Chapter 45 – A Shaking Reunion

They had just returned from their last mission when the doors of the East City guild hall slammed open with a heavy *thud*. The sound silenced the chatter in the room, and every adventurer instinctively turned toward the entrance.

A tall figure stepped inside, his blond hair messy as ever, but his presence was… overwhelming. It wasn’t just that he was strong—his aura radiated authority, confidence, and danger, the kind that made even veteran hunters hesitate before speaking.

Zareen froze where he stood. His chest tightened, breath caught in his throat.

“Gino…” The name slipped from his lips before he even realized he had spoken.

Yuna, who had been calmly reading a report in the corner, closed her book with a quiet snap. Her dark eyes sharpened like a blade.

Sari leaned forward over the table, her expression immediately brightening with curiosity. “Oooh, so this is Gino, huh?” she whispered, her voice almost gleeful.

Doni let out a low whistle, impressed. “Well damn. No wonder the air feels heavy. That guy’s on a different level.”

The blond man finally smiled, casual but laced with something dangerous. “Yo, Zareen. Been a while since I’ve seen that pale face of yours.”

---

### All Eyes on Gino

It was as if the entire guild hall collectively held its breath. The tension was palpable, though not hostile—just heavy.

Sari stood up from her chair and circled him like a curious cat. “So you’re *the* Gino? The so-called legendary rival of Zareen from the academy?”

Zareen waved his hands frantically. “H-hey, don’t call it that—”

“Rival?” Yuna cut him off, her voice cool but her eyes glittering with interest. “Explain.”

Gino chuckled, low and amused. “He’s always been the stubborn support mage. I trained twice as hard just to stay ahead of him, but somehow, he always showed up at the most important moments. Annoying as hell…” His grin softened slightly. “…but it kept me pushing myself harder. I hated losing to him.”

Sari’s eyes sparkled with excitement. “Ooooh, so you two were like true rivals! That’s so cool!”

Doni stepped up and clapped Gino’s shoulder like they were already best friends. “Man, I like your vibe. Strong, confident, charismatic. You’re way more badass than Zareen.”

Zareen spun toward him in disbelief. “Excuse me!? I’m standing right here!”

But no one paid him any attention. They were already laughing, asking Gino questions, demanding stories of the past.

For the first time in a long while, Zareen felt like a ghost in his own party. Everyone was talking about him, about *his* history, but he was the only one who didn’t know how to join the conversation.

---

### Gino’s Revelation

The light mood shifted when Gino suddenly lowered his voice. His grin faded, his expression turning serious.

“There’s something you all should know,” he said. His words cut through the noise, and the group fell silent, leaning closer to hear.

“I’m not like you. I’m… different.”

Yuna’s brows drew together. “Different how?”

“I’m not a player,” Gino said flatly. “I’m… a native.”

The entire table went silent.

Sari blinked, her playful expression vanishing. Doni’s jaw dropped. Even Yuna’s face hardened, her gaze sharpening like a predator reading its prey.

Gino continued, his tone calm but carrying weight. “A native’s strength comes from the balance of this world itself. I don’t level the way you do—I grow by living, by fighting, by surviving. I can keep getting stronger without limit.”

He clenched his fist. A faint ripple of black energy bled from his skin, making the air feel suddenly cold. “But if I slip even a little… if I lose control… the darkness tied to the Ice Dragon will consume me. And when that happens…”

The table felt as if it was shrinking around them. Even the other adventurers in the guild seemed to sense the shift in atmosphere, glancing warily in their direction.

“…I’ll become a monster. The kind that no top-ranked raid party could easily defeat.”

---

### The Party Reacts

Sari shuddered visibly. “That’s… terrifying.”

Doni’s eyes were wide, a mix of fear and awe. “So you’re like… a walking raid boss waiting to happen? That’s both awesome and completely insane.”

Yuna didn’t flinch. She simply stared at Gino for several seconds, as if dissecting every word, every movement. “That means you’re living on the edge every single day.”

Gino smirked faintly, but there was no humor in his eyes. “Exactly. Which is why I can’t afford to let my guard down. That’s why I keep seeking out Zareen.”

He turned to look at the black-haired mage directly, his expression unreadable. “If I fall… maybe he’ll be the only one who can stop me.”

Zareen’s pulse hammered in his ears. The words sank deep, heavy and unshakable. Was that supposed to be a compliment? A warning? A burden?

He wanted to say something—anything—but his throat was dry.

---

### Tension at the Table

Sari was the first to break the silence, clapping her hands together with a grin far too wide for the gravity of the situation. “Well, if that’s the case, then this is getting exciting! Having someone like Gino around would definitely make our team level up!”

Zareen nearly choked. “Wait, wait, hold on! Are you seriously inviting him to join!?”

Doni grinned like an idiot. “I mean, think about it! We’d basically be unstoppable! Zareen the Support, Yuna the Dark Knight, Sari the Assassin, me the Sharpest Archer Alive, and Gino the Half-Walking-World-Boss. We’d be legendary!”

“Legendary and dead if he loses control,” Zareen muttered, but no one seemed to hear him.

Gino just chuckled, that same infuriatingly confident grin spreading across his face. “Who knows?” he said, turning toward the guild door as if he hadn’t just dropped a world-shaking revelation on them.

“Maybe one day I will join you.”

And then, without another word, he strode out of the guild hall, leaving Zareen and the others staring after him in stunned silence.

---

### Zareen’s Turmoil

Zareen sank back into his chair, exhaling a breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding.

*Why does it feel like everything just got a hundred times more complicated?*

The others slowly returned to their seats, but the mood was different now—heavier, more focused. Even Sari had stopped grinning quite so widely.

Yuna’s gaze lingered on the door for a long moment before she finally spoke. “If what he says is true, we can’t ignore it. Whether he’s friend or foe, Gino will play a part in what’s coming.”

Zareen stared down at his hands, feeling the weight of those words. *If he falls… only I can stop him.*

The thought chilled him, but somewhere deep inside, a spark of determination flickered.

He couldn’t let Gino be consumed by the darkness.

Not if he could do something about it.