Peak Between Two: Mushoku Tensei

-Third Point of View-

After a long journey, Luciel and his companions finally arrived at the capital of the Holy Country of Millis—Millishion.

As they passed through the city gates, an entirely different sight welcomed them. Towering spires reached toward the sky, pristine stone roads stretched endlessly, and grand statues of holy figures adorned every corner of the city.

However, despite its outward beauty, this place had one major flaw.

Millishion was not kind to demon races.

It wasn't just mild prejudice—the city upheld deep-seated racism that had been ingrained for generations.

And among Luciel's group, two members were from demon races.

Ruijerd Superdia, who, despite his efforts to redeem his people's name, was still met with hostility.Gesse, a monkey-like demon, who was lucky that his features weren't as obvious as Ruijerd's.

Luciel had already prepared for this.

"For Gesse, I can just say he's a human with a physical condition."

But Ruijerd was a different problem.

As before, the only way to avoid unwanted attention was to shave off his striking green hair.

Without complaint, Ruijerd took a blade and shaved his head, leaving only a nearly bald scalp.

Luciel then handed him a bandana to cover the red jewel on his forehead—an unmistakable trait of the Superd race.

"I'm used to this," Ruijerd said calmly. "If this is what it takes to move freely, I don't mind."

Luciel nodded. "Alright. With this, we should be safer in the city."

They were now ready to explore Millishion.

After securing an inn, Luciel, Norn, Aisha, Gesse, and Ruijerd took a stroll through the city streets.

Millishion's main road was filled with grand shops, food vendors, and massive temples dedicated to the gods of Millis.

Aisha and Norn were particularly excited, marveling at the grandeur around them.

"Wow! This city is way bigger than I imagined!" Aisha exclaimed, eyes shining as she gazed at the numerous stalls selling trinkets.

Norn, though quieter, was also visibly impressed as she observed the towering architecture.

On the other hand, Gesse looked more relaxed, lazily enjoying the atmosphere while occasionally teasing Luciel.

"So, young boss, what's the plan now?" he asked, sipping from his drinking pouch.

Luciel sighed. "No particular plan. For now, I just want to understand the city better. We can't move blindly without knowing its rules."

Ruijerd, walking behind them, remained vigilant.

"This place seems too peaceful on the surface," he muttered. "But I can sense something lurking beneath it."

Luciel nodded. "You're probably right. No city is truly holy."

They continued walking, passing key locations such as the main plaza, the grand temple of Millis, and the districts of nobles and high priests.

But something soon caught Luciel's eye.

At several corners of the city, large notice boards were plastered with missing person posters.

He stepped closer to read one.

The posters listed names of individuals lost due to the large-scale teleportation incident in the Asura Kingdom.

They were placed there by an organization known as the Fedoa Region's Search Group.

It was a collective of adventurers and volunteers dedicated to gathering information from around the world to locate those who had vanished.

Luciel's mind paused.

"Could they have information that might be useful?"

At the same time, another thought crossed his mind.

"What if they're also searching for someone I know?"

For now, gathering more information was the best course of action.

With that thought, he stared deeper at the notice, realizing that his stay in Millishion had just become far more intriguing than he expected.

After setting up their belongings at the inn, Luciel, Ruijerd, Aisha, and Norn finally had a moment to rest.

Meanwhile, Gesse decided to part ways.

"I'm only tagging along up to here. I have my own business to take care of," he said with a carefree grin before disappearing into the bustling city streets.

Luciel didn't stop him. From the start, Gesse had always been a man who moved at his own pace.

Now, only the four of them remained in this foreign city.

Luciel exhaled before addressing the others.

"We saw the notice board earlier. That group is dedicated to finding missing people from the Fedoa teleportation incident. That's why I've decided to meet them and exchange information."

Ruijerd's gaze hardened.

"Are you sure they can be trusted?"

Luciel shrugged.

"That's why I want to meet them in person first. We need to make sure they're actually searching for missing people and not just a group with hidden motives."

Ruijerd remained silent for a moment before speaking again, his tone calmer.

"Do you need my help?"

Luciel shook his head.

"Yes—but not to come with me. I need you to stay here and watch over Aisha and Norn. I can handle this alone."

Ruijerd didn't respond immediately.

But before he could say anything—

"Onii-chan! Are you seriously going alone!?" Aisha protested, frowning. "What if something happens? What if you get captured again like last time!?"

Norn, though quieter, looked at Luciel with the same concern.

Luciel sighed.

"I'll be fine. This isn't like before."

Aisha crossed her arms. "That's exactly what you said before you disappeared for three days."

Luciel winced. He had no good comeback for that.

Aisha glared at him with frustration.

"Onii-chan… I know you're strong, but don't act like you can handle everything alone. You're not Paul."

Luciel stiffened at her words.

Paul.

His father—who always tried to shoulder everything by himself.

Luciel sighed, rubbing his temples.

"Fine," he relented. "I'll be careful. But I still need to go alone this time."

Aisha didn't look happy, but she knew when her brother wouldn't budge.

"At least take this," she said, pulling something from her bag—a small magic communication crystal.

"If anything happens, use this immediately."

Luciel smiled faintly and took it.

"Thanks, Aisha."

He turned to Ruijerd. "I'm counting on you."

Ruijerd gave a firm nod. "I won't let anything happen to them."

With everything settled, Luciel took a deep breath.

It was time to meet the Search Group.

Luciel understood their concerns.

The last time he acted alone, he had been captured and imprisoned.

But this time, he was more cautious.

"I'll be fine," he said reassuringly. "I just want to talk to them. I won't be reckless."

Ruijerd exhaled slowly before nodding.

"Alright. But if you're not back by sunset, I'll come looking for you."

Luciel gave a small smile.

"Understood. I'll see you later."

With that, he left the inn and headed toward the headquarters of the Fedoa Region's Search Group.

The Search Group's Headquarters

Following the directions from the notice board, Luciel arrived at a modest building in the adventurer's district.

The headquarters wasn't an official-looking place.

It was nothing more than an old warehouse, renovated just enough to be functional. The large wooden door looked worn, and there were no noticeable signs or guards at the entrance.

"No markings. No security." Luciel observed carefully.

As he stepped closer, he could hear voices from inside.

Taking a breath, he knocked on the door.

Tok… tok…

Several seconds passed.

Then, the door creaked open slightly, revealing a rough-looking man with a tired face and an unkempt beard.

"Who are you?" the man asked gruffly.

Luciel remained calm.

"I saw your notice in the plaza. I'd like to speak with the person in charge."

The man eyed him sharply for a few seconds before opening the door wider.

"Come in."

Luciel stepped inside, careful to remain alert yet not overly tense.

Inside, the space was filled with large maps, stacks of papers, and messy desks.

Several people sat at their stations, writing or speaking in serious tones.

It was clear—this was a place of real effort.

However, before Luciel could take in more—

BLARR!

Something slammed into him from the side!

Luciel barely had time to react before he was pushed backward.

In an instant, he shifted into a defensive stance, quickly assessing his attacker.

A man stood before him.

His appearance was a mess—long, unkempt hair, a muscular but scarred body, and eyes that carried the exhaustion of someone who hadn't slept for days.

He wore a worn-out adventurer's outfit, and his leather gloves were torn in several places.

But most striking of all—his gaze.

It wasn't just suspicion.

It was rage.

"Who the hell are you?" the man growled, his deep voice carrying years of frustration and anger.

Luciel, still poised for defense, narrowed his eyes.

"Looks like I need to pass a test before they'll talk to me."

With no other choice, the fight began.