I am Just an Average Tamer

A boy, no older than seventeen, strolled through the cobbled streets.

Munching lazily on a skewer of dumplings.

His messy green hair bounced with every step, and his golden eyes scanned the bustling city around them.

Beside him, a girl of the same age walked with her arms folded.

Her blonde hair were tied in a low ponytail.

She glanced at him with her emerald-green eyes.

"You've had six already."

The boy bit into another with a grin. "Seven, technically. One fell, though doesn't count."

They chatted idly, their voices blending into the background noise of laughter, music, and merchants shouting their wares.

Suddenly, the boy stopped mid-step.

His grin faltered.

"...You feel that?" he murmured.

The girl frowned. "Feel what? And no—we are not getting into anything shady today."

"We're supposed to meet the others near the lantern square," the girl reminded, lightly tugging his sleeve.

But he shook his head with a smirk. "C'mon, something fun's happening nearby. I can feel it."

Without waiting, he disappeared into a nearby alley. She groaned and followed.

----

In a hidden patch between crumbling stone walls and overgrown vines. Kai's knees buckled beneath him

Thud!

His body hit the ground with a dull thud.

The last flicker of blue light around him faded.

Moments later, the green-haired boy and the blonde girl stepped onto the scene, their expressions shifting from curiosity to caution.

The boy knelt beside Kai, placing two fingers on his neck.

"He's alive," he said calmly.

******

Kai's eyes fluttered open, the dull scent of herbs and the soft rustling of curtains greeting him.

Kai blinked a few times, squinting at the light until it stopped burning. His body ached like he'd been hit by a cart full of bricks

He slowly sat up, groaning.

"Awake?"

The voice came from his left. Kai turned, and his eyes narrowed.

"...Riven?"

The green-haired boy was slouched in a chair, arms crossed behind his head, legs kicked up like he owned the place.

He grinned. "You looked half-dead when I found you. Care to explain why you were bleeding all over the ground like a stabbed pig?"

Kai rubbed his forehead. "Was...training."

"Yeah?Looked more like you were losing to whatever you were training against." Riven snorted. "So, you joining the tournament?"

Kai nodded slowly. "Yeah."

Then his eyes shifted to the right—and landed on her.

A girl with braided blonde hair and calm green eyes sat beside the bed, arms resting on her lap. Her expression was unreadable. But those eyes…

His thoughts swirled. 'No way. She can't be...'

Noticing his stare, Riven glanced at her, then back at Kai. "Ah, right. That's Aria—my close friend. She's participating too."

She gave a small nod in greeting.

Kai said nothing, but his heart was pounding now—for a reason even he couldn't explain yet.

'Am I feeling guilty?' He quickly shook off the thought.

Kai exhaled, running a hand through his hair. "Okay."

Then, after a pause, he added, "Thanks for helping me. How long was I out?"

Riven leaned back, "You were out cold when we found you. And now it's just after sunrise."

Kai nodded, slowly swinging his legs off the bed. His body still ached, but at least he could stand.

"Thanks again," he said and reached into his pouch and pulled out a few coins, placing them on the small table beside him. "For the trouble."

Aria frowned slightly, opened her mouth, clearly about to protest, but before she could, Riven snatched the coins with a grin.

"There was no need for it dude."

He slung an arm around Kai's shoulder like they were old drinking buddies.

"From now on, you're my little bro!" he declared dramatically.

Kai winced, already regretting his generosity. "Get off."

Riven just laughed. Aria sighed, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear.

Kai grunted as Riven practically dragged him down the corridor.

"Seriously, stop pulling—my ribs are not having fun."

Before Riven could crack another joke, Aria finally spoke up, "He's injured. He needs rest, not you manhandling him."

Riven halted mid-step and immediately released his grip.

"Oops. My bad," he said, then smirked as he turned to Aria. "Wait a second... Why're you so worried about him, huh? Could it be… our Aria finally warming up to someone?"

Aria blinked, eyes narrowed. "Don't be ridiculous."

"Ohhh, she didn't deny it. That means—"

"It means," she cut in sharply, "that you should shut up."

Riven gasped dramatically. "She cares—someone get the healers, I'm dying of shock."

Kai rubbed his temple. "I'm fine, seriously," he said, stepping away from the drama duo. "I should go. My friends are probably worried about me."

Riven gave a mock salute. "Then off you go, Brother. Take care, don't woo another girls or Aria will be mad."

Aria crossed her arms, letting out a soft sigh but didn't say anything more. Her gaze flicked to Kai one last time.

------

Kai stepped outside, the afternoon sun warming his face as he slowly made his way back toward the inn. His thoughts wandered—he had wasted precious time, and by now, Elina and Lina had probably already left without him.

When he opened the door to his room, a familiar voice immediately caught his attention.

"Big Brother!"

Before he could even process it, Elina's arms were around him, pulling him into a tight hug. Her eyes were teary, her voice trembled. "I thought something happened to you..."

Kai muffled a groan as pain flared through his body, but he couldn't bring himself to pull away. Instead, he let out a deep sigh and melted into the embrace, his hand reaching up to pat her head gently. "I'm fine, Elina. I'm fine."

As he hugged her back, his gaze shifted to Lina, who stood in the corner with her arms crossed, foot tapping.

"Where were you?" she asked, her tone edged with annoyance. "We were worried. You didn't come back, and we didn't know what happened to you."

Kai opened his mouth, wanting to ask why they were so concerned about him, but the words didn't come out, as something shifted inside him.

His gaze softened, and without thinking.

"I'm sorry," he apologized, surprising even himself.

Lina's expression softened in return, her posture eased as she moved toward him. Her eyes fell to the bandages wrapping around his body.

Her breath hitched, and before she could say anything, Kai quickly added, "It's from training."

Her eyes widened at his words, but she didn't press further.

Instead, she gently placed a hand on his shoulder, her tone much softer now. "Just... don't scare us like that again, alright?"

Kai nodded, a small smile tugging at his lips despite the pain. "I won't."

Kai took a deep breath, rolling his shoulders as if shaking off the tension. Then he looked at them with a small smile.

"Alright, let's go do something fun before the tournament," he said.

Elina's eyes lit up immediately. "Really?! You mean it?"

Lina cracked into a grin. "I'm in."

Kai just chuckled softly, watching the two of them already start tossing ideas back and forth. He shook his head with a smile.