Three days had passed after the Black Tide.

The smog covering the sky of Azurewind started to dissipate.

The golden morning rays kissed the coastal city.

Azurewind Sea regained its beautiful sapphire color.

Gentle waves washed the snowy beaches without leaving any trace of corruption.

But Azurewind remembered.

The ruined houses still dotted the streets.

The collapsed bridges were waiting to be rebuilt.

Scores of ships remained half-submerged in the harbor.

All around Jennie...

People worked.

Hunters moved stone and timber.

Carpenters fixed houses.

Mages reinforced destroyed foundations using rune magic.

Fishermen with their surviving boats now carried provisions instead of fish.

Even children helped carrying the baskets with nails, ropes and other useful things.

Nobody complained.

Nobody gave up.

The disaster had taken many from Azurewind.

But not the hope.

Jennie quietly smiled.

"Everyone works so hard."

Snow strolled beside her.

"The strongest cities aren’t built of stones."

"They’re built of people."

Roxy happily agreed.

"And these people are great."

The threesome kept moving through the bustling streets.

Nobody recognized them.

Jennie’s white cape was concealed under a common travel robe.

Snow looked as common white wolf again.

Roxy wore a plain brown cape with her oversized mage hat.

For everyone else...

They were just ordinary travelers passing by.

Near the restored marketplace a crowd gathered around a storyteller.

Children happily occupied the seats on the wooden boxes while grown-ups listened to him with fascination.

The experienced storyteller made a grand gesture.

"And then..."

"The White Hunter stood against ten thousand monsters!"

The children widened their eyes.

"Really?"

He confidently nodded.

"She moved faster than the lightning itself!"

One of the boys raised his hand.

"My father told me that she danced with two radiant swords!"

"Indeed she did!"

Another child shouted energetically,

"And the big wolf!"

The storyteller smiled.

"Ah, yes..."

"The Divine Wolf."

"They say his howl froze the whole sea!"

The elderly fisherman sitting near them burst into laughter.

"They say?"

"I saw it with my own eyes!"

"He was bigger than the whole city wall!"

A merchant joined the conversation.

"And don’t forget about the young mage!"

"My warehouse would have fallen down if not for her barrier."

"My family owe her everything."

Another citizen nodded.

"They are all heroes."

"I wish I knew their names."

Jennie quietly dropped her head.

Snow took a look at her.

She only smiled.

"It’s better this way."

In the afternoon...

The threesome came to the center of Azurewind.

There the wooden platform was erected.

The Mayor of Azurewind was addressing hundreds of citizens gathered there.

The guards surrounded the square.

The Guild members occupied the first row of seats.

Various colorful flags were waving in the air.

The Mayor loudly said,

"People of Azurewind!"

Thundering applause responded to him.

"We gather here today thanks to three heroes who saved strangers whom they didn’t know."

Cheering thundered across the square.

"The White Hunter!"

"The Divine Wolf!"

"The Young Archmage!"

The square exploded again.

The Mayor continued,

"Though we do not know the true identity of these brave people..."

"...we’ll never forget their courage."

Jennie quietly watched from the outskirts of the crowd.

Concealed behind the hood.

The Mayor took a deep breath.

"If the White Hunter Raven is present..."

"I humbly request her to come out."

Silence.

The people eagerly scanned the crowd.

Jennie stood motionlessly.

Roxy nervously murmured,

"...He calls your name."

"I know."

"Aren’t you going?"

Jennie gently shook her head.

"No."

Snow knew it.

"She doesn’t like the attention."

The Mayor waited a minute more.

Then he smiled.

"I knew that."

He quietly chuckled.

"So I’ll simply say thank you."

The entire square exploded in the applause again.

That evening...

Jennie quietly visited the Hunter Guild in order to receive the reward for the Black Tide battle.

The Guild Master welcomed her himself.

He greeted her with a deep bow.

"Lady Raven."

"You did something which seemed impossible for many."

