IRON MAN: BROTHER DON'T CAUSE TROUBLE

Now truly understanding his situation, John knew he had to adjust his plans. Although he didn't necessarily need Touya's help in this world, Touya was still the best option if he wanted to gather more unique runes without wasting excessive time.

Finding rare runes could be a tedious and exhausting process, but Touya, blessed by a god, had unique access to such things. Befriending him seemed like the best course of action.

'Do the gods know about me already?' John wondered, feeling a twinge of unease.

Turning his gaze toward Touya, John observed him for a moment. The young man still seemed dazed, no doubt overwhelmed by recent events. According to the novel's storyline, this was the best time to offer help — when Touya was still figuring things out.

John walked over with a friendly smile. "Hello, nice to meet you. My name's John Stark, but you can just call me John."

Extending his hand for a handshake, John waited.

Touya blinked a few times, as if snapping out of his thoughts, before shaking John's hand firmly. "You can call me Touya."

John nodded. So far, so good.

"By the way, what's your plan next?" John asked casually. "I heard you've traveled a long way. Would you prefer to go sightseeing or rest for a while?"

Touya scratched the back of his head, clearly uncertain. "Ahhh... First, I'd like a meal. After that, I wouldn't mind coming with you if you don't mind."

John's smile widened. "No problem. I'll wait for you. And one more thing — you'll love the food."

With that, John turned and walked back to his room, leaving Touya standing there.

Touya watched John's retreating figure, a faint frown forming on his face. Something felt... off. He couldn't quite place it, but the situation seemed strange. However, before he could dwell on it, the innkeeper arrived with his meal. The delicious aroma of ham omelet, white bread, and seasoned vegetables pushed his earlier concerns aside.

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After finishing his meal, Touya met up with John outside the inn, and the two set off to explore the bustling streets of the city. The afternoon sun bathed the stone buildings in a warm glow.

Merchants shouted their wares from their stalls, children laughed as they ran past, and the scent of fresh bread and grilled meat filled the air.

Touya seemed intrigued by everything around him, pausing every now and then to examine trinkets or marvel at the variety of shops.

"First time in a city like this?" John asked with a chuckle.

Touya smiled. "Yeah... everything feels so lively here. It's nice."

John nodded knowingly. "It's a good place. Just be careful — not everyone here has good intentions."

Touya gave him a puzzled look but didn't press further.

As they walked down a quieter street, the lively sounds of the marketplace faded, replaced by the faint echo of footsteps in the alleyways. The air grew cooler, and the shadows stretched longer.

"Hey... you hear that?" John asked, his brows furrowing.

Touya stopped and listened carefully. Muffled voices — harsh and threatening — drifted from a narrow alley to their left.

Curious yet cautious, they crept closer and peered around the corner.

In the dim alley, four people — two girls and two boys — were arguing.

"Looks like trouble," John whispered. Surprisingly, he was the one who noticed first.

The girl with long hair stood firm, her fists clenched. "This isn't what you promised! We agreed on one gold coin!"

One of the men sneered and tossed a dull silver coin onto the ground. "Yeah? Well, it's scratched. That's all it's worth now." He held up a crystal antler — a shimmering object that sparkled faintly in the dim light.

"That's just robbery," Touya muttered.

The girl with mismatched gauntlets clenched her fists. Her expression was sharp, anger barely contained.

But before things could escalate, the older thug reached for his knife.

"Okay, that's enough," Touya said, stepping forward. "Mind if I interrupt?"

Both men turned sharply, their faces twisting with irritation.

"And who the hell are you?" one of them barked.

"You don't need to know who we are," John smirked, then turned to the long-haired girl. "I'll buy that horn from you. One gold coin — fair deal, right?"

The girl's expression shifted from frustration to confusion. "You serious?"

"Dead serious."

Just as John reached for his coin pouch, the thug cried out loudly.

"You're not buying anything!" the man sneered.

CRACK!

The crystal shattered as a pebble, flung expertly by John, struck it dead center. Shards clattered to the ground, sparkling like glass.

The thug's face twisted in rage. "You little—"

He lunged with his knife, but Touya sidestepped the strike with ease. With a swift twist of his wrist, Touya grabbed the man's arm, forcing the blade from his grasp before driving his elbow into the thug's ribs. The man dropped with a pained grunt.

John stepped in to deal with the other one, who charged at him with an axe. John sidestepped the swing and delivered a sharp elbow to the man's ribs. The thug staggered back, gasping for breath.

"Alright, both of them are down," John said, then turned to the girls. "Are you girls okay?"

"Uh... we're fine. Thanks," the gauntleted girl mumbled.

"No problem," John said.

The shy girl with short hair finally found her voice. "We're really grateful. My name's Lindsay, and this is Alsie."

"Nice to meet you both," John said with a smile. "I'm John, and this is Touya."

"Thank you again," Alsie added softly, her eyes meeting John's, who was a head taller than her. "We owe you."

On the side, Touya replied with a smile . " Don't worry about it. Just glad you're safe."

After that the four of them left the alley together, John and Touya led Alsie and Lindsay back to the inn, where they settled down for a meal. Over plates of roasted chicken and bread, they exchanged stories. Alsie and Lindsay revealed they had come from a small village hoping to join the Adventurers' Guild.

"If you're serious about joining, we can go together tomorrow," John offered.

"Really?" Lindsay asked.

"Sure," John said with a smile.

Alsie's face brightened. "That'd be great! Thanks, John."

'For Touya's journey to start as soon as possible, I have inserted myself in even before they knew each other. I just hope that everything goes well,' John thought.