NOVEL NEXT Chapter 7
Past 2
“What… what did you just say?”
“Didn’t you hear me, Haise? You’re out of the team.”
“Sa-Sasha… that’s a bad joke, right? Me… fired from the team?”
“Does it sound like a joke? Sorry, but it’s true. Haise, you no longer belong on this team.”
“Th-that’s…”
“Sacred is about to ascend to an A-rank team. That means we can take on high-level dungeons… Haise, you’re a liability as you are now.”
“……Sasha, did you forget? You and I promised to build the strongest team together…”
“I haven’t forgotten. But it’s impossible with you. I’m aiming for the top withmy team. And there’s no place for you in it.”
“……”
After defeating the Quinn Naga and reporting to the guild,
Sacred held an emergency meeting at the inn they rented.
Haise’s expulsion was announced in the tavern.
Sasha placed a bag filled with gold coins on the table.
“Take this and return to your hometown.”
“……”
“Haise. You… can’t be an adventurer.”
“!!!”
For the first time───Haise resented Sasha.
They had spent time together, made promises, trained as adventurers, and received their ‘abilities’ together…
But unlike Sasha, who gained the [Swordmaster] ability, Haise’s skill wasn’t listed anywhere—not among adventurers, not among the Geist, not even in the guild’s ‘Ability Compendium.’
Declared useless, Haise was left as nothing more than a baggage carrier.
“Well, getting kicked out was inevitable, right?”
“Piasora…”
Piasora despised Haise.
To Piasora, who was in love with Sasha, Haise’s presence was an annoyance.
“……Sorry, Haise.”
“Tycoon…”
“I believe the day will come when your ability truly blossoms. But… before that, you might die. Please understand, you’re not fit for the current Sacred.”
“……”
Tycoon was the only one to oppose Haise’s expulsion initially.
But… the truth was undeniable. Haise lacked ability. In the end, Tycoon sided with the decision.
“……Sorry, Haise.”
“Reynold…”
“Go home and rest. We’ll make sure our name echoes in your hometown.”
“What? Does that mean… there’s no place for me here?”
“Yeah. None.”
“…”
Reynold was firm.
Haise lowered his head and muttered,
“…If I’m gone, Reynold, you’d be happy, wouldn’t you?”
“What?”
“Reynold… you actually hate me, don’t you?”
“Wh-what!?”
“Because, Reynold───you probably…”
Sasha looked away, and Robin shouted.
“I still disagree!! Haise’s trying his best! He doesn’t deserve to be expelled…”
“Robin…”
“Hey, Haise’s ability is Master-class, isn’t it? Even if we only know the name, surely—”
“That’s why!! He might die before we even figure out what it does! Besides… the battles and dungeons ahead will be tougher. Haise can’t handle them!”
“Reynold…”
Reynold deliberately played the villain… before Haise said anything unnecessary.
“Yeah, that’s right. Haise, I hate you. I can’t stand how you always cling to me like a leech! Go back to your hometown and farm or something!!”
“Reynold!!”
Tycoon tried to mediate but looked directly at Haise.
“Haise. This is final. You are not needed in Sacred.”
“…”
“Bye-bye~!”
Piasora waved cheerfully.
Then Sasha spoke.
“This is the end, Haise.”
“S-Sasha…”
“You are not needed in Sacred… you’re expelled.”
“……”
Haise lowered his gaze and turned on his heel.
“Haise, take this as a parting gift.”
“I don’t need it.”
“But—”
“I said I don’t need it!!”
Haise slapped away the bag Tycoon offered, his eyes brimming with tears.
“Fine, I’ll quit. But… I’ll never give up. I’ll never become an adventurer who abandons the weak to climb higher like Sasha!!
I will… never give up!!”
“…”
Sasha reached out a hand, but Haise left the room and then the inn.
Left behind, Sasha slowly lowered her hand.
“Abandon the weak to climb higher, huh…”
“Don’t let it bother you… he’s just a mess of emotions right now. He’ll cool off and head home in a day or two.”
“…Yeah.”
Days later, Haise began adventuring on his own.
Sacred ascended to A-rank, took on higher-difficulty dungeons, and accepted requests that garnered the attention of the S-ranked Four Great Clans.
One day, on a return trip from a request in the desert nation of Ohara west of the Kingdom of Heiberg, Sasha and her team discovered a field of clover flowers, a key ingredient in healing potions, near a marsh.
On the wagon ride back, Sasha spoke.
“Clover flowers… ingredients for healing potions.”
“Why mention that?”
“……I thought I’d tell Haise.”
“You’re still hung up on him?”
Reynold looked exasperated.
Haise was now a D-rank adventurer. He made a living gathering herbs, training in low-difficulty dungeons, and still couldn’t decipher his skill.
Piasora said, bored,
“He’s trying, but so what? Sasha, just forget about him.”
“…Yeah, you’re right.”
“…Haah.”
“Robin, you’re still thinking about him?”
“Not really.”
Robin had been close with Haise.
Even two months after his expulsion, she hadn’t moved on.
“It’s fine if I just tell him, right? It’s not like I’m helping him directly.”
“Do what you want.”
“Yeah. If it helps him, even a little…”
“Ugh, whatever.”
“…Will Haise be happy?”
What followed would change Haise’s fate and irreversibly sever his ties with Team Sacred.
