The last manifestation

Ace stood still for a few seconds, breathing slowly—not from exhaustion, but from inhaling smoke. He looked down at the lifeless corpse before him. The beast's chest rose and fell with its final breaths, then settled into stillness. Slowly, Ace reached toward its head, then paused. He was supposed to extract the creature's eyes as proof of completing the mission. Yet, he hesitated, unsure if this was the monster described in the request. It didn't match the details.

This wasn't a mere creature that raided caravans without causing harm. It was something far stronger and more dangerous, even for rookie adventurers. Ace realized that a mission involving such a beast would never be assigned to a beginner. He began to wonder if there had been a mistake or if this monster had surpassed its biological limits, becoming a threat of a new, undocumented kind.

He gripped the handle of his dagger and exhaled, realizing that taking the eyes wouldn't suffice. The beast needed a full examination. One moment of thought sealed his decision: he would carry the entire corpse back to the guild. It would cost him more time, but it was the right call.

He hoisted the body onto his shoulder with careful motion, feeling its weight press down on him. He estimated the corpse to weigh around 200 kilograms by his planet's standards. He recalled how heavy things felt lighter on his home world, but here, he could feel the difference. Still, his physical strength far exceeded that of any ordinary person, making the task difficult, but not impossible.

Minutes passed slowly until he returned to the town. From afar, he spotted the twin brothers, standing as usual, chatting with each other. One was immersed in a book, while the other stared blankly into the distance. As Ace approached, they noticed he was carrying a beast on his shoulder, which from a distance had looked like a sack of flour. One of them raised an eyebrow in surprise, while the other let out a soft whistle and asked:

"What are you carrying, brother?"

As he got closer, one of them spoke again, his voice a mixture of shock and concern:

"What is that, brother? That's no rabbit. You look like you've been through a war. What happened?"

The other stood speechless for a moment, his eyes darting between Ace and the corpse on his shoulder, which he seemed to carry with little concern. Then, his eyes widened in astonishment, and he stammered:

"I-Is... is that the Dragon fire Beast?!"

Ace nodded silently. The exhaustion was etched into his features—he didn't need many words. His worn-out body told the story. Still, he replied in a low voice:

"I brought the beast's corpse to show the guild. I think it's different from what was described in the request."

A brief silence followed, broken by one of the twins' hesitant voice:

"You carried that thing all the way here?"

Ace glanced at the corpse, then at the twins, and gave a simple nod—confirming he had done so. He could've told them he hitched a ride part of the way, but the nod was more sincere.

After a moment of disbelief, one of the twins stepped closer to examine the body, but Ace asked to head inside, knowing time was precious. As he entered the town, the guard's attention shifted to his brother who was inspecting the corpse. He saw him standing there, lost in thought. Suddenly, something changed in his expression. His eyes widened slowly, his face shifting from curiosity to concern—then to shock. His brother approached, asking if something was wrong. The other replied, his voice trembling as if even he couldn't believe his own words:

"T-That! That's not an ordinary Dragon fire Beast, brother! Those colorful scales... I read about them in a book!"

His brother looked at him, puzzled, then turned his gaze toward the retreating figure of Ace and the beast once more. This time, his expression shifted to one of deep suspicion. It didn't take long before both twins turned toward each other, pointing fingers simultaneously, then shouting in unison:

"That beast!!! That beast is…"

"That beast!!! That beast is…"

As Ace walked through the town, he drew every eye. It wasn't the first time the townsfolk had seen an adventurer return, clothes in tatters and body covered in wounds, but this time was different. It wasn't just the townspeople who stared in shock and confusion—even the seasoned adventurers, those accustomed to battles and danger, watched Ace with wary eyes. After all, here was a young man of average build, carrying on his shoulder the corpse of a massive beast as if it were nothing more than a daily trophy.

Ace made his way forward steadily, feeling the weight of those gazes. He hadn't expected to become the center of attention—especially in a town teeming with warriors, where it was supposedly commonplace to see people returning from their quests laden with spoils or even monster corpses. At least, that's what he thought.

