A Mythical Magical Beast Appears

The afternoon sun cast a warm glow over the bustling town.
Nara (Karan) stood in the middle of the square, shifting his weight impatiently. He muttered to himself, "Where is he?"
From a short distance away, a voice called out.
"Thanks for waiting. Now, we’re ready to go," said a boy approaching him.
Nara turned to see Alan (Chef) walking toward him, a fully packed backpack slung over his shoulders.
"What’s in it?" Nara asked, eyeing the bulging bag.
"Everything we might need," Alan replied with a confident smile.
Nara nodded. "I see. Then let's go."
"Yeah, sure."
With that, they set off, their footsteps blending into the hum of the town.
As they walked, Nara glanced at Alan. "So, you have an adventurer license too?"
"Nope."
Nara frowned. "I don’t have one either. If we get caught, we’re in trouble."
Alan chuckled. "Not really. I have a chef’s license, which allows me to search for ingredients and rare items within the kingdom’s borders. It gives me enough freedom to travel."
Nara raised an eyebrow. "There’s a license for everything, huh?"
Alan nodded. "Yeah, but you can only hold two at a time."
"So, you have two?"
"Yep. I’m a certified chef and a merchant."
Nara blinked in surprise. "Wow. And how old are you?"
"Sixteen, but I’ll be seventeen next month."
Nara let out an impressed whistle. "You’re really something. You’ve achieved a lot at such a young age."
Alan shook his head. "Nah, I still have a long way to go. I’m not even married yet."
Nara chuckled dryly. "Seems like I’m the one left behind. I haven’t done anything meaningful in life, and I have no clue what the future holds for me."
Alan gave him a curious look. "How old are you?"
"Eighteen."
Alan’s eyes widened. "Wait, what? No way! You don’t look that old!"
Nara sighed. "Yeah, well… Anyway, forget that. Where are we headed?"
Alan grinned. "To the forest. We’ll start with some boars for practice, then figure out your quest."
Nara sighed. "Right… but where do we even find a Sage Toad?"
Alan scratched his head. "If you ask me, it’s impossible to find a Sage—let alone a Toad Sage."
"Why’s it so difficult?"
Alan smirked. "I’ve been a merchant for five years, and I’ve never met a single adventurer who’s even mentioned seeing a Sage. They’re practically myths."
Nara’s thoughts drifted. "Yeah, even in World Slasher, finding a Sage was never easy. So how am I supposed to complete this quest? If I fail, I’ll be stuck hunting boars and saving silver from trading just to get my license…"
Alan suddenly grinned. "By the way, since you’re older, you must have a girlfriend, right?"
Nara groaned. "Are you still on about that?"
Alan laughed. "Come on, you must have a crush, at least. A cute girl, maybe?"
"Enough, bro. There’s no one."
Alan smirked. "What about you? You seem like a smooth talker. You must have someone special."
Alan scratched his cheek. "Well… there is one person I like."
Nara’s eyes lit up. "Oh ho! Who’s the lucky girl?"
Alan looked away. "Her name’s Alisha. She’s a C-class adventurer. We’ve met a few times, but our conversations never go beyond ‘hello’."
Nara chuckled. "Listen, I know nothing about love, but here’s my advice—just tell her how you feel. At least that way, you won’t have regrets."
Alan sighed. "I’ve tried, but I’m scared of ruining what little I have with her."
Nara smirked. "When was the last time you talked to her?"
Alan thought for a moment. "Six months ago, I think."
Nara stopped dead in his tracks. "WHAT?! Six months ago?! And you still think she remembers you?! Bro, you’re dreaming if you believe she’s still single. She definitely belongs to someone else!" He burst into laughter.
Alan frowned. "Hey! She’s an adventurer. She travels a lot. But whenever she comes to Mutespire, she always stops by to see me."
Nara grinned mischievously. "Oh, she comes to see you, huh? That’s what you believe?"
"It’s true!"
"Alright then, tell me—what does she do when she visits?"
"She orders food."
Nara raised an eyebrow. "And?"
"And then she eats… and leaves."
Nara smirked. "Oh, buddy. You’re still a kid."
Alan frowned. "Why? What’s wrong with that?"
"Nothing, nothing at all," Nara said, shaking his head.
"Hey, tell me!" Alan insisted.
Nara just laughed, waving him off as they walked deeper into the forest.
Suddenly, they spotted a wounded boar limping through the underbrush.
Nara observed it carefully. "Looks like someone tried to catch it, but it escaped."
Alan sighed. "That’s worse for it."
"Why?"
"If it had been caught, its suffering would’ve ended quickly. But now, it’ll be rejected by its herd and left to suffer alone."
Nara shrugged. "You’re the expert here."
Alan set down his bag and pulled out a knife. Nara’s eyes widened as he saw an entire set of knives—ranging from small blades to massive cleavers.
For a split second, a chilling sensation gripped him. His heart pounded, and an overwhelming sense of danger made him freeze. It felt like if he stayed here any longer, he would die.
Then, just as quickly as it came, the feeling vanished.
Nara staggered back, taking deep breaths. He looked around, but there was no one else—just Alan and him.
Still catching his breath, he muttered, "Alan, did you feel tha—"
Alan cut him off. "Shh…"
Nara followed Alan’s gaze.
His expression shifted from confusion to shock.
The boar’s wound was slowly healing—right before their eyes.
But that wasn’t what stunned him the most.
Behind the boar stood a majestic beast. Its fur shimmered in hues of pale yellow and blue. It resembled a barasingha, but its horns were unlike anything Nara had ever seen. They glowed with an ethereal light, swirling with a cosmos-like pattern.
The creature’s piercing gaze was locked onto Alan.
Alan, his breath shaky, slowly lowered his knife and stepped back.
His voice barely above a whisper, he gulped and said, "Nara… RUN."