You're still going?　I'm still struggling with it, to be honest...
Of course I'm going!　Just keep up with Zephyr and you'll be fine, it'll be fun.
'I'm a bit scared, you know, adventurers don't just kill monsters, you know, all kinds of things, right?　And when I think about it, I'm....
'You think too much, Adolf, you need to be stronger. Like Kagetra.

　There was a young man with deep green hair, named Adolph.
　He didn't lose his anxious expression throughout.

''Oi, you two, let's go!

　There was a dark-haired young man waving to them, his name was Kagetora.
　Next to him was Zephyr, arms folded, waiting for them.

'Look, Kagetora wants to see you. Let's go, it's our last day.
Khalifa, when you're done with your training, we need to have a little talk, okay?
What do you mean?
I can't tell you now, so I'll tell you later.
Come on, you two, hurry up, we're losing all day!

　Zephyr's voice could be heard, and Adolph ran off a little happily as Khalifa took his hand.

　The next day, the four of them would leave Biyoment.
　They would set out on their journey as adventurers.

'Be careful,'
Mom....

　Zephyr and Kagetra's parents said their goodbyes and their mother burst into tears.

'I'm leaving Kagetra in your hands,'
We'll be fine, and Kagetola is stronger than me.
Yeah. Okay, Kagetora, take care of your brother.
I'm on it.

　Kagethras smiled.
　Khalifa and Adolf were equally sad to say goodbye.
　It was Adolf who was especially sad.

'We'll see you again soon. If you think it's not for you, come back.
'Yeah...'

　In front of his mother, Adolph's face was wet with tears.
　But when he heard Kagetora call out to him, he said goodbye with a fake smile.

'Hey Adolph, didn't you say yesterday that you wanted to talk to me about something?'
What?

　Khalifa asks Adolph as he gets into the carriage.
　Adolf drops his gaze and looks up as he makes a smile.

'Don't worry about it, it's no big deal.'
Really?

　While bidding farewell to their hometown, the four of them are excited about the adventure ahead.

'Let's go to Mira first,'

　Kagetola said.

'Speaking of which, there was an adventurer's guild over there, wasn't there?

　Khalifa asks.

'Yeah. 'My goal is to be an S-ranked adventurer, let's get to the top of the adventurer's ladder ourselves!

　On this day, four adventurers departed from the Eternal City - Biyoment.

*

　It had already been a month and a few days since they started life in Mira.
　The four of them have grown so fast that it's unusual to call them new adventurers.
　They have completed numerous challenging missions and are now known to everyone in Mira.
　And that's what makes a strong person so attractive.

'Um, you're Adolphe, I'm a fan, sign me up!
'Oh, yeah, fine...'
You're Zephyr and Kagetra, can I have your autograph?
Mr. Khalifa, please let me get a shot of you in my house so I can do a special feature on you.

　Khalifa had a slightly different following than the three of them as the bewitching Khalifa, due to her good looks. She was the best known person in the party.

'Sorry, but I don't like pictures. And you there!

　Khalifa pointed at the man with the camera.

'Didn't I tell you I hate photography?'

　For some reason, a huge cheer erupts.

'I wish I could be fingered by Lady Khalifa too!
"Master Khalifa, I'm holding a camera too!

　Everyone let out an involuntary sigh at her beauty.

''Hey Zephyr, should we go get a request soon?''
Okay, let's go.
'It's not a question of going, you're an adventurer, of course you're going.

　Khalifa was not happy with this situation.
　Day after day, she was surrounded by fans on her way to the guild, blocking her way and making it difficult for her to reach the guild.
　The other adventurers who take their requests seriously look at me coldly.
　The other adventurers who are taking his requests seriously look at him coldly, telling him that he's an adventurer, but he's feeling idle, or that he needs to stay out of their way.
　When they finally received their request and went outside, this time the fans followed them to the gate.
　The three of them felt a sense of fulfillment in those days, but not for Khalifa.
　For her, the rest was not in the interaction with the fans, but in the adventure.

'It's really frustrating, how did I let this happen? I wonder if this is what being an adventurer was all about, I feel like it's definitely not?
Come on. We're the hope of the town.

　Zephyr speaks proudly.

'One day I'll break that hope, what a bewitching caliphate!　I feel like an idiot and I'm angry, I can't go back to Beyonement like this...

　Khalifa longed to be an ordinary adventurer.
　She wanted to have a quiet adventure, and she wanted to do so.
　Just as Khalifa's patience was about to run out, the three of them guessed and decided to leave Mira.

'Well guys, thank you for everything!

　The fans and townspeople sent the four men off.
　Three of them chewed on their regrets and one of them let out a yell of joy in his heart.

　After this, Mira was called the city of beginnings for producing these four adventurers.



