The Glorious Evolution

”Duskbound... those bastards again...” Arthur muttered, his jaw tightening.

He turned toward his brother, wanting to ask several questions at once... but Levi continued before he could.

”House Zen and the Targon properties are connected to that name. Anyone trying to find me could start there. If they discover your connection to me, you could become targets too.”

Jojo glanced at the others. Her upcoming visit suddenly involved more than meeting the Runehoof Kin.

Levi knew he couldn’t ask his friends to help without explaining the danger... he would rather worry them now and keep their guard raised than let them walk into trouble because he had kept his mouth shut.

”My licenses are under Dark Sun... so, use separate identities when you’re helping with the company, and keep your real names and families out of it. Don’t let anyone connect Dark Sun to Mr. Problem.”

Arthur rubbed his forehead, still trying to process the bounty... then paused.

”Mr. Problem?”

”What?”

”That’s the name you decided to go with?”

”It worked...” Levi coughed, not fond of their cringing expressions.

Jojo looked at him with open disapproval. ”You had every possible name to choose from... and settled on Mr. Problem?”

”I don’t see what’s wrong with it.”

”That’s exactly what’s wrong with it.” Arthur turned toward the others. ”Before we start this company, I want one condition agreed upon... Levi is banned from naming anything ever again.”

”Agreed,” Jojo supported immediately. ”Especially our identities. I’ll choose my own.”

Levi clicked his tongue at how quickly the others nodded along.

”You haven’t even heard my suggestions.”

”And we intend to keep it that way,” Nurah giggled.

Although a bounty on his head sounded serious, they knew that as long as Levi wasn’t stupid enough to expose himself or his identity within the realm, it should be nearly impossible to claim the hit... so there was no point in being overly worried.

”When can I go?” Jojo asked, returning to her invitation.

”I’ll contact Brahmin tomorrow to arrange it. Just rein in your tongue a little,” Levi warned.

”I know how to show respect.”

”Yeah, right...” Arthur said.

”To people,” she clarified.

Jojo ignored Arthur’s mumured curses and turned back to Levi.

”Thank you... seriously.”

”Don’t mention it.” Levi waved his hand. ”I will always keep a lookout for other opportunities to help you guys.”

”Spoken like a true captain.” Shia smiled.

This was the exact reason the girls had no issue helping Levi with his businesses, even if he paid them nothing... he always helped them and never asked for anything, and they would do the same to him in a heartbeat.

While Levi was conversing with Shia, Nurah, and Jasmine about the details of his company and park, Jojo opened a fresh dimensional screen and started noting a list of questions for Brahmin.

Seeing how focused she looked, Arthur scratched his nose and then quietly slid the last piece from his plate onto hers.

”For the journey.”

”I’m not leaving tonight, idiot.”

She ate it anyway, then returned to her list before he could comment.

”Jojo is going to train in the mountains, and Levi will disappear once he gets this company going.” Nurah sighed.

Levi couldn’t deny it... Arthur had needed to summon him tonight, and the company wasn’t even registered yet.

Arthur knocked a knuckle against the throne.

”So, we’re keeping this to give us all a reason to group up in the future, regardless of where our roads take us.” He grinned. ”Here... Whoever comes back from a game with a win gets the seat. They pick dinner, and the rest of us prepare the table.”

”You’re getting ahead of yourself.” Jojo rolled her eyes. ”Most of us haven’t entered one yet.”

”I’ve been meaning to talk about that,” Arthur said. ”I want to give my first game a try.”

Before he could answer, Shia admitted that she had been considering the same thing. Nurah and Jojo also intended to enter... apparently, watching him and Jasmine participate had given them quite a push.

They had seen how brutal the games could be, but they had also seen the opportunities... none of them wanted to remain a spectator while Levi and Jasmine advanced without them.

”We’ve fought for our lives before,” Shia said. ”I’d rather find out whether I can handle the Ring than keep deciding I can’t without trying.”

”Especially with Nocturn’s Pardon,” Nurah added. ”We might as well make use of it.”

The Pardon guaranteed their survival during their first game, giving them a chance to experience the Ring before deciding whether to continue. It would expire afterward, even if they never needed it.

He had relied on that same protection when deciding to enter the Wailing Bone Pit.

With everyone willing to give the Ring a try, Arthur had no trouble securing their agreement to his dinner tradition.

Shia then returned to the business that would keep Levi occupied between games.

”Who’s going to oversee the company while you’re away?”

”I’ll need to hire someone for that.”

”And decide what they can approve without contacting you,” Nurah added. ”Otherwise, you’ll either be answering messages all day or finding out what they’ve done after they’ve spent your money.”

Levi listened as they asked about the positions he needed to fill and his existing commitments. Shia wanted to see how much he had reserved to keep the company running before its first sale... a delayed hunt wouldn’t stop salaries or preservation expenses from coming due.

Both had grown up as children of established Lineages... learning how to manage people, accounts, and family businesses had been part of their upbringing, whether they enjoyed those lessons or not.

Shia might have discarded her family’s table manners, but apparently, the rest hadn’t been so easy to forget.

Still, neither pretended to understand an industry they had only learned about over dinner.

They couldn’t tell him whether the butchery equipment he intended to buy was worth its price or how much preserving a Leviathan should cost.

”I can help you go through the plans and expenses,” Shia offered. ”We’ll have to learn what’s normal for this business first.”

Nurah volunteered to check the backgrounds and references of his applicants. Judging their professional skills would require someone qualified, but she could at least help him find out whom he was considering trusting.

”That would take quite a bit off my hands,” Levi admitted.

He had been running out of time lately with so much going on in his life to the point that his training took a back seat.

Soon, the conversation returned to the park, with Arthur insisting that at least one exhibit needed teeth large enough for visitors to stand between them.

Business-wise, Arthur didn’t even try to share his opinion... but Fun-wise? His imagination was running wildly for what would make the park a recurring visit for customers.

As their arguments grew livelier, Levi leaned back against the throne, a faint smile forming on his lips.

Arthur was still defending his ridiculous ideas, while Jojo seemed determined to reject every single one... occasionally, one of the girls would offer a suggestion, only to get dragged into their bickering.

Levi listened without interrupting.

Their familiar voices put him at ease... little by little, his shoulders relaxed, and his head settled more comfortably against the throne.

It felt good to be here.

To have everyone close enough that he could simply call their name and receive an answer... to listen to them argue over something as silly as which creature would look best at the park’s entrance.

A lost warmth filled his chest, leaving him so comfortable and at peace that he barely noticed his thoughts growing hazy.

He meant to join in when Arthur suggested something even more absurd...

But by the time his brother turned to ask for his opinion, Levi was already asleep.

Shia noticed his steady breathing first and pressed a finger to her lips. One by one, the others turned toward the throne... Jojo swallowed her next retort, while Nurah smiled softly at how comfortably he had settled among them.

Levi had curled sideways on the throne’s wide seat, his legs tucked up and his cheek nestled against the cushioned back... even in his sleep, a faint smile lingered on his lips.

Arthur regarded his brother for a moment, then whispered with considerable satisfaction.

”Told you he needed the throne.”