"Get behind me!"

"Got it!"

"Aw, what about me?"

"You can take care of yourself, so drop the damsel tone already!"

Screeches that could taint a person's dreams for the rest of their life echoed across the grainy landscape. A winged devil with protruding horns stood before them. The bumps on its scales and the distinct rugged nature of it told Ryuji that they weren't dealing with a mere drake.

"Figures that just when we're about to exit this hellhole, something terrible shows up. My curse is just fan-fucking-tastic!"

"That's not just something! That's a Dune Fiend! It's one of the few monsters out here that rank above S."

As the boy revealed the creature's identity, he clutched tightly to Ryuji's cloak without looking away from the beast.

"A-Above it? Cooooool."

Meanwhile, Ryuji's mind was going a million miles per minute as he attempted to find some way out of their predicament. His sweaty hands grasped a drawn sword that he pointed towards the monster. Its head swayed back and forth as it merely continued to watch them instead of attack.

"What's the big deal about it being above S? You do realize that Wrath was categorized as a beta, right? Just use that tiger sword thing and get it over with."

"I don't like how nonchalant you are about this. You know that if I die, this thing's coming after you next."

"If you die, I'll be long gone. It can't gobble up your corpse that fast."

"...I'm slapping you after this is done."

Seeming to be tired of merely gazing, the Dune Fiend reared its head back and roared. The sound of it spurred Ryuji to make a decision, whether it was a good one or not.

"Just so you're prepared, what I'm about to do breaks my arms, so if I miss or it isn't dead, I suggest you both run!"

"What?"

"Understood!"

Ryuji attempted to ignore the cats mocking tone, stuck-out tongue, and thumbs up. He needed to concentrate; if he couldn't, then the move wouldn't work.

'Sharpen, sharpen, sharpen! Become a single edge down to a single point!' He opened his eyes and moved his sword. "Sudden-"

"Out of my way, mongrel! Holy Puncture!"

"Say what?"

The beast in front of him couldn't even offer up a scream as its lungs and other various innards exploded forth onto the sand. Without its precious insides, the Dune Fiend's eyes lost their light, and its head fell onto the ground, slowly sinking into the red sand.

"How conceited can you get? Blocking my path, bah!"

A man with short platinum hair strode past the fallen beast. His completely white attire contrasted with the sullied red sand he walked upon. As he continued strutting, awareness flashed through his yellow eyes as if he just noticed something.

"You three! Who are you? I demand an answer posthaste!"

Ryuji, who was happy his arms had just been saved, answered with a cheery smile. "I'm Ryuji, this person behind me is Ash, and that girl over there is Nyanjo, pleased to meet you."

"Is that so?" The man's eyes looked them over with scrutiny. After doing so, he let out a sigh that seemed to be saying, 'Who cares if they're lying about their names?' With a giant sweeping motion, he bowed. "I shall now divulge my name as well. Before you is Elio Abate, I trust you know what that means."

After finishing his bow, Elio stared down Ryuji, awaiting his response. Ryuji couldn't help but notice how the man's hand was slowly starting to grip his sword harder.

"Of course I do, um, oh great Abate. Real quick though, can I have a word with my feline friend? I think she's still shook up over the monster, and I want to calm her nerves."

With the fakest smile Ryuji could ever hope to muster, he pleaded his case and desperately hoped that this man was at least a little amicable. Much to his surprise, he received an understanding look from the arrogant gentlemen.

"Hmm? Whatever, be quick about it."

"Thank you~." Without wasting a second, he bolted over to the pink-haired cat, who had stayed uncharacteristically silent throughout the exchange. "Quick, explain what the hell being an Abate means."

"I'm not even surprised by your lack of knowledge at this point."

"I know, I know, I'm fucking stupid! Just give me the rundown and save the remarks for later."

"Basically, it means that he's super important, like prince level important. His family is in charge of the Illumine church, which in turn is in charge of Hofel. He might as well be royalty."

"Now, wait a minute! How do you know this guy is important? What if he just has the last name, but he's some low-ranking third cousin or something? Surely not everyone in his family is treated like a god."

"No, he has to be close to the Ajant's main family. You see his eyes and hair? That isn't normal by any means, especially for humans. They say that the founder of Illumine's church was touched by her himself and that just by being embraced, his entire makeup was changed. Only the immediate descendants of the Ajant have those characteristics."

"I see, I see. So he's super important, gotcha. There there~, the great hero before us has vanquished the monster you don't need to be so frightened my companion!."

After finishing their hushed strategy meeting Ryuji slipped into more terrible acting and made sure that the man overlooking them with murder in his eyes could hear. Nyanjo side-eyed him with a glare before seemingly becoming someone else entirely.

"But, but it was just so scary!" With fake tears in her eyes that could have fooled Ryuji a week or two ago, she clung to his mantle. "Can you hold me? I don't think I can calm down otherwise." Ryuji visibly hesitated his virgin reflexes were acting up. "If y-you don't want to that's fine." But after seeing her smug smirk Ryuji's feelings all but dissipated. He hugged her without restraint. He wouldn't let her have the satisfaction of teasing him.

