I Can See Evolution Paths

Arthur and everyone continued walking away from Utopia. Nobody spoke for a while.

Eventually Arthur smiled. "Think they’re still waving?" he said.

Mithra giggled. "They definitely are," she said.

Sun sighed. "Don’t turn around," he said.

Arthur blinked. "I wasn’t going to." He paused. "Maybe."

Sun groaned.

Everyone laughed and the mood immediately became lighter.

They continued walking for several more minutes before Arthur suddenly slowed. The others followed his gaze. From the top of the hill, they could still see Dawn. The massive underground entrance was hidden beneath the mountain once more, but the city itself could still be seen through the opening carved into the cliffs.

Thin trails of smoke drifted lazily into the sky from the rebuilt forge. The golden banner of Utopia fluttered gently above the palace. Even from this distance, tiny figures moved along the walls.

Arthur smiled. "It already feels different."

Vedas quietly nodded. "It does."

Arthur folded his arms. "It actually looks like a Kingdom now."

Vedas chuckled. "And someday it’ll become even greater."

Arthur grinned. "I’ll be disappointed if it doesn’t."

Vedas laughed. "I expected you to say something like that."

Arthur gave the city one final wave before turning around. "Alright. Let’s keep going."

Eden quietly adjusted the flower crown resting on her head, smiling every few seconds.

Arthur noticed. "You really like it?" he asked.

She nodded happily. "I’ve never gotten a present before," she said.

Arthur smiled. "Looks good on you," he said.

Eden beamed.

Melo rested on top of Mephistopheles’s head in her tiny form, yawning contentedly.

Leon looked up. "You know, you’re surprisingly comfortable," he said.

Melo nodded sleepily. "Kyu," she said.

Mephi snorted. "I’ve become a bed," he said.

Leon laughed.

Eden suddenly floated away from Arthur’s shoulder and stopped beside a bright yellow butterfly. "What is that?"

Arthur glanced over. "A butterfly."

She slowly reached out a tiny hand, and the butterfly landed on one finger. Her eyes widened. "It’s warm."

Arthur smiled. "They’re harmless."

Eden giggled. "So pretty"

The butterfly flew away. She immediately chased after it, then suddenly stopped again, pointing toward the sky. "Cloud."

Arthur looked up. "They’re huge."

"They are."

She tilted her head. "Can we touch one?"

Arthur thought for a second. Then smiled. "One day."

Eden immediately nodded. "I’ll become strong enough!"

Arthur laughed. "I believe you."

Nearby, Leon watched everything. "She’s surprisingly curious."

Athena adjusted her glasses. "Everything is new to her."

Melo yawned. "She’s basically seeing the world for the first time."

Eden suddenly gasped again. "Bird!" She immediately chased after another bird.

Sun rubbed his forehead. "She’s going to spend the next ten years saying ’What’s that?’"

Arthur smiled. "Probably."

Kong kept jumping between trees, every few seconds shouting, "I found another fruit! Another! Another!"

Sun caught every fruit Kong threw. "We’re going to have enough food for three weeks," he said.

Kong proudly puffed his chest.

Arthur laughed. "Keep going," he said. Kong immediately started searching harder.

Sun looked at Arthur. "You’re enabling him," he said.

Arthur blinked. "Isn’t this helpful?"

Sun sighed. "It actually is," he said.

Raku had explained exactly how to leave. Arthur led the way, Athena occasionally checking Halburn’s map, while Athy flew overhead, calmly reporting. "Left. Nothing ahead. River."

Arthur smiled. "Thanks," he said.

Leon casually walked beside Arthur. "So, what are your plans now?" he asked.

Arthur thought about it. "Keep exploring," he said.

Leon laughed. "I expected that," he said.

Arthur grinned. "The world is huge. I’ve only seen one Secret Realm, plenty of them more left to explore!"

Leon laughed even harder. "You sound happy," he said.

Arthur nodded. "I hope it will be just as fun as last time."

Mithra smiled. "You want an adventure that had us almost dying plenty of times?"

Arthur blinked. "Those do tend to be the best–"

Sun immediately said, "No."

Arthur tilted his head. "Why?"

"Because our luck can’t keep saving us!?"

"So that just means we need to grow strong enough to not need it."

"That isn’t how it works!"

Leon burst into laughter.

Eventually the forest became silent and Arthur immediately recognized it. "Same as before," he said.

Ahead, the massive crack in reality.

The exit.

It looked just like when they entered, reality splitting apart in thin fractures of ancient light, space folding gently around the edges.

Arthur smiled. "Still beautiful," he said.

Everyone walked closer. Leon whistled. "Secret Realms really are something," he said.

Athena nodded. "They never become less fascinating," she said.

Arthur gently touched the fracture. "Ready?" he asked.

Everyone nodded.

One after another, Arthur, Vedas, Mithra, Sun, Athena, Leon, Mephistopheles, Kong, Athy, Melo, and finally Eden stepped through.

