The city slowly calmed.
The monster outbreak had been contained.
Adventurers returned—
Some injured.
Some exhausted.
But all alive.
Inside the guild—
Voices filled the hall.
"We actually pushed them back!"
"That was too close…"
"Something felt off out there…"
At the center stood the young man.
The one who had been watching.
His name—
Riven.
Calm.
Focused.
Observant.
He didn't celebrate.
Didn't relax.
Because something didn't make sense.
"…That wasn't normal…"
He muttered.
The others looked at him.
"What do you mean?"
Riven crossed his arms.
"…The monsters stopped too suddenly."
A pause.
"…Like something interfered."
Silence.
One of the adventurers laughed slightly.
"You're overthinking it."
"Maybe we just got lucky."
Riven didn't respond.
Because he knew—
That wasn't luck.
His mind replayed the moment.
The monster.
The attack.
The sudden stop.
And then—
Him.
That man.
"…He was there…"
Riven's eyes narrowed.
"…And then everything changed."
Meanwhile—
At the far corner of the guild—
Godwin sat quietly.
A simple table.
A plain seat.
Nothing special.
He watched.
Listened.
"…So this is how it looks from the outside…"
For the first time—
He wasn't the center.
He was just…
There.
A staff member approached him.
"You're new here, right?"
Godwin looked up slightly.
"…Yeah."
"Planning to register?"
A pause.
Godwin thought for a moment.
"…Sure."
The staff nodded.
"Then come with me."
Godwin stood.
Calm.
Unbothered.
As he walked—
Riven noticed.
"…Him…"
Their eyes met—
Just for a moment.
And something clicked.
Not power.
Not threat.
But awareness.
Riven stepped forward.
"…Wait."
Godwin stopped.
Turned slightly.
"…Yeah?"
Riven looked directly at him.
"…You were there."
Silence.
Godwin's expression didn't change.
"…Where?"
"…Outside the city."
A pause.
"…During the fight."
Godwin shrugged lightly.
"…A lot of people were there."
Riven stepped closer.
"…Not like you."
The guild grew quieter.
People started noticing.
Tension built.
Godwin looked at him calmly.
"…You're sharp."
Riven's eyes narrowed.
"…So I'm right."
A pause.
Godwin smiled faintly.
"…About what?"
Silence.
Riven hesitated.
Because he didn't have proof.
Only instinct.
"…You did something."
Godwin looked at him for a moment.
Then—
"…Maybe."
The answer wasn't denial.
But it wasn't confirmation either.
Riven clenched his fist slightly.
"…Who are you?"
Godwin turned fully toward him.
Calm.
"…Just someone passing by."
A pause.
"…Like you."
Riven shook his head.
"…No."
"…You're not like me."
Godwin smiled slightly.
"…That depends."
"…On what you become."
Silence.
Riven froze for a moment.
Those words—
Felt heavier than they should.
Before he could respond—
The staff called out:
"Hey! Registration is this way!"
Godwin turned.
"…Looks like that's my cue."
He started walking again.
Riven stood still.
Watching him.
Thinking.
"…He's hiding something…"
"…But what…?"
Meanwhile—
Godwin reached the counter.
The same setup.
A magic sphere.
Familiar.
"…So it's still here…"
The staff smiled.
"Just place your hand on it."
Godwin looked at the sphere.
"…Let's keep it simple…"
He placed his hand gently.
For a moment—
Nothing happened.
Then—
The sphere flickered.
Glitched.
Struggled to process.
The staff frowned.
"…That's weird…"
Then—
It stabilized.
Displaying a result.
Name: Unknown
Level: ???
Rank: F
Silence.
Then—
Laughter.
"F Rank?"
"Seriously?"
Riven's eyes widened.
"…That's wrong…"
Godwin removed his hand.
Calm.
"…Good enough."
The staff scratched his head.
"…Strange reading…"
"But okay, welcome."
Godwin turned.
Ignoring the noise.
Ignoring the judgment.
As if it didn't matter.
Because it didn't.
Riven stared at the result.
"…F Rank…?"
Then looked at Godwin.
Walking away.
Unbothered.
"…No way…"
His instincts screamed.
"…That's not his real level."
And at that moment—
Riven made a decision.
"…I need to follow him."
Because something told him—
That man—
Was not just passing by.
He was—
Something much bigger.
To be continued…