Jennie quietly replied,

"I simply did what anyone could."

The old Guild Master smiled.

"No."

"Very few people could."

He gave her a beautifully crafted box containing gold coins, rare mana crystals and some reward documents.

"And in addition..."

"The Mayor wants to make you a noble."

"A mansion on the shore of the sea."

"A lifetime pension."

"And the honorary title of the Guardian of Azurewind."

Silence fell upon the room.

The employees of the Guild attentively watched the Lady Raven.

Jennie looked at the reward.

And at the people who were rebuilding their homes in the street through the window.

After a long pause...

She quietly closed the treasure box.

"Please convey my gratitude to the Mayor."

The Guild Master smiled knowing her.

"But?"

Jennie politely bowed.

"I have to refuse."

The several receptionists gasped.

"The title too?"

"Yes."

"The reward?"

"Yes."

"The mansion?"

Jennie smiled.

"I have everything that I need."

The Guild Master silently looked at her.

Then he quietly nodded.

"I expected it."

Jennie lifted the box one more time.

She went to the donation office of the Guild.

The old clerk looked confused.

"Miss Raven?"

Jennie quietly put the entire reward on the counter.

"Please distribute it equally."

The clerk opened his eyes wide.

"...Among whom?"

Jennie pointed at the city outside.

"The families who have lost their homes."

"The children who have lost their parents."

"The fishermen who have lost their boats."

"The shopkeepers who have lost their livelihood."

She smiled softly.

"They need it more than I do."

The clerk’s hands were shaking.

"...Everything?"

Jennie nodded.

"All of it."

She signed the document as a donor anonymously.

No speeches.

No gratitude.

No applause.

Only her signature.

Hunter Name: Raven.

When Jennie left the Guild the golden rays of the evening sun illuminated the sea.

She quietly rejoined Snow and Roxy at the harbor.

Nobody asked her about the reward.

Nobody had to.

Snow smiled.

"You donated everything."

Jennie looked at the people who were rebuilding their lives.

"They have suffered enough."

Snow’s tail swayed.

"You truly haven’t changed."

Jennie laughed softly.

"I’ll take it as a compliment."

Behind them...

The people of Azurewind were reconstructing their beloved city.

Nobody knew that the quiet young woman walking into the sunset had just donated enough money to change her own life completely.

For them...

She was only a legend.

The White Hunter.

Azurewind still slept.

The streets were silent.

The laughing crowd that had gathered at the marketplace yesterday laid under the shroud of morning mist.

Only the sound of the sea waves was breaking the silence.

Three people headed towards the road to the north.

Jennie adjusted the straps of her travel pack.

The snow-white fur of Snow was glowing slightly in the light of the moon.

Roxy yawned and tried to pull her big mage hat away from her eyes.

"Can’t we leave later?" she asked.

Jennie smiled apologetically.

"If we leave during the sunrise..."

"They would stop us," replied Roxy.

"...Then you are right."

Snow glanced back to the sleeping city.

"They deserve peaceful mornings."

Jennie nodded.

"They said their thanks to us already."

"That’s enough."

Three people quietly left Azurewind through its northern gate.

The sleepy guards simply waved goodbye, thinking that it was just some common travelers going on their journeys.

Nobody knew that they saw the greatest heroes of the city disappearing into the twilight.

When the sun finally raised over the ocean...

Azurewind woke up.

Merchants were opening their shops.

Children were running around the streets.

Fishermen were going to the docks fixed in time.

The Mayor was heading to the Hunters’ Guild with an optimistic smile.

"I would like to thank Lady Raven personally."

The Guild Master just shook his head.

"She left."

The Mayor was speechless.

"...Already?"

"So did her companions."

It was heard in Azurewind only a few hours after that.

"The White Hunter is gone."

"The Divine Wolf is gone."

"The young mage is gone..."

The little girl, who used to pat the head of Snow before, was looking at the empty road leading to the north.

"...Would they ever come back?"

The girl’s mother was smiling kindly.