White light swallowed everyone.

The light faded.

Before the sounds of bird chirping and shades from the trees covering them. They were all in the forest outside the Ruins.

Arthur looked around. "We’re back," he said.

Everyone stretched.

Sun smiled. "Actual sunlight," he said.

Leon laughed. "I almost forgot," he said.

Eden spun happily. "So many trees!" she said.

Arthur laughed. "There were trees inside too. Different trees."

She replied confidently, "Different trees."

Everyone laughed.

Arthur glanced back and the entrance had become an ordinary crack floating between the trees, silent, peaceful, almost impossible to believe an entire Kingdom existed beyond it.

Arthur smiled. "We’ll definitely come back," he said.

Vedas quietly nodded. "Home," he said.

A familiar sound suddenly echoed inside Arthur’s mind.

Ding.

Arthur blinked. "Hm?"

A blue screen quietly appeared.

[Utopia Kingdom Report]

[Western Watchtower Reconstruction Complete.]

[Citizen Satisfaction Increased.]

[Three Goblin Children Successfully Learned Basic Spear Techniques.]

Arthur stared for a moment. Then a smile slowly appeared. "They’re already busy."

Vedas looked over. "What is it?"

Arthur pointed toward the notification. "I just got another report."

Everyone paused.

Athena blinked. "Already?"

Arthur nodded. "I guess becoming connected to the Kingdom wasn’t temporary." He quietly read another notification.

[Harvest Fields Restored.]

[Food Production Resumed.]

Arthur chuckled. "They’re faster than I expected."

Vedas smiled proudly. "Of course they are."

Arthur closed the screen. "Looks like Utopia can really grow even when we’re away."

Arthur was about to close the screen when another notification quietly appeared.

Ding.

[Utopia Kingdom Report]

[Goblin Children have begun practicing together in the rebuilt school.]

Arthur smiled and then another.

[The First Orchard Harvest has begun.]

[Food Quality Increased.]

Another.

[A Stone Guardian repaired twelve damaged homes before sunrise.]

Arthur blinked. "Before sunrise?"

Vedas chuckled. "That sounds like them."

Arthur laughed softly and then another notification appeared.

[A Goblin Child was caught climbing onto a Stone Guardian.]

Arthur paused. "Really?"

Athena adjusted her glasses. "What?"

Arthur couldn’t help laughing. "One of the children apparently climbed onto a Stone Guardian."

Silence fell in the area for a few seconds.

Mithra burst into laughter.

Sun pinched the bridge of his nose. "Of course they did."

Vedas rubbed the back of his head. "I’ll have to apologize later."

Arthur shook his head. "I don’t think the Guardian minded." He closed the screen with a smile. "They’re already making memories."

Arthur had barely closed the screen when it chimed again.

Ding.

He blinked. "Again?"

Another report appeared.

[Utopia Kingdom Report]

[Three Goblin Builders argued over the design of the western watchtower.]

Arthur laughed.

"What?" Sun asked.

Arthur shook his head. "The Builders are apparently arguing."

Vedas smiled knowingly. "About making it bigger?"

Arthur looked down. "How did you know?"

Vedas chuckled. "They always want to build something bigger."

Another report appeared.

[Argument Resolved.]

[Western Watchtower Enlarged by 23%.]

Arthur stared. "That was fast."

Mithra burst into laughter. "I knew they’d do that."

Another report appeared.

[A Goblin Child declared the enlarged tower "cooler."]

[Builder Morale Increased.]

Arthur covered his face as he laughed. "I’m never getting tired of these reports."

Athena smiled. "It’s like watching a Kingdom grow one day at a time."

Arthur quietly nodded. "Yeah. It really is."

Several ordinary beasts appeared along the way, nothing dangerous anymore. Thorn Wolves. Crystal Lizards. Iron Boars. Everyone defeated them almost effortlessly, Arthur and Vedas fighting together naturally, Sun and Kong with perfect teamwork.

They continued forward with Melo and Mithra occasionally using tiny illusions to scare birds.

Leon caught one. "Useful," he said.

Melo proudly nodded.

Mephistopheles scared away several beasts simply by roaring, and Leon watched the fleeing monsters before laughing. "That solved the problem."

Arthur nodded. "Efficient."

Leon looked toward him. "So... If another Gold Rank appeared."

Arthur thought seriously. "I’d run."

Leon blinked. "Really?"

Arthur nodded. "Definitely."

"Then?"

Arthur smiled. "I’d think of a plan while running."

Leon stared for a second and then burst into laughter. "You’re actually serious."

Arthur blinked. "I usually am."

Leon laughed even harder. "As expected. But why do I get the feeling that won’t stop you from angering it."

Arthur smiled. "I’ve heard that a lot recently."

"Because it’s true!"

"Don’t be like that Sun."

