Ricardo finally wakes up and finds Leon sleeping beside him, waiting for him to regain consciousness. Ricardo groans slightly, stretching his sore muscles. Before he can even process his surroundings, Leon stirs awake and, upon noticing Ricardo, quickly scoots closer with a grin.
Leon ignores any formalities and asks excitedly, "So, how do you feel?"
Ricardo blinks, still trying to fully wake up, and chuckles lightly at Leon's enthusiasm. "Shouldn't I be the one asking you that?" he says with a smirk. "I was out cold. You tell me."
Leon crosses his arms and leans back dramatically. "Oh, you know, just outwitting a crazy swordsman with my superior intelligence! And, of course, some strategic fireball magic."
Ricardo raises an eyebrow, clearly skeptical. "Right... So, what really happened?"
Leon huffs. "Fine. I ran for my life and tricked him into a cave, then blocked the exit with a fireball. Happy?"
Ricardo chuckles. "Actually, yeah. That sounds exactly like you."
Leon then tells Ricardo about a skilled hunter named Amelia, who had treated his wounds. She was a striking woman with silver hair and piercing blue eyes, carrying herself with the confidence of someone who had seen countless battles. When Leon mentions that she wanted to talk to Ricardo once he woke up, Ricardo's expression changes slightly. Leon notices the reaction and smirks. "You know her, don't you?" he teases, but Ricardo brushes him off.
Leaving Ricardo to his own business, Leon sets out on another mission: finding a mage who can teach him more about his abilities and the system. That's when he meets Scott, a mysterious sorcerer with blue hair, wearing a dark cloak. Scott offers to teach Leon in exchange for three silver coins. Seeing this as a valuable investment, Leon accepts immediately.
Excited about his progress, Leon rushes back to inform Ricardo, but when he arrives, he finds Ricardo in a deep conversation with Amelia. The moment Amelia sees Leon, she abruptly leaves, making him even more suspicious. "Oho, so there is a story here," Leon muses, grinning. Ricardo just sighs and changes the subject.
With training in mind, they take on a new mission from the guild: hunting down three ghouls for a reward of five silver coins. However, when they find the creatures, Leon quickly realizes he's completely outmatched. His fireballs barely singe them, and one ghoul even swats his attack away like an annoying fly.
Ricardo, on the other hand, dispatches them effortlessly. With every swing of his sword, a ghoul falls, his movements swift and precise. Leon crosses his arms and pouts. "Couldn't you at least pretend to struggle? Just for my pride?"
Ricardo smirks. "If it makes you feel better, you did distract them pretty well."
Leon glares. "You mean they ignored you and chased after me? That's not a compliment!"
They return to the guild, claiming their reward of five silver coins. Later that evening, Leon eagerly heads off to meet Scott, his mind filled with anticipation about unlocking new abilities. But in the back of his head, a thought lingers: Who exactly is Amelia, and what history does she share with Ricardo?