The road felt familiar again.
Dust beneath their feet.
Wind brushing past.
The quiet rhythm of traveling together.
Lira walked ahead.
"…Hungry," she said.
Shun smirked.
"…We just ate."
"…Still."
Eldarin adjusted his cloak dramatically.
"…A warrior must maintain peak condition—"
"…You just want to eat again," Shun cut in.
"…That is also true."
Lira nodded.
"…Good."
For a moment—
It almost felt like before.
Then—
"…Stop."
Three figures stood in the middle of the road.
Blocking their path.
Kael would've sighed.
But he wasn't here.
So Shun did instead.
"…Of course…"
The three adventurers stepped forward.
Each one radiating confidence.
Power.
Experience.
A tall swordsman with a scar across his eye.
A woman with twin daggers and a sharp grin.
And a mage cloaked in deep blue, staff glowing faintly.
"…You're Lira," the swordsman said.
Lira nodded.
"…Yes."
The dagger-wielder smirked.
"…Good. That saves time."
The mage stepped forward.
"…We've heard the stories."
"…The empire."
"…The demon generals."
He raised his staff slightly.
"…We want to see if it's true."
Eldarin frowned.
"…You wish to challenge us?"
The swordsman grinned.
"…No."
He pointed directly at Lira.
"…We want to challenge her."
Silence.
Shun cracked her neck slightly.
"…Bad idea."
The dagger-user laughed.
"…That's what everyone says."
Lira tilted her head.
"…Why?"
The mage's eyes sharpened.
"…Because if we win…"
"…We prove the world wrong."
The swordsman stepped forward.
"…And if we lose…"
He smiled wider.
"…Then at least we fought the strongest."
A pause.
Lira looked at them.
Really looked.
Not enemies.
Not monsters.
Just people.
"…Okay," she said.
Shun blinked.
"…That was fast."
Eldarin sighed.
"…Of course she agreed…"
The three adventurers took their stances.
Serious now.
Focused.
This wasn't arrogance anymore.
This was resolve.
The mage raised his staff.
The swordsman lowered his blade.
The dagger-user vanished into motion.
Lira stepped forward.
Calm.
For the first time—
Not careless.
"…Start?" she asked.
The swordsman smiled.
"…Start."
And in that moment—
Three challengers faced a legend.
Not knowing…
They weren't just testing her strength.
They were testing how much she had changed.
To Be Continued…