Chapter 28 - Title at End (Spoiler)

"Holy shit it's Griff!"

"Kid where have you been for a year!"

The guild members of Alfrum started swarming Griff who seemed to be lost with widely open eyes.

"And I thought you were starting to get used to people. Hahahahaha."

James started chuckling as he watched Griff's nonsensical plight of being close to so many people.

"Hey! You try forgetting civilization and your past and then starting over."

"Meh, you've got a point. Well, forget this nonsensical bullocks. Tell me how did your training with Alatar go?"

Griff smiled at this.

"I'll just tell you training how to learn magic was hard as hell. The first day I woke up tied to a tree upside down and was forced to burn the ropes, and fight golems on top of that."

"Yikes that's a lot of hardwork, something not fit for a lazy chum like me."

The guild members and Griff chuckled at that.

"Sure, you keep saying that. But you were handling these thighs pretty well."

"No, I was getting my arse kicked pretty well."

"You can sure say that again."

A huge tick mark formed on James's head.

"Alright try saying that again you little pipsqueak."

He slowly raised a fist, twitching.

"I forgot how scary you could be..."

Griff sighed, and continued talking.

"All I can say is that I studied magical attributes from books that are forbidden to be placed at regular libraries. I woke up at 6 in the morning to forcefully expand my mana pool, and I also had to start mastering spells of all kinds. The sad thing about all this is that I still don't exactly what my magic attribute does, but I do know that these black flames are not the entirety of my magic."

"So... that's why your wearing black?"

"Kinda?"

"The hair? You got dumped or something?"

"I still have no idea how romance works, stop trying to tease me over something I can't be flustered at."

"Fucking eunuch... that day will come."

"It just naturally became like this after I used my magic, but the remaining white bits are not darkening any further. My hair definitely has something to do with what my magic is. Well anyway. How the hell did these bandits get the jump on you guys?"

"There's an adventurer guild master meeting at a nearby town, so the master took the top adventurers to kind of showcase our power, so we were left mostly defenseless. Only I didn't go because I knew something like this would happen."

James grinned smugly.

"No, you didn't leave because you realized you couldn't get wasted off alcohol at a formal conference"

"Bullocks."

"It's true."

"Fuck you Griff."

"You too old shit."

"Man I missed your stupid sarcastic comebacks kid."

The duo laughed at their reunion.

"I SAY WE DRINK ALL NIGHT FOR THIS!"

A random adventurer spoke up, and the rest cheered.

Beer started flying across the guild as the members became lively again. The remaining bandits were already rounded up and delivered to the Alfrum Royal Guard. The night was truly amusing...

"Hey James."

"What, brat?"

"I'm thinking of travelling. I now have the knowledge and skill set to protect myself. I'm not as weak as I used to be."

"Well..."

James used a very basic form of magic to check on Griff's mana pool, and was shocked to say the truth.

"How the fuck do you have that much mana?"

"I can't say, I'm afraid. That was one of the things Master Alatar told me specifically."

James sighed and continued drinking.

"Have it your way."

Meanwhile, as the duo were reminiscing their reunion, the guild's party that had departed to the town of Ange were returning from the guild master meeting at the rundown village.

"Reiner, why do you think a masters meeting was held at a time like this at a place like this?"

"Um... I... don't really know Master Leebus."

"Rin?"

"I have no clue..."

Rin was looking around at her surroundings as they walked, ignoring the bantering between the rest of the adventurers.

"It has no official purpose. We didn't even have a discussion about a rising threat such as the dragon nation to the south of Kulva or the increasing magical beast and monster population to the east. No, we only made small talk..."

"Master?"

"Let me finish Cronenghan."

Cronenghan was a tall, muscular man who was leaning on a spear, seemingly enchanted.

"This meeting was organized by the nobles of Kulva. That's the reason for the location. It is said that not too far from here they have built their factions headquarters."

"Master, are you talking about the Noble Faction that is opposed to the King of Kulva and the entirety of the nobles that side with the royals?"

Asked Selena, an elf with snow white hair and a longbow.

"Exactly. You should be aware that out of two of the unique attribute wielders in this country two are in the Kulvan military, and one of them is a member of this faction. I'd like to sadly express that this was no guild master meeting, but a meeting to forcefully gather the strong adventurers of the southern Kulvan kingdom to scout out members who might bring rise to unique attributes."

"So we are being spied as we even walk right now?"

"Everyone is being spied, Reiner. The kingdom is not in a good position, The nobles keep getting stronger by the day, but as the adventurers guild we have no say in the internal politics of a country we are positioned in..."

"Shit..."

"Took the words out of my mouth."

"What now master?"

Leebus slowly gazed up as he continued walking, thinking about Griff. He'd sent him to study under Alatar, a great mage, but he wan't sure if the kid would currently be able to survive under the guilds jurisdiction. Political affairs are a dangerous field for guild masters to meddle with after all lest the entire kingdom turns on them...

"Return to the guild. We have to start grooming the next generation of adventurers. That includes you guys as well. Not all of you are old and feeble like me and Thormun."

Thormun, a dwarf with a double edged axe chuckled.

"True it is lads."

"And I'll just say... I'm expecting a civil war not too distant in the future. 3 years maximum."

"3 years?!"

The adventurers started mumbling.

"Silence! We got a mission to do. Head to Alfrum, and do not expose any of this to the newer members. Ah, I just remembered. Griff should be heading down from the mountain with Alatar today. We better get a move on if we are to see his face again."

Reiner's face lit up, hearing that he'll be able to see Griff. He wasn't close to him per se but the kid was definitely a unique person.

Rin was uninterested as always.

"Move it you slowpokes!"

Suddenly Leebus started running with his enhanced physical prowess, causing the adventurer party to sweatdrop.

'There goes his serious aura in an instant.'

All of them thought at the same time.

"Run! Or we'll be left you fools!"

Thormun had already started darting, and so did the rest of the adventurers follow his lead...

Title: The Whispers of War