Fugo was unsure if he should take that as a compliment.
"I'm sorry." Fugo apologized, bowing quickly. "I didn't see–"
The other guy waved a hand dismissively, cutting off Fugo's apology. "Relax, relax. No harm done."
"So, you're new around here, Mr. Orange?" the man asked curiously.
Fugo hesitated, thinking of how to respond. "Uh, y-yeah. I just signed up today..."
"Perfect!" the boy declared.
He pointed his left index finger at Fugo.
"Join my party!"
"W-what?"
"You heard me," the guy said happily.
"You're in. Congratulations!"
Fugo blinked, dumbfounded. "B-but... why me?"
The boy raised an eyebrow as if the answer were obvious.
"Because we bumped into each other, what else?"
"That's... that's it?" Fugo asked, still reeling.
The guy laughed, slapping a hand on Fugo's shoulder. "Of course! Fate has spoken, my friend. Why fight it?"
Fugo stared at the man before him, wondering if he was joking or not. His confidence and personality all felt foreign to someone like Fugo.
"The name's Renjiro Tokita, by the way," the boy said, giving Fugo's shoulder a light squeeze before pulling his hand back. "You?"
"Fugo Almaty," Fugo replied. This was the part he hated the most about introductions.
Whenever Fugo spoke of his last name, others tended to place high expectations on him, which always resulted in him being disappointed near the end.
Renjiro's eyes lit up. "Almaty!? Oh-ho, now I see why fate brought us together."
"Believe me, I'm not that impressive, " Fugo told him.
"That's okay if you try to get impressive later. The effort is all I want." Renjiro said, stepping back and crossing his arms.
Fugo shifted uncomfortably, beginning to process Renjiro's enthusiasm. "I'm not experienced either. I've never been in a party before, and I don't think I'm ready for–"
Renjiro cuts him off yet again, this time with a playful punch to the arm.
"Listen, nobody's ready for anything until they start doing it. Correct me if I'm wrong, but you came here because of ambition and goals, right?"
"I wasn't ready to recruit anyone today either, but here I am. Wishing for us to become teammates."
"Yes, but your reason for it...is too vague."
"Vague? I already told you. It's fate, fate!"
"I just don't know, I'd rather wait it out some more."
"I can tell you're lying, Mr., Just quit playing hard to get and come with me. Do you wish to grow, to challenge yourself? To conquer the tower, maybe?"
Renjiro smiled. "I am going to achieve it all."
Fugo felt the sheer confidence coming from Renjiro's words.
He asked, "But what about the rest of your party?"
"Don't have one yet. I was just thinking of recruiting people my age tomorrow or something, but....BAM...you hit me like a runaway bull. Looks like I've got my first member!"
Fugo gave it some thought. He knew if he passed up this chance, it'd be a very long time before he gained another. He also was not leader material to go around and form a team himself either. "Okay," he finally said.
"Atta boy!" Renjiro cheered.
"Trust me, Fugo. This is the start of something legendary."
The two stepped into the guild hall, beginning to discuss future plans with each other. While doing that, Renjiro took the initiative to offer several different characters to join his party. But, as expected, no one accepted his invitation.
Hours later, Renjiro and Fugo went for a stroll in the city.
"Well, that was a bust," Renjiro admitted with a shrug.
"You'd think people would jump at the chance to join our party."
Fugo glanced at him, unsure if he was joking or serious.
"May... maybe we just need more time?"
"Time, huh? Too bad we don't have forever. The Spiral waits for no one, Fugo. No one!" He stopped, placing his hands on his hips and scanning the horizon.
"We'll find someone. Fate is doing its course." They continued their stroll until the lively city streets gave way to a quieter riverside.
The gentle sound of water flowing over smooth stones filled the air, and the world seemed to slow down. It was here, by the riverbank, that Renjiro's keen eyes caught sight of something curious.
"Hmm," he murmured, nudging Fugo.
"Look over there." Fugo followed his gaze to see a young man standing at the water's edge.
The guy's posture was relaxed, one hand resting lightly on the quiver of arrows strapped to his back while the other hand flicked smooth stones across the river's surface. The stones skipped effortlessly, each one bouncing several times before vanishing beneath the water.
The guy looked like he was about their age, if not younger. His raven black hair, piercing blue eyes, wearing sturdy leather armor, and slung across his back was a well-crafted bow and quiver- equipment that adventurers normally carry.
"Interesting. He's got a bow, which means he's licensed, and he's alone. Our age too. Perfect!"
"He looks...focused," Fugo said, hesitating.
Renjiro waved off the concern. "Let's go say hi."
Before Fugo could protest, Renjiro was already striding toward the stranger.
As they approached, Renjiro called out.
"Hey! River boy!"
The young man turned to face Renjiro, raising an eyebrow in confusion.
"Do I know you?"
"Not yet," Renjiro replied, stepping closer. "Name's Renjiro Tokita, future legend. This here is Fugo, and you are?"
The guy studied them for a moment before replying. "Kael Veylan."
"Kael, nice name," Renjiro said while giving an approving nod. "Say, what's a guy like you doing out here all by himself?"
Kael shrugged, skipping stones across the water. "Thinking. It's normal for people to be by themselves if you think about it."
Renjiro's eyes flicked to the bow on Kael's back. "You a good shooter? I take it you have your adventurer's license?"
Kael nodded. "Just got it last month. Why? Is this an offer?
Renjiro grinned, "Perfect. You see, Fugo and I just formed a party, and we're looking for one more to round out the team. What do you say?"
Kael turned to face them fully, his gaze setting on Fugo.
"Him too?"
Fugo fidgeted under Kael's scrutiny but managed a small nod.
"Y-yeah. I'm new too."
Kael crossed his arms, considering them both.