When he finally reached the guild hall, he pushed the door open slowly, almost theatrically announcing his arrival. The moment he crossed the threshold, the lively chatter inside came to a halt. Cups lifted mid-toast remained suspended in the air. Ace didn't need to look around to know that every gaze had locked onto him—or rather, onto the corpse he carried. Silence reigned for a few moments… then erupted into laughter.

That was how they welcomed him. Not with respect or admiration, but with cold, unfiltered mockery. Some men laughed so hard they clutched their sides in pain, while others pointed at him, exchanging sarcastic remarks. His filthy appearance, scorched and torn clothing—these, to them, were signs of a one-sided fight against a weak monster, dragged back in a desperate attempt to brag about an unworthy achievement.

Ace paid them no mind. He walked straight to the reception desk. Upon arrival, he swung the monster's body off his shoulder and dropped it to the ground with a heavy thud that made the counter tremble. Filth and blood splashed onto the floor, angering some of the adventurers. One of them shouted in irritation, having spent much effort cleaning that floor. Still, Ace didn't react. His focus was on the stunned expressions of the receptionists, who remained frozen, their gazes a mixture of disbelief and awe.

"I brought the monster's corpse because there's something strange I want to show you," he said in his usual calm voice.

The receptionist said nothing. She simply stared at the corpse, her mouth slightly agape, as if her mind was struggling to grasp what her eyes saw. All the adventurers noticed the odd expressions on the staff's faces. Their hushed whispers grew louder as they slowly approached the counter, curiosity written across their faces.

"This... this can't be!" one of the women muttered, while another covered her mouth as if to stifle a gasp of horror. One of the adventurers raised an eyebrow and asked warily, "What's going on? It's just a basic Dragon fire beast. Why all the shock?"

None of the women answered. But the receptionist who had given Ace the mission stepped out from behind the counter to inspect the corpse. Her eyes betrayed a lingering disbelief as she said, "No… this isn't a regular Dragon fire beast!"

A few gasps were heard. Another adventurer crouched beside her to examine the creature more closely. He ran his fingers over the scales and studied the unusually long fangs before slowly lifting his head and saying, "This… is a camouflaged Dragon fire beast—an advanced class specimen!"

A deep silence fell over the hall. It was as if everyone suddenly grasped the gravity of what lay before them. The camouflaged Dragon fire beast was no ordinary creature. It was a rare type, known to leave behind the charred remains of many adventurers in its wake. The whispers grew louder, and glances became increasingly uneasy.

"A camouflaged Dragon fire? That's impossible!" someone exclaimed.

Not everyone was convinced. One man scoffed, laughing mockingly. "Maybe he dyed its scales to make it look like that."

Before anyone could respond, an old man stepped forward. A seasoned adventurer with gray hair and eyes that had seen many years. The receptionist and the adventurer examining the corpse made room for him. He scrutinized the body silently for a few seconds. Everyone watched, waiting for his verdict—the one judgment that could settle the matter once and for all.

When he finally raised his head, his voice was firm. "It seems we have ourselves a genuine camouflaged Dragon fire corpse, folks."

Stillness hung in the air as if the hall itself held its breath. It was a suffocating moment, as everyone found themselves face-to-face with a truth they hadn't anticipated. The elder's words echoed in their minds—words no one could easily dismiss, coming from a man with unquestionable experience.

He continued, "Look at the eyes. If you think he dyed the scales—which would've taken painstaking effort—then explain the eyes. You can't alter them. These eyes don't belong to normal members of this species. And more importantly, they reflect the same hue and pattern as the scales. That's something you simply cannot fake."

He lifted his head again, scanning the stunned faces around him before finishing in a quiet but piercing voice, "Believe it or not, this is the corpse of a true camouflaged Dragon fire beast."

His words ripped away the last threads of doubt. Expressions shifted. The way they looked at Ace changed entirely—now filled with astonishment, suspicion, and perhaps even a hint of fear. The silence held for a few more moments, until the creak of a door broke it, ushering in a sudden and unexpected change.