“You smell like shit, by the way.”

With a harsh whisper in her ear, Ryuji attempted to make some kind of comeback.

“That’s pretty hilarious coming from the guy who probably has a treant sprouting from this hug.”

“Is that what you think? Sorry to burst your bubble, but I’m still reeling from the fight or flight situation. My little guy is staying little, sorry.”

“Can you two please stop flirting in front of me? It’s making me feel exceedingly awkward!”

Elio looked on with a red face that Ryuji figured wasn't from the sun. He didn't look as though he wanted to murder them anymore so Ryuji took it as a solid win.

“Um yes, I’m ever so sorry, lord Abate!”

“As long as you’re remorseful about it I shall forgive this blunder on your part.”

With a dry cough, Elio put the embarrassing moment behind him and completely stepped back into high and mighty mode. Ryuji took notice and then realized that he had never explained why he was here.

“Thank you. By the way, my lord, why are you in this place all by yourself?”

“I have no obligation to answer a peasant, but very well. I’m traveling to a great congregation of the world's finest known as the world summit! I am the representative of Hofel. It’s a high honor!”

The news made his eyebrows raise. How lucky or unlucky did he have to be to meet someone heading to the same place as him?

“You’re going to the summit? Just what I’d expect from an Abate!”

With more fake smiles and excitement, he continued to stroke Elio's ego. Ryuji thought he was probably pushing it and that even this egomaniac was sure to notice soon, but apparently, his fears were unfounded.

“Indeed!" For the first time since meeting, a flash of doubt came over the man's visage. All the confidence seemed to drain from him, but despite this, his speech was still normal. "It’s only natural for one of my blood to be exceptional.”

The three of them looked each other in the eyes as if to make sure they had seen that correctly. Instead of continuing to have unwavering confidence Elio seemed to be concerned when he talked of his blood. Ryuji had the feeling he didn't want to touch that with a fifty-foot pole, so instead, he drove the conversation a different way.

“Uh yeaaah. Forgive me for asking this, but why are you all alone out here?”

“Hmm, another question?" His eyes came back to life thanks to Ryuji's question, and the distress radiating from him disappeared as if it was never there to begin with. But very well, you seem to greatly understand who it is you’re dealing with, so I shall indulge you. Yes, I was traversing through this disaster zone with quite a few bodyguards. After two weeks, they started to complain more and more, so I told them off in a proper fashion. After which, they all left and took my supplies. As such, I’ve continued to wander the desert in an attempt to find the exit into south kevic."

All three of them stood in surprise at the young man's story. He didn't seem upset or angry at the men who deserted him and practically left him for dead.

"Wait, so how long have you gone without water?"

"Three days, I believe."

He continued to speak nonchalantly while Ryuji was nearly having a panic attack.

"Get this man a flask of water!"

The kid behind him frantically searched around in his bag and took out a canteen that was still full. Ryuji snatched it and presented the elixir to Elio, who took it without a single word of thanks. Vigorously, he gulped down the contents without leaving a single drop.

"Ah, this is how it should be."

"What about food? Are you hungry?"

"Hungry? Yes, I could use some nutrients. My body may give out soon."

Already prepared for his answer, Ryuji held out some slabs of jerky. It would be a stretch to describe them as nutrients, but Elio devoured them all the same without a single word.

Once he was finished, his face tensed into something serious while his eyes flicked over each of them. "You three." He turned to Ryuji and focused all his attention on him. "And you in particular. You have all been a great help to me, Elio Abate! You all assisted me without a single prompt to do so. Even in this barren hellscape, you held your morals! For this, you deserve praise and a prize worthy of people such as yourself! Now tell me, what is it you desire?"

"Can it be anything?"

"As long as I can provide it!"

When Ryuji looked over the faces of those he was accompanying for ideas, they just stared back blankly. It was up to him to figure out their prize. "Can you please accompany us to South Kevic? There's a village there we're heading to, and I would feel a lot safer if someone as great as you was escorting us." Upon finishing, Ryuji checked back to see the expressions of his travel buddies. Ash looked slightly confused and anxious. Nyanjo seemed like she was about to rip her hair out.

"That works out perfectly! I was heading there anyway! Fear not, my temporary employer, I shall allow no harm to befall you or your companions, I swear on the name Abate!"

"You hear that guys!? We are saved!"

"Will you please get off your knees and stop being so dramatic? We were practically already out of this place anyway."

"It may not seem important to you, but to me, this is a godsend. Have you ever heard of something called peace of mind?"

"Your lover's quarrel is making me exceedingly uncomfortable! Don't you feel the same way, young Ash?"

"Oh um y-yes..."

Ryuji saw the signs of Ash's distress and moved to interrupt. "So my lord can you please lead the way?"

"Why of course!"

After straightening his white robe and sheathing his sword, Elio began strutting forward with so much confidence that Ryuji almost didn't have the heart to tell him he was going in the wrong direction.