The Honorable Wanderer: Mushoku Tensei

The faint outline of Lapan, the Labyrinth City, shimmered on the horizon, its silhouette distorted by the desert's heat haze. The vehicle sped forward, its enchanted engine humming steadily, but inside, the atmosphere was less calm.

Levi gave a small nod, his expression still serious. "Maybe. But we'll need to be cautious. Lapan is infamous for its deadly labyrinth. I'd rather not see your fancy vehicle destroyed before we even arrive."

Billy shot Levi a mock-surprised look. "Destroyed? My masterpiece? No way! This thing's built to handle anything—sand, rocks, even monster attacks. Trust me, Levi, we're perfectly safe with me at the wheel."

Levi sighed, deciding not to argue against Billy's overconfidence.

Billy hummed a lighthearted tune as he drove, trying to stave off boredom. Beside him, Levi sat in silence, his expression as unreadable as ever. Yet, something seemed to weigh on his mind.

"Too bad Alex isn't here," Levi muttered after a long stretch of quiet.

Billy glanced at him with a teasing grin. "Oh? Missing him already?"

Levi exhaled heavily, unfazed by Billy's jab. "Not exactly. If anything, it's quieter without him constantly shouting about fights. Still… it does feel a bit empty."

Billy chuckled, his grin widening. "Aww, Levi. I didn't know you could be sentimental. Maybe you do miss him after all."

Levi turned to him with an icy glare that could have lowered the temperature in the vehicle by several degrees. Slowly, he unsheathed his sword just enough to reveal its gleaming edge. "Care to repeat that?" he asked, his tone calm but laced with an unmistakable threat.

Billy raised one hand from the wheel, his palm facing Levi in surrender. "Okay, okay! I was just joking—no need to get so serious!"

Levi sighed and sheathed his sword. "You speak as though I've gone soft."

Billy laughed, his attention returning to the road. "Alright, I apologize. You know I can't resist teasing someone so serious."

Levi shook his head and gazed out the window at the vast, golden expanse of sand stretching endlessly. "One day, your habit of joking around will land you in serious trouble," he murmured.

Billy seized the moment of relative calm to steer the conversation toward a different topic. "So, Levi, you haven't really told me what you think about this mission."

Levi looked at him, one eyebrow raised. "What do you mean?"

Billy shrugged, his hands steady on the wheel. "I mean, we've been sent to the Begaritt Continent, one of the most dangerous places in the world, to locate victims of the mass teleportation incident. Doesn't that feel… heavy, even for us?"

Levi thought for a moment before answering. "I'm not concerned about the weight of the task. What I do wonder is… why Raphael didn't handle this himself. He certainly has more resources than we do."

Billy's grin faded slightly, replaced by a thoughtful expression. "You know Raphael. He's smart, but he won't waste his time if there's someone else he can trust to get the job done. And that includes us."

Levi rolled his eyes. "Or maybe he's just testing us."

Billy laughed softly. "That too. But honestly, I think there's more to this mission than just rescuing the teleportation victims. Raphael's never been one to give us the full story about what happened in Asura two years ago."

Levi nodded slowly. "The mass teleportation incident… Thousands vanished without a trace. Even now, no one knows the cause. Only Raphael seems to have any leads, and he's keeping them to himself."

Billy bit his lip, frustration flickering across his face. "I hate being left in the dark. If we're here to save people, why not just tell us where they are? Why make us search the labyrinth?"

Levi's calm gaze met Billy's. "Maybe because the answers lie there. We just need to find them ourselves."

As the city drew closer, Billy pressed down on the accelerator, the vehicle kicking up clouds of sand behind it. Levi straightened in his seat, preparing for whatever awaited them in Lapan.

"So," Billy asked, eyeing the city, "what's the plan once we get there?"

Levi's hand rested on the hilt of his sword, his voice steady. "Gather information. Find anyone who can help us locate the victims. And if someone gets in our way…"

Billy glanced at him, a smirk playing on his lips. "You'll make sure they regret it?"

Levi nodded silently.

"I like that," Billy said with a chuckle. "But you know, Levi, we can't rely solely on your sword and my brains. We'll need a real strategy."

Levi rolled his eyes. "I know. That's why I'm here and not Alex."

Billy's laughter echoed through the vehicle. "Ouch! Harsh, Levi. But honestly, I think we'll be fine. You've got the blade, I've got the brains, and this car has—"

A sharp pop and a hissing sound interrupted him, and Billy froze mid-sentence. His expression shifted from confident to panicked in an instant.

Levi raised an eyebrow. "This car has what, Billy?"

Scratching the back of his head awkwardly, Billy pulled the vehicle over to the side. "This car has… a small problem, apparently."

Levi sighed deeply. "I knew this would happen."

With Lapan now just a few kilometers ahead, Billy and Levi worked quickly to address the vehicle's issues. They managed to patch it up well enough to reach the city, but upon arrival, they decided not to drive into the streets directly. A contraption as advanced as their vehicle would draw too much attention in a world where such technology was rare.

Billy stored the car in his dimensional storage ring, a unique artifact crafted for him by their master, Ash. The ring also housed Billy's signature twin pistols, Pollux and Castor.

After paying a small toll of copper coins at the city gates, the two entered Lapan on foot. The bustling streets were alive with a mix of adventurers, merchants, and mercenaries.

Their first stop was a modest inn where they rented a room to regroup. Sitting at a simple wooden table, they began planning their next move.