Modern Weapons Cheat in Fantasy World

"Wait, before we leave," Seraphine said, as if recalling something important. "Don’t we need to check the town first? Like for survivors?"

Marcus looked at Seraphine with a thoughtful look. Ever since they engaged the dragon, none of them had seen a person here. Where could possibly they be? And since they are also the ones paying for the services, it made sense to at least check.

"Yeah," he said after a short pause. "We check."

He glanced back at the others.

"You three stay here," he added. "Watch the area. If anything moves, call it out."

Selene frowned slightly but didn’t argue. Liora stayed beside Kael, still focused on keeping him stable.

Seraphine gave a small nod.

"I’ll go with you."

Marcus didn’t object.

They moved.

Just the two of them, stepping away from the others and into the ruined district.

The deeper they went, the clearer the damage became.

Buildings reduced to charred frames.

Stone cracked and blackened.

The ground uneven from impact and heat.

Marcus stepped over a broken beam, glancing into what used to be a house.

Seraphine walked beside him, her eyes moving across everything.

"...There should have been people here," she said quietly.

Marcus nodded.

"They left," he said. "Or were forced out before it got this bad."

Seraphine exhaled slightly.

"...That would mean they had warning."

Marcus didn’t respond right away.

He kept walking, scanning.

Broken carts.

Scattered belongings.

Signs of people leaving in a hurry.

"...Looks like an evacuation," he said.

Seraphine nodded once.

"...Felsis doesn’t abandon its people," she said. "If they pulled out, it means the threat was already beyond control."

They slowed near a wider street.

From there, the destruction stretched further.

Seraphine’s gaze shifted to Marcus.

"...Still," she said, "what you did back there..."

Marcus glanced at her.

"...What about it?"

She held his gaze.

"You took down a Red Dragon," she said. "On your own."

Marcus shook his head slightly.

"Not on my own," he replied. "You were fighting it. You kept it busy, forced it down, opened it up."

Seraphine didn’t look convinced.

"...We couldn’t break through its defenses," she said. "Not like that."

Marcus gave a small shrug.

"I just hit it where it mattered," he said.

She studied him for a moment longer.

Then spoke again.

"...You’re a B-rank."

Marcus nodded.

"Yeah."

A short pause followed.

"...That doesn’t match," she said.

Marcus raised an eyebrow.

"Why not?"

Seraphine glanced back toward where the dragon had fallen.

"Because a B-rank doesn’t kill something like that," she said.

Marcus followed her gaze briefly.

Then looked back at her.

"Guess I’m not a normal one," he said and added. "Besides, the ranking of the adventurers is not really that good a measurement. Everyone starts at the bottom."

Silence settled between them for a second and Marcus thought of something.

"Look, those ears of yours, they are real right? You are an elf."

"Marcus...is this your first time seeing an elf? There’s more in the capital."

"Yeah, I haven’t been in the capital," Marcus said. "So yeah, first time."

Seraphine looked at him for a second, then let out a small breath.

"...You’re surprisingly normal about it."

Marcus shrugged.

"What do you want me to do?" he said. "Stare again?"

She stopped in her tracks and then bashfully said.

"Do you want to touch it?"

Marcus blinked once.

"...What?"

Seraphine didn’t move, but there was a faint hesitation in her posture now. It was subtle, but noticeable.

"I asked," she said, a bit quieter this time, "do you want to touch it?"

Marcus stared at her for a second, like he was making sure he heard that right.

"...No," he said flatly.

Seraphine frowned slightly.

"...You were just asking about it."

"Yeah, asking," Marcus replied. "Not... that."

She crossed her arms lightly.

"...You’re overthinking it."

Marcus let out a small breath.

"I’m not overthinking anything," he said. "It’s just—"

She stepped a bit closer.

"Then just do it," she said. "It’s not a big deal."

Marcus looked at her.

Then at her ears.

Then back at her.

"...This feels like a bad idea."

Seraphine tilted her head slightly.

"It’s not," she said. "They’re just ears."

A short pause.

Marcus sighed.

"...Fine."

He stepped closer, raising his hand slowly, like he still wasn’t fully convinced this was normal.

"...Don’t make it weird," he muttered.

Seraphine didn’t respond.

She just stood there.

Marcus reached out and lightly touched the tip of her ear.

He blinked slightly.

"Huh."

He adjusted his touch a bit, brushing along the edge curiously.

"It’s actually real."

Then, Seraphine let out a soft sound.

"...Ah..."

Marcus immediately froze.

"...What the hell was that?" he said, pulling his hand back.

Seraphine’s expression shifted slightly, her face turning just a bit red as she looked away.

"...Nothing."

Marcus stared at her.

"No, that wasn’t nothing," he said. "Don’t do that."

"I didn’t mean to," she said quickly.

Marcus shook his head.

"...Yeah, no. We’re not doing that again."

He turned away, rubbing the back of his neck slightly.

"That just made it weird."

Seraphine stayed quiet for a second, then let out a small breath.

"You’re the one who touched it."

Marcus glanced back at her.

"You told me to."

They both looked away.

Silence settled again.

Marcus cleared his throat lightly.

"Let’s just get back," he said. "Before this gets any more awkward."

Seraphine nodded once.

"Agreed."

And without another word, they started walking back toward the others.

They walked in silence for a few moments, the earlier awkwardness fading into the background as the reality of the place settled in again.

Marcus slowed slightly as they passed by a half-collapsed building.

"...Wait," he said.

Seraphine stopped beside him.

The front wall had caved in, leaving the inside exposed.

Marcus stepped closer and looked in.

Then he paused.

Inside, there were bodies.

Burnt.

Blackened beyond recognition, collapsed where they had fallen. Some near what looked like an exit, others huddled together deeper inside. The fire had taken everything from them.

"Shit."