DanMachi: It's destined to lose its self.

Kopii hastily pulled on his clothes, his gaze fleetingly landing on the sword lying alone on the table, its noble blade attracting attention with its dark red sheen. With a heavy sigh, he whispered, "Not today either," the decision born of his reflections. Descending to the first floor, he tossed a brief "Good morning" to Naaza, as if brushing aside the morning bustle, and slipped out of the "Blue Pharmacy," feeling like a part of the world around him.

Kopii was about to head towards the Babel Tower when he noticed Miach, who, having woken up, was also rushing somewhere, clearly full of energy and ready for the new day.

"Good morning, Miach-sama," Kopii said, greeting him with light sincerity.

"Good morning, Kopii. Heading to the Babel Tower?" Miach asked with interest, his eyes sparkling with curiosity.

"Yes, Miach-sama," Kopii confirmed, feeling the familiar, well-trodden path beckoning him once more.

"Then we're going the same way, Kopii," he said with delight.

"Excellent, Miach-sama, then let's not waste any time," Kopii replied, and they continued on their way together.

As they walked through the bustling streets of Orario, amidst the multitude of people, the hustle and bustle, and the sounds, Miach unexpectedly asked, interrupting the flow of their conversation:

"Kopii, I've always wondered, why do you wear that mask?"

Kopii pondered, searching for the essence of the question, seeking an answer he didn't fully understand himself, as if speaking about something deeply personal. He wore it like armor, feeling a strange but necessary comfort in it, protecting himself from possible reproaches. After a long silence, he donned the silence and decided to answer:

"I don't really know myself. It's just… I feel calmer in it. You know, where I grew up, I was always different. The children said I wasn't like them, that I was ugly. A black sheep… But the caregivers treated me well. Maybe that's the only reason I loved the orphanage. " Kopii clenched his fists until his knuckles turned white, as if this helped him unravel the strange emotions. "But I hated the village." He paused for a moment, gathering his courage, and continued confidently. "The local children constantly bullied me, and if I fought back, I was always the one to blame. And I was punished. Only now do I understand their parents: they saw angels in their children, incapable of starting anything first. That's why I had such bad relations with the residents. So I almost always lived in the orphanage. And when the opportunity to leave arose, when the wandering merchants agreed to take me with them, I was overjoyed. And when I got to Orario… Here, no one looked at me as if I was nothing, as if I was a source of nothing but trouble. I was just like everyone else. But the old feelings didn't go away, and I decided to buy this half-mask to hide my face. Maybe, over time, I'll buy myself a full one, to hide completely." Kopii sighed, as if a heavy burden had been lifted from him. "Thank you, Miach-sama, for listening to me."

Miach listened attentively, without interrupting, like a good friend, allowing him to speak his mind.

"You can always talk to me or Naaza," he said, smiling a kind smile. "We're family, after all," and he patted Kopii on the head, as if giving him strength.

"Thank you again, Miach-sama. I'm very glad I joined your familia," Kopii said, his heart filled with warmth.

"I should be the one glad that you decided to join us," Miach replied, smiling.

Both laughed, and Miach decisively changed the subject to distract Kopii from his heavy memories.

"Naaza was telling me that you're looking for a team?"

"Yes, Miach-sama," Kopii confirmed, feeling the anxiety start to creep back in.

"Well, how's it going?"

"No one wants to take me. I don't understand why they're so arrogant. We're colleagues, after all."

"Don't worry, Kopii. Just don't give up. Okay, I have to go. Be careful in the Dungeon, Kopii." Waving his hand, Miach left, and Kopii watched him until he disappeared into the crowd.

Full of new strength and hope, he headed back to the Dungeon. He felt freer and happier for being able to share his past, and this gave him confidence.

After the Dungeon, Kopii went straight to the guild to exchange his findings and try his luck with joining a team. The guild was, as always, noisy and crowded. Smiles and conversations mingled with shouts of joy. He quickly exchanged the magic stones for valis, and then, without wasting time looking around, began searching for a suitable group full of adventurers.

He approached several different teams, but he was either ignored or refused, citing a lack of places or a mismatch in level. Disappointment crept in, but Kopii tried not to lose hope, remembering Miach's words: "Don't give up." He knew that sooner or later he would find his team.

