Chapter 2: The Boy with Golden Eyes

For a moment, I could only stare at the young man who had saved us.
His presence felt… familiar.
Familiar in a way that made my heart tighten.

He looks exactly like the one from Mother’s old story…
The Unifier…? No, that’s impossible.

But before I could speak—

“Behind you!”
His voice cut like lightning.

I turned just in time to see thirty goblins rushing forward, saliva dripping from their jagged teeth. Some stared at us like prey. Others… with hunger far darker than that.

The young man raised his hand.

“You there. Lend me your sword.”

Tsubaki blinked.
She still carried Kazuma’s spare blade.
With trembling hands, she tossed it to him.

He caught it effortlessly.

And then—

He moved.

No hesitation.
No mercy.
A blur of black hair and golden light.

The first goblin didn’t even scream—its head fell before its body realized it was dead.
Then another.
And another.

The young man carved through them with fluid, chilling precision.
Cold eyes.
Cold expression.
Deadly grace.

He’s… terrifying.

In seconds, the thirty goblins were reduced to five survivors.

They tried to run.

But he was faster.

A flash—
A shadow—
A scream cut short—

And silence fell.

I swallowed hard.

That was not strength.
That was dominance.

A heavy thump echoed.

The ogre he had kicked earlier rose again, one eye glowing with hatred.

“Y-You… I… will… end you…!”

I froze.
Ogres aren’t supposed to talk.
Not like that.

The young man didn’t flinch.

He stepped forward and whispered:

“<Mach Slash>.”

The world blurred.

A single arc of light carved through the ogre’s body—
severing its right arm cleanly.

The creature bellowed in agony.

The young man’s golden eyes shone, bright and cold.

In one final motion, he cut down the ogre without hesitation.

Kazuma’s spare sword cracked—
then shattered in his hand.

Too much power.
Too much mana.
The blade couldn’t withstand him.

I stepped forward despite the fear twisting my stomach.

“Anoo… a-are you alright?”

He didn’t answer.

Instead, he tore part of his sleeve and knelt beside Liliana, pressing cloth against a wound that should have been healed.

“Why… why is she bleeding again? I already healed her…”

He didn’t respond.
Didn’t even look at me.

His golden eyes flickered—
then he vanished into the darkness, as if he could see through it as clearly as daylight.

Leaving us behind.

I wanted to call out.
To thank him.

But my voice wouldn’t come.

Tanma slammed her hands on the counter.

“Miyuki! Are you insane!? A dungeon without reporting!?”

I bowed my head.

The Guildmaster overheard and delivered punishment instantly.

“Dog Wild is banned for five years.”

Silence fell.

Tsubaki clenched her fists.

“Then Dog Wild disbands. We’re done.”

Just like that… I was alone again.

A lone healer no one wanted.
A burden.
Useless in battle.
Powerless to save anyone.

Days passed.
I visited Liliana’s hospital room, but—

She couldn’t speak.
She couldn’t look at anyone.

Losing Kazuma—
her lover—
had broken something inside her.

And I…

I felt that break inside myself too.

The failure.
The guilt.
The weakness.

Useless. If I had alerted the guild sooner—if I had been stronger—maybe…

Depression swallowed me for a week.

Tanma spammed my LINE every day, worried sick.

But I couldn’t answer.
Not yet.

Tanma dragged me out to an amusement park.

“You need fresh air. A change of pace. And you owe me for scaring me to death.”

We sat on a bench, eating crepes.

I finally spoke.

“Tanma… the boy who saved us… he defeated thirty goblins alone. And the ogre… he spoke. And… that boy… he felt like someone from another era.”

“Then he must be a top-class adventurer, obviously.” Tanma shrugged.

“No… his clothes… he looked like someone thrown into the future.”

Tanma rolled her eyes, but smiled.

“If it makes you feel better, you can believe whatever you want. Just don’t give up on being an adventurer, Miyuki.”

Her warmth… slowly brought me back.

Even if I was alone now, I wanted to keep trying.

Students filled the courtyard—boasting loudly, bragging about being descendants of the ancient Five Heroes.

I didn’t buy any of it.

I sat under the sakura tree, listening half-heartedly as the teacher lectured.

Then—
something in the distance caught my eye.

At the academy’s front gate—
a familiar silhouette.

Black hair.
Golden eyes.

It’s him.

“Miyuki-chan? Miyuki-chan? Are you listening?”

“Anoo, Sensei—sorry. I was distracted.”

She sighed softly.
“It must be difficult… dealing with what happened.”

I nodded weakly and glanced back—

He was gone.

Moments later, Sensei received a call and stepped out. When she returned, her face was bright.

“Class, you’re getting a new student today. He just transferred back to Japan from overseas. Treat him well.”

The class buzzed with whispers.

I ignored them.

Until—

“Alright, you may come in.”

Footsteps.
Soft, steady, confident.

My heart stopped.

Black hair.
Golden eyes.
Clothes too traditional for this era.

The boy from the dungeon.

The boy from the gate.

He stepped into the classroom.

And the world went silent around me.

I stood abruptly, trembling.

“Why… why are you here?”

He looked at me.

Calm.
Cold.
Unreadable.

“My name is Nagumo Kohaku. I look forward to studying with all of you.”

The name felt fake.
A mask.
A lie.

But the power behind his eyes was real.

Too real.

Why did fate bring him here?

And deep in my chest, something awakened…

Fear.
Curiosity.
Hope.
Recognition.

I didn’t know which one scared me most.