Eventually Evolution Town came into view. Arthur immediately noticed something had changed. "It’s busier."

Far busier.

Massive wagons rolled through the streets carrying piles of monster meat.

Blacksmith hammers rang without stopping. Smoke continuously rose from countless chimneys. Merchants loudly argued over prices. Hunters dragged enormous beast corpses behind them. Several healers rushed between buildings carrying crates filled with medicine. One warehouse overflowed with preserved food.

Another had mountain-sized piles of monster bones waiting to be processed. Children hurried through the streets carrying bundles of herbs almost bigger than themselves. Even Wyverns continuously landed and departed from the nearby platforms carrying supplies toward other towns.

Athena tilted her head. "They’re preparing early," she said.

Arthur blinked. "Preparing?"

Leon answered. "For December," he said.

Arthur quietly watched another wagon pass by. It carried enough food to feed several hundred people. "They’re preparing this much?"

A passing merchant happened to overhear him. The older man stopped and looked toward the forest, his smile slowly disappearing. "If you don’t prepare now, December prepares you."

Arthur frowned. "What happens in December?"

The merchant slowly shook his head. "Nothing good." He continued walking.

Nobody spoke for several seconds. Even Leon looked toward the forest. "He’s right." He folded his arms. "Every year the forests become far more dangerous around that time. Silver Rank Beasts become much more active."

Arthur blinked. "Silver Rank?"

Sun’s eyes widened. "Wouldn’t they attack the town?"

Mithra shook her head. "Oddly enough they never approach Evolution Town," she said.

Silence.

Arthur blinked. "Really?"

Athena nodded. "They stay inside the forests. So Evolution Town stocks food months ahead."

Leon nodded. "Exactly," he said.

Arthur’s eyes shone. "Now I really want to know why," he said.

Arthur slowed his steps. "There has to be a reason."

Athena looked over. "Hm?"

Arthur folded his arms. "No phenomenon happens without a cause. Especially one that repeats every single year." He looked toward the distant forest. "Something changes. The question is what?"

Leon smiled. "You’re already investigating."

Arthur blinked. "I am?"

Leon laughed. "You started the moment I mentioned it."

Arthur thought for a second. "You’re right."

Mithra giggled. "I don’t think he knows how to stop being curious."

Arthur smiled. "Why would I?"

Eden nodded enthusiastically. "Maybe they’re angry?" she said.

Everyone looked at her.

Melo yawned. "Could be the environment. Mana. Something underground," she said.

Kong scratched his head. "Or they’re just weird," he said.

Arthur laughed. "We’ll figure it out someday," he said.

The group continued walking but then people began noticing them. Some recognized Leon and even others recognized Arthur.

"They’re back."

The whispers gradually spread through the street.

"That’s Arthur."

"Didn’t he become a Student Council member?"

Another Hunter looked toward Leon. "He’s walking beside Leon?"

One older Beast Tamer quietly muttered, "Those two together can only mean trouble."

Nearby a merchant laughed. "Or another miracle."

Arthur blinked. "Are they talking about us?"

Sun sighed. "Unfortunately."

Leon grinned. "Looks like you’ve become famous."

Arthur scratched his cheek. "That happened fast."

Arthur simply waved as everything felt normal.

Until a shout. "ARTHUR!!"

Everyone stopped.

Several Beast Tamers wearing Pathfinder uniforms sprinted toward them, completely out of breath.

Arthur smiled and waved. "Oh. Hey guys!"

The students finally arrived, panting.

One grabbed Arthur’s shoulders. "Where have you all been?!" he said.

Arthur blinked. "Expedition?"

Another immediately nodded. "The Principal and Vice Principal have been worried sick!"

Sun frowned. "We’ve been in the Ruins," he said.

Leon nodded. "Maybe because we stayed longer than expected?"

The students stared. "Stayed longer? You were still inside?"

Athena immediately sensed something wrong. "What do you mean?" she asked.

The students exchanged confused looks. "You don’t know?"

Everyone became serious. Arthur slowly shook his head. "Know what?"

Silence. The student stared. "Arthur... What month do you think it is?"

Arthur frowned. "October."

Every Pathfinder student looked at one another.

One Pathfinder shakes her head. "No."

Arthur blinked and rubbed his head. "Then I’m guessing, late October?"

Another one slowly swallowed. "Arthur, it’s November Almost December."

Nobody moved. Nobody spoke.

Arthur blinked. "What?"

Sun’s expression froze.

Mithra’s smile disappeared.

Athena slowly adjusted her glasses. "That’s impossible."

Leon quietly looked toward the Secret Realm entrance behind them. For the first time since he came to help them in the siege, his smile was gone.

But then he realized there is a chance they might inform his mother that he went missing. He could already see it, her freaking out and moving to leave the town.

He only hopes the others stopped her.

Arthur trembles and lightly said. "We were only inside for a few days."

The student slowly shook his head. "No. You disappeared for almost two months."