◇◇◇◇◇◇
When Team Sacred entered the Adventurer’s Guild, they were met with cheers.
“Whoa!! It’s Team Sacred!!”
“They got a request from Ohara Kingdom!!”
“That’s usually for S-rank teams, right?”
“Seriously amazing!!”
After their report to Guildmaster Geist, they headed out,
only to run into Haise, his basket filled with herbs.
“Ah…”
“Haise…”
It had been two months since the childhood friends last met.
One was the promising fourteen-year-old leader of an A-rank team; the other, a shabby fourteen-year-old boy with a worn sword and a basket of herbs.
No one would believe they had once been close.
Haise lowered his gaze, nodded slightly, and tried to pass by.
“Haise, listen.”
“…”
“On the way to Ohara Kingdom, there’s a small marsh to the west. It’s home to a field of clover flowers for healing potions… it’s still undiscovered.”
“Huh…”
“That’s all. Later…”
With that, Sasha left.
Reynold patted Haise’s shoulder lightly, Piasora stuck her tongue out, Robin said, “See you,” and Tycoon adjusted his glasses with a wry smile.
Two months after his expulsion, Haise’s anger had subsided.
He wondered if Sasha and the others had meant well.
Were they acknowledging his efforts by sharing this information now?
“……Sasha.”
Maybe───Sasha still cared.
◇◇◇◇◇◇
A few days later.
Sasha and the Sacred team were summoned by the guild master.
This time, it wasn’t about Sasha—Reynold and Piasola were being promoted to A-rank.
Geist spoke proudly.
“You truly make me proud.”
“Thank you, Guild Master.”
“Heh… you’re always so humble, Sasha. By the way, what about Haise?”
“Haise is likely out gathering herbs again today. In his spare time, he seems to be challenging dungeons to train.”
“I see… actually, there’s been some troubling rumors about Haise lately.”
“Troubling rumors?”
Sasha furrowed her brows. Geist continued.
“They’re saying he’s planning to rejoin your team. There are people mocking him for clinging to the life of an adventurer.
And on top of that, rumors are spreading that you all are trying to undermine him.”
“What…?”
Rumors suggested Sasha’s team wouldn’t welcome Haise back.
“Ridiculous.”
Sasha dismissed it outright.
“Do they really think we would ridicule or undermine Haise?”
“That’s the kind of rumor circulating. The more famous you become, the more people will envy him for being your former teammate. And, naturally, there are those who aren’t happy about your success.”
“……”
“Still, I know you’re not the type to do such a thing.”
Geist smiled.
Sasha smiled back, trusting him like a father figure.
Piasola yawned with boredom, while Reynold and Tycoon remained silent.
Robin nodded along.
“How are things with Haise lately?”
“…We haven’t spoken, but I recently found a good spot for gathering herbs and let him know about it.”
“I see. You’re still looking out for him.”
“Yes. He’s my childhood friend, after all.”
Sasha smiled again.
“A good spot for gathering herbs, huh? By the way, where is it?”
“On the way to the Kingdom of Ohara, we spotted a small marsh. On the way back, I noticed a field of herbs growing there.”
“……What?”
Geist’s expression suddenly darkened.
“Are you certain?”
“Y-Yes… I only glimpsed it from the carriage, but I’m sure it was white clover flowers.”
“…Has Haise gone herb-gathering there?”
“Y-Yes…”
“───!”
Geist stood abruptly.
His face stiffened as he pressed a hand to his forehead.
“So, you went to the Kingdom of Ohara… Damn it, this is bad.”
“U-Um… Guild Master? What’s—”
“S-Sir! Guild Master! Guild Master!”
An adventurer burst into the room, interrupting.
“Y-You have to come downstairs! Something unbelievable just happened!”
“Damn it… I understand. I’ll be right there. Sasha, you all come too.”
“Ah, y-yes.”
They all rushed downstairs—
The stench of blood was overwhelming.
The guild’s first floor, usually a spacious area with a reception counter and rest space for adventurers, was in chaos. The entrance was stained with blood, and drag marks stretched across the floor.
In the center of the room lay it.
“T-This is…”
Black scales, a head blown apart as if it had exploded, and a body mutilated beyond recognition.
It was the corpse of an SS+ rated disaster-class monster—the Black Ancient Dragon.
Leaning against the massive corpse was…
“Haise?!”
Sasha cried out.
There sat Haise, battered and broken.
She rushed toward him, but Haise glared at her with eyes full of killing intent.
Up close, she noticed his face had been torn apart, his right eye entirely crushed.
“Sasha… do you hate me… this much?”
“Wh… what?”
His injuries were severe.
His body was shredded by the dragon’s claws, bleeding profusely, yet his eyes burned fiercely.
“Too bad for you… I’m still alive. Look!! I killed this dragon!! Was I really that much of a burden to you? I thought… I thought you recognized me, just a little… I thought I could trust you again…”
“W-What are you talking about…?”
“I’m alive. And now I know… all of you are trash. Not just you… I won’t trust anyone anymore!
I’ll become the strongest… on my own!! Sasha… you, you…!!”
Haise collapsed, unconscious.
Sasha could only tremble.
She didn’t understand why.
But she knew—there was something, without a doubt, that had made Haise direct such hatred at her.