　Rumors of the four men spread beyond Mira and across the continent.
　They visited several towns and countries, completing numerous requests and walking across the continent.
　At the time, they were already S-ranked adventurers.
　In other words, their original goal was accomplished.
　But the four of them continued their journey.
　Before long, adventurer ranks had become a mere trivial matter.
　They just traveled and saw many things and came into contact with many different cultures.
　They were genuinely enjoying the journey.

　There was one event that would make the four of them even more famous.
　It was the battle between the Black Dragon and Kagetora.
　This one event gave the world hope that even the little ones could fight the dragons.

'Why, why are you doing this?'

　Alone, the black scaled dragon swooped down in front of Kagetra, who didn't fall to the end.

'That is our line. Human, do you not see this forest in your own eyes?

　A vast wilderness that goes on forever.
　A small forest appears in the middle of the vast wilderness.
　But the plants and trees had been burned and the forest had already been destroyed when a human set fire to it.

This is the forest of the spirits. Do you know what that means?
"...They burned the forest, so you attacked the country?
'Yes. 'Yes, the spirits are mild-mannered, and will not touch themselves no matter what they do to you. That's why he ate all those foolish humans instead of me.
'But that wouldn't be a good reason to kill him!
What a stupid answer!

　Kagetora closed in on the black dragon.

''Heavenly Lightning, Saber Lightning!

　The moment Kagetra chanted his magic, countless blades of lightning flew in from far above and attacked the black dragon.

''Do you think these things can work on me?''

　The black dragon spread its black wings and despised Kagetra.
　But a bolt of lightning pierced the black dragon's scales.
　The black dragon, bathed in the lightning, stopped moving with a scream.
　The smell of burning was wafting from the huge body with smoke rising from it.
　The black dragon slowly lifted the injured body.

''You have such power, why can't you understand? For human reasons the forest was burned down and many of the spirits that lived in this forest died and lost their homes. Doesn't the Lord think nothing of this?

　This was the first time Kagetora had learned of the fact that the spirit was dead.
　This was because the request form had only stated that it was to "defeat the black dragon that threatens the country".
　To the four of them, this was only a request and they hadn't been told about the spirit.
　When they calmed down, they suddenly saw the figure of the forest.

　The adventurers just silently do the request given to them.
　It doesn't matter how much they make a name for themselves, that's why the country sent out requests to adventurers who would do anything as long as they paid.
　--Please save us and this country.
　There is no adventurer who will not accept these words.
　Kagetora begins to realize.

'It was the king who ordered the forest to be burned down. He said it was not good for our defense.

　So did Zephyr.

'Did the King know why the Black Dragon appeared?

　The Khalifa, too, was in disbelief.

'You knew, and you ordered us to take them down.

　Adolf looked dejected.

'Let's not do this again, Kagetola. We've been assigned to do the dirty work, we've been used.
I believe him.

　Khalifa smiled at the black dragon.
　As soon as the four of them found the black dragon, they turned their blades in unison in hostility.
　But other than Kagetora, they were as if they were no match for him.
　Even though the Black Dragon could have killed them, he didn't kill the three of them, he just preached to them to stop attacking.
　It was reason enough to believe.
　Kagetra delivered his weapon.

My name is Kagetora, and I apologize for the folly of that country.
Kagetora...........well, I know it wasn't your fault. This is inevitable. This is the way of the world, this is the way of the world.

　There was some sadness in the black dragon's words.

'The forest will soon regain its form, and then the spirits will dwell again. It is no longer your concern. Fortunately, the nucleus has not yet been destroyed.

　The four of them saw the noble creature.
　It was divine, even longing.
　He spread his wings and finally.

'My name is Carpent ze Bach, one of the three great dragons in the service of the Dragon King!　O rare ones, don't let the world deceive you!

　The black dragon flew away and disappeared.
　The request was now accomplished, and the four were then welcomed, albeit reluctantly, to the royal castle with great fanfare.

'O adventurer Cagetra, in the name of the Emperor of the Dahmskale Empire, I give you my name.

　Kagetora gained the two names of the Dragon Slayer.
　The four men who drove away the Black Dragon were said to have overturned the stereotype of the absolute strongman (dragon), and in a sense, destroyed the heart of this world - the heart of reason - and established a new reason.
　People praised their courage and strength.
　--The heart of the dragon is in their hands, and it is up to them to decide if they should live or die.
　The four of them are gradually called

　The heart of the dragon - the heart of the dragon.

　But it is not what they want.
　The dragon is the one who ruled the battle, rather than the one who saved them.
　That's why the four of them were ashamed of their names.
　But once the word had spread, it could not be undone.
　That's how much the world recognized them.
　This name had already become a symbol to identify them.
　So they at least put a meaning into the name that they could be recognized without any shame.
　Those who gave their hearts to the noble black dragon - the heart of the dragon.