"I'm not looking to leave without paying you," said Gen, "No? Then give me the twenty bronzes please.", "I wish I could, but I'm really out of money. Isn't there any other way I can pay the bill?", "Well ... you can take part in the challenge.", "Challenge? What challenge?", "It's very simple, you just have to eat the spiciest dish in the house. If you can eat it all, you don't have to pay anything.", "Ok, I'll try then.", "Ok, one moment please."

Gen was waiting for the owner to return with his dish and started to hear the people around him talking, "I can't believe that there is still someone who tries this challenge. There's still time for him to withdraw.", "From the looks of it, he's out of money. That's why he accepted the challenge.", "Poor guy, I'd pay a silver coin to not have to eat that again."

Gen swallowed hard, and Dehji then said, 'Yeah, Gen, who told you to try being smart and try to leave without paying him. Now you'll have to suffer the consequences.', 'Shut up Dehji, you know I didn't mean to.', 'That's right, I know, it's too bad they don't know that, hahahaha!', Gen put his head in his hands and thought, 'Let's hope they're exaggerating.'

After a few minutes, the owner returned from the kitchen with a plate in his hand, he then stopped at Gen's table and said, 'Here you go. A portion of 'Burning Desert', enjoy.", Gen then looked at the plate, and his eyes widened as he realized that it looked completely normal. He then thought, 'Did he bring me the wrong dish?', Gen then started to look around and almost jumped out of his chair as he realized that everyone in the restaurant was looking in his direction.

Gen saw that some of the people looking at the plate were shaking slightly, while others were sweating profusely, he then thought, 'Looks like this is the right dish.', he then turned to the owner and asked, "Do I get a drink?", the owner then said, "You do, but I would advise you to stay without a drink.", Gen looked around, and saw that some people were nodding their heads.

Gen then said, "Well, since you're saying so, I'll take your advice. Well, thanks for the food.", "You're welcome.", Gen then started to eat the food. After taking the first bite he was expecting to feel something, but nothing happened, and he thought, 'Funny, I don't feel anything spicy, could it be that I have a good resistance to pepper?

After a while Gen had eaten half of his plate and thought, 'Looks like I worried too much.', he then continued eating, and then he heard the owner say, "It must be almost time.", Gen finished swallowing what he was eating and asked him, "Time to -", but stopped in the middle of his sentence because he began to feel something he had never felt in his life, and thought, 'What is it! It feels like my mouth is on fire!'

Gen began to squirm, and when the people in the restaurant saw this, they began to say, "Eat.", "You must eat, quickly.", "Eat before you can't eat anymore." When Gen heard this, he thought, 'It's true. I can't lose this challenge,' he then started eating again, only this time much faster. The burning in his mouth would never stop, and the food was only making things worse, Gen kept eating as fast as he could, until he finished eating his plate.

Seeing that Gen had eaten the whole plate, the owner said, "My congratulations. You don't have to pay anything else now.", "That's nice, but are you sure that a drink won't improve the burning?", "Trust me young man, no drink can help you.", "And you don't have anything else that can?", "I do, but if I give it to you, the challenge will lose its meaning.", "And what would that meaning be?", "Simple, it's so people will understand what happens to people who try to leave without paying."

Gen wanted to say that he was not trying to do that, when suddenly Lia came through the door, and seeing him called out, "Mr-, 'hum hum', Gen, it's time. Mr. Gerald and the rest of the guys are waiting for you.", Gen then got up from the table and asked, "Has it been an hour already?", "Yes. Let's go.", "Okay.", Gen then started to walk towards Lia and heard the owner say, "Come back again.", Gen paused slightly as he heard this, and let out air through his nose, he then said, "You got it.", and continued in his thoughts, 'That I am never coming back here again.'

He then walked off with Lia towards the guild door where everyone was waiting. "Gen, you're finally here.", Gerald said, "Sorry, I ended up missing the time at lunch.", "No problem. Are you ready to go?", "Yes.", "Good, let's go then.", everyone then started heading towards the city gate, and on the way, you could hear some people talking among themselves.

"What's going on? Why are there so many adventurers in that group?", "Haven't you heard? Today is the day of the expedition to eliminate the herd of Grunars that have been attacking the people around the city.", "Oh, I heard about that, a cousin of mine keeps talking about how it's harder to get supplies for the store after that herd showed up."

"Is that the guild leader in the front?", "Yes, and not only him. Next to him is the strongest adventurer of this town, Karin.", "That's right, and I also recognize some other faces in the middle of this group. Is the herd that dangerous, to need all these high rank adventurers?", "Yes, from what I've heard, in the herd there are four red diamond Grunars, and their leader is an awakened one."

"An awakened monster! What are they thinking? Even though they are strong, it will be hard for Miss Karin, and Mr. Gerald to deal with it.", "Yes, but from what I heard, they won't be the ones to fight the awakened Grunar. It seems that they have managed to recruit two awakened ones for this expedition.", "Two awakened ones?! Who are they?", "Well, one of them is that man next to Karin", "Oh, I've seen him in some of the bars I frequent. Every time I see him, he's hitting on a different woman. And who is the other one?"

"The other one is that man with the white package on his back, and his hand on his belly.", "I've never seen him around here, has he arrived recently?", "From what I hear, he arrived earlier today.", "I saw him just now.", said a woman who was standing near the men, she then continued, "He tried to leave without paying in the burning desert, and was forced to participate in the challenge.", "He participated in the challenge?! That must be why he has his hand on his stomach then.", "Probably."

Hearing what people were talking about around him, Gen thought, 'I didn't try to leave. I simply forgot that I was out of money. I even offered to pay in some other way.', 'That's not a good excuse Gen, you better think of another one.', 'What excuse?! You know I'm telling the truth!', 'I really know it is, but even if it is true, who would believe it? would you?', '... Yeah, you're right.', 'I know I am.'

Gen was about to answer Dehji, when he heard Gerald speak, and realized that they had arrived at the gate. "Attention! Get in formation, from now on the expedition begins. The formation will be by rank, silver at the bottom, followed by gold, platinum, and diamond. Me, Karin, Raja, and Gen, will take care of the front. any questions?", "No, Mr. Gerald!", "Good."

Gen started to go to the front of the group and when he arrived he heard Raja speak, "Hey Gen, what took you so long to get back from lunch? Was the food that good?", "Well, I wouldn't say it was bad, but I wouldn't advise you to eat there.", "Hmm, got it, I'll take your advice this time.", "Raja, about Dekin -", "When we get back we'll talk about it Gen, and we can go to this great bar I discovered the other day.", "Is the food that good?", "No, it's terrible, but you have to look at the women who go there.They're not on Lina's level, but they're still beautiful.", "...", 'Hahaha, I like this guy,' said Dehji.

Raja then said, "What do you think? Or if you prefer, there's another place with decent food, only the women who go there are a little older. Ah." Raja walked over to Gen and said with one hand over his mouth, "There's another place too, the food is good, and there's ... some pretty good-looking guys, if you will. There are other places too.", "...", 'Hahahaha.', Gen then asked Raja, "How long have you been in this city?", "About five days.", "And in those five days you've been to so many bars?", "Impressive isn't it?", said Raja with a smile on his face, "Yes ... Impressive," said Gen.