The group set out to explore the town, but with Hollie knowing more than anyone, she took the lead, guiding them through the winding streets. Maya, Belail, and Suna were awestruck by their destination. As they approached, Belail squinted at the sign before turning to Hollie with a puzzled expression.
"Uh... why is it vegan?" he asked, his voice laced with confusion.
Hollie scoffed, shaking her head as if he had just asked the dumbest question imaginable. "This is a beast town. Nobody eats meat anymore."
Suna's eyes widened in disbelief. "WHAT?!" she shrieked. "You're kidding, right?"
Hollie smirked. "Nope. Back in the past, we used to capture our prey and enslave them until we were ready to eat and cook them. But as time went on, beast people were seen as barbarians because of it. So, we decided to change. Now, we all live in peace and have adopted a vegan lifestyle." She crossed her arms, satisfied with her explanation. "But don't worry—you meat eaters are covered. The chef here uses magic to make the food taste just like meat."
With that, the group walked in and found a table. As they settled in, a server approached. At first, they didn't pay much attention to him—until recognition struck them all at once.
"Wait a second..." Maya narrowed her eyes. "KEN?!"
Ken grinned at them, raising his arms in a welcoming gesture. "Hey, guys!"
Maya leaned forward, still stunned. "What are you doing here?"
Ken rubbed the back of his head with a sheepish smile. "Well... since you know what happened to my dojo—"
They all nodded in silent understanding.
"I got a nice reward, so I don't need a job," he continued. "But I still wanted to find a way to help the community, just like I used to."
Respect flickered in the group's eyes. After hearing that, they couldn't help but admire him even more. With lighter spirits, they placed their orders and enjoyed the meal.
As they finished, Hollie leaned forward. "Well? Was it good?"
Suna wiped her mouth and grinned. "Yeah, it was delicious."
With satisfied stomachs, they stepped back outside, walking together under the fading sunlight.
"So, what now?" Belail asked, stretching his arms behind his head.
Hollie tapped her chin in thought before a mischievous grin crossed her lips. "How about we play some Beast Soccer?"
At the mere mention of the game, Maya groaned, her shoulders slumping. "Oh no..."
Suna turned to her in curiosity. "What's wrong?"
Before Maya could answer, she caught sight of Belail standing there, smirking like a predator who had just found his prey.
"Belail is the best soccer player I know," Maya admitted with a sigh. "He trained non-stop in his free time."
Hollie, ever the competitive one, scoffed. "Pfft. Let's go."
With that, they made their way to the soccer field. Hollie and Suna teamed up against Maya and Belail. The match began with Belail starting the ball. Wasting no time, he dribbled forward, moving with a fluidity that made it clear he had mastered the sport.
Hollie lunged to steal the ball, but with a swift rainbow flick, Belail sent it over her head, smoothly regaining control as he sprinted towards the goal. Suna, far too slow to stop him, could only watch as he took the shot. The robotic goalkeeper attempted to block it but failed—the ball slammed into the net.
Maya ran up to Belail, clapping him on the back. "Nice shot!"
Over the next hour, Belail dominated the game, effortlessly outmaneuvering his opponents. By the time they finally stopped, the group was exhausted, sweat dripping from their brows as they trudged home, ready for rest.
As they stepped inside, an unexpected sight greeted them—Azire was running around in a frenzy, his energy completely out of place.
"Azire, what's wrong?" Suna asked, watching him in confusion.
He whirled around, pointing to his face. "MY EYE! IT WON'T GO BACK TO NORMAL!"
The group immediately focused on his eye, the difference striking. The energy crackling around it was mesmerizing.
"Whoa, that's pretty cool," Belail said, stepping closer.
Maya and Suna leaned in, staring in awe. "It actually looks amazing," Maya murmured.
Hollie, however, rolled her eyes at their reactions, unimpressed by their fascination.
Azire finally took a deep breath, trying to compose himself.
"Maybe this is an ability of the Demon King," Suna suggested, glancing at him with intrigue.
Azire sighed. "Well, this is pretty crazy... I need sleep. I doubt I'll ever get my precious eye back."
Laughter erupted from the group, the tension easing as the night wound down. One by one, they drifted off to their rooms, the events of the day still lingering in their minds as they fell into slumber