"Such heroes..."

"...as them..."

"...always need somewhere else to save."

The girl nodded.

"I will become strong."

"And then..."

"I will be able to help them too."

In the meantime, the workers found some donations of food, medicine, blankets and building materials for the poor families without any name on them.

Just one small white feather lay on top of one wooden box.

People were smiling with knowing smiles.

There was no need in explanations.

Far beyond the quiet coast of Azurewind...

Above the black mountains, where no sunlight could penetrate...

A fortress was standing surrounded by the rivers of the dark mana.

The towering walls of the fortress were made from obsidian stones.

Thousands of the banners with the emblem of the Demon Army were fluttering above the crimson sky.

Thousands of corrupted monsters were patrolling the walls.

Nobody was daring to make a loud sound.

In the very depths of the fortress...

A man was sitting on the throne made from black crystals.

Unlike Azrael, the Second Demon General with the calm eyes full of wisdom...

This man was radiating pure violence.

His armor was made from the black scales.

Long crimson cloak was flapping behind him as the fresh blood.

A huge spear was laying next to the throne.

The blade of it was continuously dripping the dark mana to the floor.

Crimson eyes slowly opened.

The atmosphere seemed to become thicker.

A demon soldier with the mask was entering the throne room.

He instantly fell on his knees.

"My Lord..."

"The report about Azurewind."

The Third Demon General received the parchment without any word.

Silence filled the throne room.

His eyes were carefully studying every line of it.

The White Hunter.

Two Divine Swords.

The Divine Wolf.

The Miracle Mage.

Defeat of the Abyss Makara.

His lips slowly formed cruel smile.

"So..."

"...at last the Sword King’s soul has revealed itself."

In one smooth move...

He clapped his hands.

Crack.

The report turned to the dust.

Dark mana was filling the throne room.

All the demons present there were lowering their heads even deeper.

Nobody was daring to breathe.

The Third Demon General slowly rose from his throne.

He was looking at the far horizon.

Unlike Azrael...

He wasn’t feeling any curiosity.

Any respect.

Any wish to judge.

Only hatred.

"Leonis..."

"No..."

He chuckled coldly.

"Jennie."

"It doesn’t matter."

"As long as you are alive..."

"...you remain the threat."

He tightly grabbed his huge spear.

Terrifying pressure was spreading all over the fortress.

Torchlights were extinguishing.

Even the corrupted monsters were whining.

"You have gathered Excalibur."

"And Leviathan."

His smile was widening.

"I will not let you get another one."

He looked at the generals kneeling under his feet.

His voice echoed like thunder.

"Prepare the Black Legion."

Thousands of the armored demons instantly hit the chest.

"At once, Lord General!"

"Summon every commander."

"Release the imprisoned beasts."

"Wake the corrupted dragons."

"The hunt is starting now."

The fortress was trembling as the huge gates were slowly opening.

Beyond them...

An army, that nobody could see in the whole continent for centuries, started moving.

The ground was shaking under countless footsteps.

Dark banners were rising to the crimson sky.

The first real campaign of the Demon Army had started.

Far away...

Without knowing anything about the threat coming closer to them...

Jennie, Snow and Roxy were walking along the quiet mountain road.

Wild flowers were gently waving in the morning breeze.

Birds were singing from the trees.

Roxy was happily humming and reading her ancient book.

Snow was silently walking besides Jennie.

Jennie was looking at the horizon, where the new adventure was awaiting.

Somewhere behind the mountains...

One more Divine Sword was sleeping.

Waiting.

Calling.

She was smiling.

"Let’s go further."

Snow nodded.

"Our journey is just starting."

Behind them...

The raising sun was painting the sky in the gold colors.

Far ahead...

Dark clouds were gathering above the horizon.

The White Hunter was walking toward the hope.

The Third Demon General was marching to the war.

Nobody knew how close fate has already brought them together.

And so...

The hunt for the owner of the Divine Swords has finally started.