The journey back was quieter than usual. There was no more enemy presence, nor that constant pressure that accompanied the battles. What remained was only the sound of the road and the weight of what had happened. I could still feel the remnants of the blessing's energy in my body, but it was no longer unstable.
It was control.
Scarlett was the first to break the silence.
"You really decided not to hold back at all."
I looked ahead while walking.
"It was necessary."
"Maybe," she replied. "But that wasn't normal."
Rai'kanna crossed her arms beside me.
"Nothing he does has been normal for a long time."
Elara kept her eyes attentive to the surroundings, but spoke quietly.
"The level of energy… exceeded expectations."
Liriel seemed calmer now, but there was still a trace of exhaustion on her face.
"Even so, it was clean. It didn't leave any residue."
Lyannis was already mentally reviewing everything.
"That completely changes the level of threat we can face."
Vespera only said one short sentence.
"And also the level of attention we're going to attract."
That made sense.
I continued walking for a few seconds before replying.
"Then we'd better be ready."
It didn't take long for the walls of Vailor to appear once again. The city remained the same—busy, full of life, completely unaware of what had happened outside its borders. For them, it was just another day.
For us… it wasn't.
As soon as we entered, we headed straight for the guild. There was no reason to delay. The door opened as usual, and the interior was crowded. Conversations, negotiations, laughter.
Everything normal.
But when we walked in… the atmosphere changed.
Some recognized us. Others simply noticed the difference. It wasn't appearance.
It was presence.
I walked straight to the counter.
"Mission complete."
The receptionist looked at me, then at the group.
"Which one?"
Lyannis placed the documents on the counter.
"All of them."
The receptionist frowned slightly as she picked up the records.
"That includes the movements connected to the second general."
"Yes."
She analyzed the papers for a few seconds, scanning through the information. The silence around us gradually increased. Some adventurers were already paying attention.
"You confirm the complete elimination of the formations?"
"I confirm it," I replied.
She hesitated for a moment, then called someone more experienced. An older man approached, calmly analyzed the documents, and then looked directly at me.
"You're saying you eliminated… all of this?"
"Yes."
He remained silent for a few seconds.
"How many were there in total?"
Lyannis answered.
"More than three hundred in the last formation. Not counting the previous groups."
The man let out a quiet sigh.
"I see."
He returned the documents to the receptionist.
"Register it as completed."
She nodded immediately.
"Total reward…"
She made a few quick calculations.
"Special S-rank mission, with bonus for total elimination…"
She raised her gaze.
"Thirteen thousand gold coins."
The amount wasn't surprising. It was expected. But the reaction around us was immediate. Some adventurers began whispering. Others simply remained silent.
Scarlett gave a faint smile.
"Not bad."
Rai'kanna maintained her firm posture.
"That's little for what was done."
Elara glanced sideways.
"It's not about the amount."
"No," I replied. "But it's still useful."
The receptionist handed over the payment. The weight of the money wasn't only physical.
It was the direct result of the mission.
Lyannis quickly organized the distribution.
"As always."
I looked at the group.
"You all keep your shares."
Liriel shook her head.
"You don't have to."
"We already talked about this," Rai'kanna said.
"Even so," I replied, separating the coins. "Each of you gets one thousand."
Scarlett let out a small laugh.
"You insist on this."
"Yes."
Vespera simply took her share without questioning it.
Elara did the same.
Lyannis nodded.
"It's fair."
Liriel accepted hers last.
"Then I'll keep it."
The remainder stayed with me.
We left the guild shortly after. The atmosphere gradually returned to normal, but it was obvious that this wouldn't go unnoticed. Missions at that level weren't common.
Much less completed in that way.
We returned to the mansion without rushing. The sun was already beginning to set, and the exhaustion was finally starting to truly appear. It wasn't just physical.
It was mental.
As soon as we entered, I went straight down to the underground level.
The vault was exactly as I had left it. Secure, isolated, untouched. I placed my hand against the structure and released mana. The door responded immediately, opening without resistance.
I entered.
The inside space was already filled with a considerable amount. Far more than I would have imagined some time ago. I placed the coins inside, organizing them with the rest.
For a moment, I simply stared at it.
"You've really accumulated quite a lot."
Lyannis's voice came from behind me.
"Yes."
"More than many nobles."
"Probably."
She crossed her arms.
"And even so, you keep taking missions."
I closed the vault.
"Money isn't the reason."
"I know."
We went back upstairs. The others were already in the main room. The atmosphere was lighter now. Scarlett was sitting in a relaxed manner, Rai'kanna beside her, Liriel was talking with Elara, and Vespera observed silently.
I sat down for a moment.
"We're done for today."
Scarlett looked at me.
"And tomorrow?"
"A break."
Rai'kanna slightly raised an eyebrow.
"Seriously?"
"Yes. We need it."
Liriel smiled faintly.
"Finally."
Elara nodded.
"Recovery is part of it too."
Lyannis added:
"And planning."
Vespera simply closed her eyes for a moment.
The silence that followed wasn't heavy.
It was peaceful.
Different from before.
There was no urgency at that moment.
But I knew.
That wouldn't last.
Before standing up, I looked at all of them.
"Next time… it won't be this simple."
Scarlett gave a faint smile.
"It never is."
Rai'kanna crossed her arms.
"But we'll handle it."
I nodded.
Night fell shortly after. The day had ended.
But what was coming next… was only just beginning.