They came here to kill a high-level monster, but the monster was gone before they could do anything.

“Don’t lower your guards yet. Nothing is for sure at the moment.”

The supervisor stepped forward and warned the crowd. The cadets didn’t need a warning as they were all still ready to fight.

“But I can’t sense any pressure besides ourselves.”

“That’s right.”

All of them were looking around with confusion. One of the cadets pointed at Kairen with his finger.

“Didn’t Kairen do something to it?”

Kairen flinched after hearing his name and turned towards the crowd.

One of the mages also joined the conversation.

“I am not sure, but I feel like that bear was staring at him the whole time…”

Ellyn said that while looking at Kairen who was now about to stand up. She then hesitantly added up.

“The last time as well. In our first mission, it felt like the monster was only looking at him.”

Ellyn said and peeked at Kairen. Her eyes met with Kairen’s and she hurridly averted her gaze with an embarrassed face.

The supervisor rubbed his chin and glanced at Kairen as well.

“I have heard that in some cases, a few kinds of specific monsters would pay particular attention to people with special powers.”

“Special powers?”

Everyone turned to look at Kairen once again.

“….”

Kairen awkwardly walked and hid behind Reyan and Serria. He was receiving just too many gazes today.

“Pfft. Look at him. Does he seem to have any kind of special powers?”

“….”

‘I am sure that was an insult but ok.’

Kairen knew the one who said that. He was the same person who would keep staring at him everywhere they met. Even after so many days, Kairen still didn’t know his name.

‘Hmm? Maybe I should ask him what his problem is if I want to know about my past.’

Kairen marked that in his mind to have a conversation with that dude.

“We aren’t in a situation to chitchat about things like that. We can discuss this matter later. Now that there is nothing to do we have to return.”

The supervisor stopped the conversation and ordered everyone to do their assigned tasks. Kairen was saved! He felt like he had met a hero.

‘That man… he is too shiny.’

They all started to retreat from the way come here.

“Did we come all the way here to just meet with a little bear baby and return?”

“Stop nagging and clear the way.”

“We really came for nothing.”

“I felt kinda useless.”

“Nothing can be done about it now.”

The cadets chattered making a read once again since the way they came from was now destroyed because of the winds and snow.

Serria and Reyan were moving a little bit far away from the others with a Kairen who was still hidden behind them. After checking the distance with the others, Serria asked a question.

“Really Kairen, what exactly happened to the monster?”

“I-”

“Why did you even get close to it? What if it attacked you? You are being too reckless these days!”

As if waiting, Reyna cut off Kairen’s words and started to scold him like a grandpa.

“Sorry, I don’t know why I did that either.”

Reyan clicked his tongue and glared at Kairen, making Kairen retreat a few steps and stick to Serria.

“That isn’t important now. The monster is gone and our job is done. But you didn’t really cast a spell, how did it die?”

“I don’t know. Small cuts appeared in its body out of nowhere and it… was torn apart? Turned to the dust? I don’t know.”

“Small cuts?”

“Turn to dust?”

Serria and Reyan asked at the same time. They were both at some distance from the monster so they couldn’t see the details. What most of the cadets saw was a little bear there then… POFF… no more a little bear there.

Kairen shrugged his shoulders.

“I also don’t know.”

Serria rubbed her chin while contemplating.

“Is it possible that someone else killed it without us noticing?”

“You mean one of the cadets?”

Serria shook her head at Reyan’s question.

“No, no one in this group has such an ability. I meant an outsider.”

“There wasn’t anyone else besides us there, we could have sensed their presence otherwise.”

“Hmm, right. Anyway, let’s think about it later.”

Serria’s serious expression turned to a carefree face at a moment and she moved faster. Kairen felt a weird sensation at that moment.

‘Hmm?’

A chill ran down his neck and he felt an intense gaze. He stopped walking and looked around.

“….”

“What are you doing?”

“Didn’t you… sense something?”

Reyan and Serria both looked around, Kairen also did the same… but there was nothing. It was only the three of them there.

“We shouldn’t move too far away from the group, let’s hurry.”

Kairen shook his head and proceeded to walk.

‘Was I under so much gaze today that I am starting to hallucinate?’

The three of them walked fast and joined the rest of the group in no time.

The cadets encountered a few monsters in the way while walking down the mountain, but they were quickly taken care of as they were all low-grade monsters.

When they arrived at the foot of the mountain again it was already evening. There wasn’t a place to set up a picnic and eat food in the middle of a snowy mountain, so they were all hungry af. All of the cadets were given food by the staff waiting at the foot of the mountain and there were hotel rooms prepared for those who couldn’t use teleportation stations or vehicles to go back.

Kairen wanted to go back to Kain’s house and ask him more about Kairen 1, but he couldn’t use the teleportation station. Well, there were limits on how many times you can use them in a period of time. As a result, he had to stay here the night and buy tickets for tomorrow.

Serria went on about how the sweets and food in this city were amazing and how she always wished to visit the markets in this area and she wanted the three of them to go sightseeing the next day. She stayed at the hotel and forced Reyan to stay as well.

Reyan grumbled and nagged a few times but stayed with them nonetheless.

[You can stay over whenever you want, but I will be away for a few days.]

Lying on a comfy bed in his hotel room, Kairen started texting Kain. He wanted to call him first but changed his mind soon. Why call when you can text?

He wanted to meet Kain to ask him more about the past but Kain said he had to go away and do a mission tomorrow for who knows how long.

[Then I will contact you after you come back.]

[Ok. Take care.]

“Phew.”

He threw the phone away and stared at the ceiling.

“Please, just one night of sleep…”

He covered his body with a blanket and closed his eyes, in hopes of having a night without any nightmares.