Taking a deep breath, he once again scanned the guild hall, ready for new attempts, not losing faith in success. He was about to make another attempt when he was called out:

"Hey, kid! I heard you're looking for a team? Let's talk about it."

Kopii turned around. Approaching him was a short, slightly plump middle-aged man with reddish-brown hair, yellow eyes, and most likely, a lizard shimmering on his back. He was wearing a light blue shirt, a light brown sleeveless vest, a dark purple cloth around his neck that covered half of his right shoulder, a silver pad on his left, blue cargo pants with a brown belt, and brown boots.

"Well, let's talk. My name is Kopii," he said, feeling something out of the ordinary routine.

"Kanoe. Kanoe Belway," he introduced himself, nodding gently.

"Nice to meet you, Kanoe," Kopii replied, feeling a new thread of fate being tied.

"The pleasure is mine. Let's find a quieter place where no one will bother us," Kanoe suggested with a slight glint in his eyes.

Kopii, not knowing what to expect, agreed. They left the guild and went into the first tavern they came across. Kopii didn't trust Kanoe's appearance, but he didn't show it, trying to remain like his impoverished inner state. Deciding not to waste time, he immediately asked:

"What familia are you from?"

"Why be in such a hurry? Let's relax, have a drink," Kanoe evaded the direct answer.

"I don't drink. So what familia are you from?" Kopii noticed a fleeting annoyance on Kanoe's face, but it was immediately replaced by a smile, which made him wary.

"I'm from the Soma Familia. What about you, kid, which familia are you from?" Kanoe continued, clearly not wanting to stray from the topic.

Soma Familia… Kopii became wary, knowing that their familia specializes in selling addictive alcohol and various distractions. After considering this, he replied, trying to remain calm:

"I'm from the Miach Familia."

"Oh, the Miach Familia, I know that one." Kanoe drank the ale he had ordered and continued: "I've always respected him. How Miach took on debt for his familia, and they abandoned him. Don't you find that unfair?"

"I find it unfair that they left Miach-sama in a difficult moment. The one who gave them strength and a cozy hearth. But okay, let's talk about the team."

"Alright, but don't rush. Let's get to know each other better. For example, what weapon do you use?" Kanoe suggested with interest.

Kopii thought the question was stupid, since it was obvious that he was an archer. But he decided that Kanoe was just clarifying.

"I use a bow." Kopii was silent about the sword, as if not trusting Kanoe completely. But he needed to get stronger, to descend deeper into the Dungeon. He was tired of looking for a team and humbling himself before others. Before he could say anything, Kanoe cut him off:

"Why do you wear that mask?"

Kopii was taken aback, not expecting such an unexpected question, but he replied:

"My face is covered in scars, I hide them under the mask. My mother left those scars because I look too much like my father," he said, trembling slightly at the memories.

"Oh, sorry, I didn't mean to upset you," Kanoe said, his voice softening.

"It's okay. I've already come to terms with it. Okay, let's talk about the team: how many are you and what's your level? I'm first level, what about you?"

"There are two of us, not counting you," Kanoe noted, continuing his story. "And we're both first level, just like you."

"I see. And how do we split the reward?" Kopii continued, trying to learn more.

"It depends on the catch… Okay, it's getting late, let's meet tomorrow at the Babel Tower, okay, Kopii?" Kanoe suggested, clearly changing the subject hastily.

"Okay," Kopii agreed, noticing how Kanoe quickly changed the subject when it came to money. This left a deep impression on him. After saying goodbye, Kopii headed back to the "Blue Pharmacy," pondering that this interaction could be key to his future adventures.

He didn't trust Kanoe, he just didn't inspire confidence. But Kopii didn't care: if something went wrong, he could always run away. And there was no one above first level on the team, so he was confident in his abilities.

With these thoughts, he approached the "Blue Pharmacy." Entering inside, he saw the usual picture: Miach and Naaza were talking about something, laughing and exchanging jokes. He decided not to tell them about the new team, as he didn't trust it.

Kopii went to his room, immediately lay down on the bed, and, covering himself, fell asleep, hoping that tomorrow would bring him new opportunities and challenges.