The medics rushed into the arena, carrying the unconscious paladin on a stretcher. Her silver armor was crumpled like tin, helmet shattered, face pale under streaks of blood.
But the werewolf wasn't done.
His eyes glowed crimson, veins bulging across his fur as the berserk state consumed him completely.
He roared a guttural, earth-shaking sound like a mad rhino and lunged toward the stretcher, claws raised for a killing blow even though the fight was over.
The crowd gasped.
Then CRACK.
A single punch.
A knight in dark patrol armor one of the rescue team stepped in and slammed his fist into the werewolf's jaw.
The beastman flew backward, crashing into the sand unconscious before he even hit the ground.
The arena erupted again, this time in stunned cheers.
Tina clicked her tongue, ears flattening in disappointment.
"Shit," she muttered, slouching back in her seat. "I wanted to see more fun. But that bitch of a knight stopped it."
Anuver watched the knight calmly direct the medics, his posture relaxed but radiating quiet power.
"Rank 5, right?" he asked, voice casual.
Tina nodded, tail flicking irritably.
"Of course. How else could he knock down a berserk werewolf so easily? One punch. Tch."
She suddenly stood up, stretching with a dramatic yawn, arms high overhead.
"Let's go eat something before the next match. Our turn's tomorrow anyway."
"Eat?" Anuver echoed, raising an eyebrow.
Tina grinned, fangs glinting.
"Of course eat! Don't tell me you don't have money."
Anuver stood, hands in his pockets.
"No, of course I have money."
Tina's eyes lit up. She hopped down from her seat in one fluid leap, landing lightly on the stairs below.
"Follow me! I'll take you to the best inn in the whole Mirlode Empire!"
Anuver followed without protest, weaving through the thick crowd spilling out of the stadium. The air buzzed with excited chatter bets won, fights replayed, beers already flowing.
Tina moved like she owned the streets, tail swishing confidently, ears perked as she navigated alleys and side roads.
They walked until the sun hung low, painting the sky in deep oranges and purples.
Finally, she stopped in front of a bustling three-story building with warm lantern light spilling from the windows.
"This is it 333 Inn." Tina shrugged. "I don't know why the name's weird, but the food's insane. Let's eat. I'm starving from sitting there all day."
Anuver glanced up at the fading sunlight, then at the packed entrance.
It was almost evening already.
They stepped inside.
The place was alive adventurers laughing at tables, waitresses weaving through with trays of steaming meat and frothy ale, the rich smell of grilled skewers and fresh bread hitting them like a wave.
"Full already," Tina muttered, scanning the room. "Let's find a chair and sit."
She grabbed his sleeve without thinking and pulled him deeper into the chaos.
Tina dropped into a chair at a small corner table, kicking out the opposite seat for Anuver with her foot. The inn was loud laughter, clinking mugs, the sizzle of meat from the open kitchen.
A waitress zipped by, and Tina flagged her down with a sharp whistle.
"So, what do you wanna eat?" Tina asked, leaning forward on the table, elbows planted, tail swishing lazily behind her.
"Their special dish is the meat of the Cocogoat. Tender, juicy, melts in your mouth."
Anuver didn't even glance at the menu board.
"Yeah, I'll have that."
Tina's ears twitched. She leaned in closer, voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper.
"That costs around thirty golds. You sure?"
Anuver met her eyes, calm and unbothered.
"Yes. It's okay. I have money."
More than she knows, he thought, a faint smirk hidden inside. I can literally make gold endlessly if I want. Why would I care?
The waitress jotted it down and vanished into the crowd.
Tina leaned back, crossing her arms, studying him with a tilted head.
Anuver's mind wandered as he waited, staring at the lantern light flickering across the wooden table.
My mind's adapting to this body so fast. It doesn't even feel like I'm reincarnated anymore. Like I've always been this way.
Coincidence? Or something else?
He brushed the thought aside.
Doesn't matter. Right now… I'm finally living the isekai life I dreamed about.
No harem yet well, except Aurel but that was a start.
He'd already claimed the first fragment, crossed one major goal off the list.
But there was so much more.
Three years until the last one wakes, he calculated silently. With the time difference… that's about three hundred years in the mortal world.
A crazy amount of time.
Plenty to enjoy.
Plenty to explore.
Plenty to live.
Tina kicked his shin lightly under the table, snapping him out of it.
"Hey, Sora! You zoning out on me already?"
Anuver blinked, then smiled.
"Just thinking about food."
She grinned, fangs showing.
"Good. 'Cause it's coming."
The waitress returned, sliding two massive plates in front of them sizzling Cocogoat steaks, glazed in herbs and spices, steam rising in fragrant waves.
Tina dug in immediately, tearing into the meat with zero manners.
Anuver cut a piece, took a bite.
Flavor exploded rich, tender, perfect.
He closed his eyes for a second.
Yeah.
This is it.
Simple food. Loud inn. Annoying cat-girl across the table.
And for the first time in two lives…
…he felt completely at peace.
The Cocogoat steak was everything Tina promised juicy, perfectly seasoned, practically falling apart with every cut.
Anuver ate steadily, savoring each bite, while Tina attacked her plate like a starving beast, sauce smearing the corner of her mouth.
Between mouthfuls, she talked with her mouth half-full, ears twitching excitedly.
"This stuff is the best, right? They hunt the Cocogoats in the northern mountains. Super rare. Most places charge double what they do here."
Anuver nodded, cutting another piece.
"It's good."
Tina grinned, fangs flashing.
"Just 'good'? You're too calm, Sora. Everything about you is too calm. Like you've seen crazier stuff than a berserk werewolf getting one-punched."
Anuver just smiled faintly, taking another bite.
If only you knew.
They ate in comfortable silence for a while, the noise of the inn swirling around them adventurers boasting about fights, dice games in the corner, someone strumming a lute badly near the bar.
Tina finished first, licking her fingers clean without a shred of shame, then leaned back with a satisfied sigh, tail curling contentedly.
"Man, I'm stuffed. You're slower than a turtle, Sora."
Anuver finished his last bite, pushing the empty plate away.
"Quality over speed."
Tina snorted.
"Rich boy talk."
The waitress returned with the bill a small wooden plaque with "60 gold" etched on it.
Tina's ears drooped slightly as she glanced at it.
Anuver reached into his robe pocket without hesitation.
A soft glow flickered in his palm invisible to anyone else as divine energy condensed into perfect, gleaming gold coins.
He stacked thirty on the table, clean and new.
The waitress's eyes widened, but she scooped them up quickly with a grateful bow.
Tina stared at the remaining stack he casually left as tip.
"You… weren't kidding about having money."
Anuver stood, stretching slightly.
"I said I had it."
Tina hopped up too, tail swishing as she followed him toward the door.
"You're weird, Sora. Pale, no aura, kicked out of home… but you drop gold like it's nothing."
She bumped his shoulder playfully.
"Guess I picked a good teammate after all."
Anuver glanced at her, a small, genuine smile tugging at his lips.
Outside, the sky had gone deep purple, stars starting to peek through. The streets were alive with lantern light and evening crowds heading to bars or night markets.
Tina took a deep breath of the cool air.
"Tomorrow's our match. Better rest up."
Anuver nodded, hands in his pockets, walking beside her.