The following morning, the sky over Kagurem was shrouded in an unusually low curtain of clouds. The sunlight struggled to pierce through, leaving the entire town feeling dim and heavy.

  Yggdrasil and Balin walked side-by-side along the stone path leading to the Adventurer’s Guild. Both were dressed in light traveling gear, ready to find a new direction for their journey. The warmth and resolve of their decision to travel together from the night before still lingered, yet for some reason, the very air today seemed to cast a shadow over their hearts.

  However, when they pushed open the heavy wooden doors of the Guild, they were not greeted by the usual boisterous atmosphere. Instead, they were met with a suffocating air thick with the scent of blood, medicinal herbs, and panic.

  The Guild hall was in utter chaos. Several healers were drenched in sweat as they tended to wounded adventurers lying on the floor. Even more adventurers were huddled around the bulletin board, their faces etched with tension and unease as they argued loudly about something.

  Just then, the Guild doors were slammed open again. Several adventurers burst in, battered and exhausted, carrying a bloodied comrade between them.

  "Move! Get out of the way! We need a healer!" the leader roared, his face filled with desperation. "We ran into a pack of Steel-rock Lizards in the western mountains... there were twice as many as the reports said!"

  The Guild’s healers rushed over, but upon seeing the severity of the wounds, they turned pale and shook their heads. "It’s too late... the gashes are too deep, and he’s lost too much blood..."

  A wave of suppressed sighs rippled through the crowd.

  Yggdrasil, who had been standing silently at the edge of the crowd, frowned deeply as he watched the dwarven adventurer whose life was rapidly fading. Beside him, Balin felt the shift in his mood and whispered, "What’s wrong?"

  Yggdrasil didn't answer. He simply muttered, "Excuse me," and pushed through the crowd.

  Under the stunned gazes of everyone present, he knelt beside the dying adventurer and placed his thick, burly palm gently over the wound that was deep enough to show bone.

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  A warm, pure golden light flowed from Yggdrasil’s palm, like a gentle stream slowly seeping into the hideous wound. The blood that had been gushing out began to stop and clot at a speed visible to the naked eye. Under the radiance of the holy light, even the mangled flesh began to slowly knit back together.

  The adventurer, who had been at death's door, let out a comfortable groan, his breathing gradually becoming steady.

  The entire hall fell into a deathly silence. Everyone stared wide-eyed at this scene—at this Rank C adventurer who had become famous for slaying the Goblin King just two days ago, now performing a high-level holy healing spell that even a temple priest might struggle to master.

  "Mr. Yggdrasil!"

  Lisa’s voice broke the silence. She squeezed through the crowd from behind the counter, her face slick with sweat and anxiety, but her gaze toward Yggdrasil held a newfound sense of reverence and excitement.

  "Thank you for your help... you’ve arrived at the perfect time." She lowered her voice, her expression grave. "The Guildmaster is summoning everyone of Rank C and above. Over the past two days, we’ve received reports of anomalies from everywhere. The frequency of high-level monster activity has skyrocketed. The Shadow Wolf incident you reported yesterday was just the beginning."

  Yggdrasil slowly withdrew his hand and stood up. His hand quietly gripped the handle of the axe at his waist, his eyes scanning the shocked, grateful, and confused faces in the hall.

  His mind was a whirlwind.

  What is going on...? The sense of impending doom in his heart grew stronger. I’ve only been here a few days. Why does everything seem to be spiraling out of control? First, the massive horde of goblins, and now Shadow Wolves where they don't belong...

  Looking at the chaotic scene before him, he felt a flicker of doubt toward this once-peaceful city. He even found himself wondering... with the situation turning so dire, was Balin’s choice to resign and follow him truly the right one?

  Balin sensed the momentary lapse and the dazed look in his lover’s eyes.

  He didn't ask questions. Instead, he reached out with his thick, powerful arm and—without a word—pulled Yggdrasil toward him, leaning the other man against his broad, warm chest.

  It was a silent, powerful reassurance, as if to say: “Don’t be afraid. I’m here.”

  Feeling that familiar weight and warmth, Yggdrasil’s chaotic thoughts miraculously settled. He took a deep breath, suppressed his worries, and whispered to Balin, his voice calm but resolute: "If this is just the beginning, then we... must be prepared."

  Balin didn't let go; he only held him tighter, his heavy palm giving Yggdrasil a firm, grounding pat on the back. "No matter what, I’ll be by your side."

  Their eyes met, their expressions unwavering. They knew that this was not just the start of an adventure, but the prelude to the shifting gears of fate.

  "The calm before the storm has officially broken. Yggdrasil has revealed another layer of his power—Holy Healing. In a world where dwarves rarely master magic, let alone divine light, he is becoming a beacon of hope (and a magnet for trouble).

  I really wanted to capture that moment of doubt Yggdrasil felt, and how Balin immediately stepped in to anchor him. Their bond is no longer just romantic; it’s becoming the foundation they need to survive the chaos ahead.

  The Shadow Wolves were just the tip of the iceberg. What is causing the monsters to go berserk? Please Follow and Rate to join our stout duo as they face the gathering clouds of fate! See you tomorrow!"