My family and I spent some quality time cooking altogether. It was a rare case since I usually had something already prepared.

I think all of us really enjoyed it, despite being tired after a whole day of hunting.

Eventually, the meal was prepared and we sat down by the table in the dining room. The light outside, which we could see through the windows, was already getting dimmer, heralding the coming night.

- So what's the plan? - Tihana suddenly asked me. - How do we split people?

- I thought you would take care of that - I admitted, stabbing a piece of grilled chicken with a fork, then shoving it into my mouth.

She rolled her eyes.

- What? It's not me who knows how who is the most capable, and who isn't. It's you - I explained myself, stabbing some steamed vegetables, just to do what I did with the chicken.

Speaking about the devil. You might be wondering what happened to Tam. He was around, I just didn't pay too much attention to him. He usually stayed at home anyway. Sometimes explored the vicinity on his own too, but it wasn't like he needed me to take care of him...

- Fine. I'll do it - she said. - But in exchange, we are doing it completely my way.

- Your way? - I asked, almost choking on the food.

I had to cough, and almost spit it out, but somehow I managed to get a hold of myself.

- Yeah - she said like it was something obvious, stating the air with the fork, which she raised. - If I'm gonna do it, then I want to do it from start to finish.

- Ok... Then tell explain to me how exactly you want to do it, and then I will agree or not - I told her.

- Well, I think we should have four small groups rating around the tier-one hunting grounds, and then the remaining force hunting in tier-two spots. We should go there with you first, to check which places we can clean by ourselves, and then after that do it without your supervision. Then, when the four groups, as they get stronger, should be replaced. They would join the main force, strengthening, so we could try the previously too-hard spots, again under your supervision. This should repeat until we can clean all tier-two hunting grounds.

I slowly nodded to her words, still stabbing food from my plate and shoving it into my mouth.

- Who do you propose for the four groups? - I asked with my mouth full.

- Dasha, Marvin, and Lucas could lead one group each. We should get them the weakest people, so they can help them get stronger. The last group should be mom, Carmelita, and Leonel - she told me.

I glanced at Celestine, to check how she felt about the proposal.

- I think it's a good idea - she said.

Leonel was already very excited, and even Carmelita was smiling, so I thought they all accepted the proposal.historical

I, personally, was happy with it too, since it was my family who was getting stronger. I wanted them all to come out very powerful when this project would end. It was still a long time away, but I was already looking far into the future.

The war was coming. Obviously, I didn't want them to participate, but what I did want, was for them to be able to take care of themselves, without me sticking around. It was inevitable for me to be at the front lines.

- Ok. Let's do it this way. You are gonna put this idea forward to the rest, tomorrow, and then we will proceed. I think I could be able to clear my spots by then - I said.

- Sure. I have no problem with that - she assured me.

- I can't wait - Leoned added, whispering.

I encouraged him to speak more, and he described to us what he was going to do with all the new points and class points. The boy was already very, very strong. Which was making me slightly worried since I didn't want him to get out of control. He needed first to have the right ideas in his head.

This meant I had to spend more time with him, to assure he was under the right influence. I was already working on that, but since my schedule was tight, there was still a lot to do in that matter. It made me consider slowing down my hunting.

After all, there was no rush with upgrading the device, while the early years of Leonel's life were passing by, which couldn't be reversed or stopped.

It bugged me even after we finished the meal, so I decided to spend some with the boy some more time. We trained a little outside. I did my best to make it fun for him, and also allow him to speak his mind to me.

He was on a good track, but his obsession with becoming a true hero, like in the movies or cartoons, could easily prove to be bad for him.

Since he was quite tired already, our session didn't last long, and we ended up sitting on the grass behind our house to rest slightly before returning home.

- You always say, you want to be a hero, but what do you really mean by that? - I asked him.

- To slay the monsters, and save others - he replied without hesitation.

- What if somebody doesn't want to be saved? Or when you don't know who is the monster? What then? - I asked him.

I wanted him to understand that life wasn't black and white. There were a lot of greys there too. He stared at me for a while, clearly thinking about the answer, but couldn't find any.

- I don't know. I don't know what you mean, dad...

- What if a thief steals something from another thief? Who is the villain there? Or what if a killer kills another killer? Does it make him the hero? What if two people are hungry, and they fight for food to survive, and one kills the other? What I'm trying to say, is that out there, in the real world, it's not so easy. Here he has us and the monsters, but out there, on earth, for example, there are just people. Some are good, some are bad, but most are a mix - I explained to him. - You don't have to give me an answer but promise me you will think about it. You will think about what it really means to be a hero. When you will finally know, then come and tell me, ok?

He nodded. I smiled at him.

- Let's go wash up, and rest. I'm tired - I then added.