"What makes you think I'd want to join your party?"
"Because it's fate. And let's be real, Kael, you don't strike me as the type who would fight against fate."
Kael smirked faintly, his guarded demeanor softening just a bit.
"You're not wrong."
Renjiro clapped his hands together.
"Then it's settled! Welcome to the team!"
Kael raised his hand. "Hold on. If I'm joining, I need to know one thing: What's your goal? Why are you climbing the Spiral?"
Renjiro's expression grew serious for the first time since they'd met.
"We're climbing to the top and become heroes. Is there any other reason to enter that hell?" he said.
Kael looked at Fugo, who nodded in agreement, albeit a bit nervously. After a long pause, Kael extended his hand.
"Alright. Let's see where this goes."
Renjiro took the hand with a firm shake, his grin returning. "Now we're talking!"
"First thing tomorrow, we'll submit our party's name to the guild," Renjiro declared confidently, his grin never faltering.
"Make sure to come up with some great names, alright?" Kael and Fugo nodded, and with that, the three went their separate ways under the dim glow of the setting sun.
As Fugo made his way back home to the Almaty Familia Estate, his steps slowed with each passing moment. The estate was massive, large enough to be an entire district on its own. Its towering gates were wrought from black iron and etched with crystal-like patterns.
By the time he reached the gate, the chill of the night had begun to settle. Fugo knocked on the iron gate, the sound echoing for the guards to hear. He waited a few moments, then knocked again.
"Are they ignoring me again?" Fugo wondered.
Knock! Knock!
He knocked again, and this time, the gate creaked open. A tall elderly man stood on the other side. His piercing gaze bore down on Fugo with the weight of disdain.
This person was Martin Almaty, Fugo's eldest uncle and a prominent figure in the Familia. This man happens to be the older brother of the Current Head of the Family, so he held significant power.
"You're still here?" Martin spat.
Fugo instinctively stepped back, bowing his head. "I...I'm sorry for being late."
Martin clicked his tongue in irritation, crossing his arms. "Next time you show up after sunset, don't bother knocking. You'll sleep outdoors where you belong, wretched waste."
"Yes, Uncle," Fugo murmured, bowing deeper.
Marcus slammed the gate shut without another word, leaving Fugo standing alone in the dark. Taking a deep breath, Fugo adjusted his dagger and began walking down the estate's winding concrete path.
Fountains flowed with crystal-clear water, the sound blending harmoniously with the chirping of crickets. Exotic pets roamed freely across immaculate gardens, their flowers blooming even under the moonlight.
To any outsider, it was a paradise. But Fugo's destination was far from the estate's best.
He reached the very back of the estate, where the lights of the grand buildings no longer reached. There stood a small wooden shed, its walls leaning dangerously and its roof patched with mismatched shingles.
A foul-smelling pond sat nearby, its murky surface reflecting nothing but decay.
This was Fugo's home.
Fugo walked up to the door, his hand hovering over the knob. Before he entered, a faint sound reached his ears- the rhythmic creaking of a mattress accompanied by muffled moans.
He froze, quickly stepping away from the door. "No way!?" Fugo thought.
Slowly, he leaned closer to the door, pressing his ears against it. The voices inside became clearer. One of them was deep and familiar.
"Terry?" Fugo whispered.
The other voice was unmistakably feminine. His mind started to race, what if, that person with Terry was.... Fugo could not bring himself to fully imagine the scene in his head.
"No... It's not her. It can't be Lina..."
Just then, a soft voice behind him caused him to jump. "Fugo, you're back."
Spinning around, Fugo's tension eased as he saw Lina standing a few feet away. Her blindfold was slightly dirtied, and a fresh bruise could be seen on her right cheek.
"Lina," Fugo exhaled, rushing toward her.
"I thought that was you in there just now."
Lina smiled gently, reaching out to cup his face with her hands. Her touch was soft and reassuring. "If it were me, I'd kill him..." Her voice wavered for a moment, then she added darkly, "...and then everyone in this dump."
"Don't say that," Fugo said, pulling her into a tight embrace.
"That's not an option, Lina. Losing you would destroy me."
Summoning what little courage he had, Fugo knocked on the shed's door, his fist striking loudly enough to be heard over the commotion inside.
"Big Brother!" he called out. There was a pause, followed by a familiar, infuriating voice.
"You're back, Fugo? Don't worry, I'm almost done."
Fugo and Lina were left waiting in the chilly night air for half an hour. Lina shivered slightly, but her expression remained calm, her hand resting lightly on Fugo's arm.
Finally, the door creaks open, and Reo Almaty, one of the many prides of the Familia, steps out.
His disheveled shirt was half-buttoned, and his tousled hair gave him the appearance of someone who couldn't be bothered to care.
Behind him, a woman emerged, adjusting her dress. Fugo's eyes widened as he recognized the woman—Mirana, the fiancée of his third brother, Aphrodite. Reo noticed his brother's expression and smirked.
He stepped closer, ruffling Fugo's hair in mock affection.
"Utter one word of this, and you're dead."
With that, Marcuz walked into the night, Mirana trailing behind him with an air of indifference. Once the shed was finally empty, Fugo and Lina stepped inside.
The air was cold, and the small room smelled faintly of mildew, but to them, it was home. Lina settled onto the creaky bed, her hands tracing its worn edges as Fugo lit a small lantern.
The warm glow filled the space, casting long shadows against the walls.
"Sorry for making you wait out there," Fugo said softly, sitting beside her. Lina reached for his hand, lacing her fingers through his.
"It's okay. As long as we're together, I can handle anything." Fugo squeezed her hand gently, his heart heavy.
The Almaty Familia might have abandoned them, but in Lina's presence, he felt a sliver of peace.