The morning sun over Polberan cast long shadows across the cobbled streets. A cool breeze swayed the hanging lanterns that lined the rooftops. Inside the Salebori Inn, the Kind Heroes prepared for a new day. Arriel adjusted the leather straps on his tunic, while Lira tied her hair into a high ponytail. Kell, ever the cheerful one, already had a map spread across the table.
"Let's go with this one," Kell said, tapping a marked paper from the adventurer's guild board. "C-rank quest. Slay a few Rotfangs lurking in Sevest Forest."
Lira nodded. "It'll be good to keep a low profile. No high-profile hunts."
They made their way to the Polberan Adventurer's Guild. The air inside was lively but calm. Adventurers browsed quests, chatted over morning tea, or sharpened blades in the corner. As Arriel handed their quest selection to the receptionist, a young woman with brown curls and a quiet smile, she glanced at him with something unspoken in her eyes.
She slipped an envelope across the counter with the request sheet. "This came for you, earlier."
Arriel blinked. "From who?"
She offered only a soft smile. As she reached to adjust a stack of papers, Arriel caught sight of a silver pinky ring on her left hand. A torch symbol glinted under the light.
His heart thumped.
Outside the guild, the trio rode their hoverbike southward, toward the tree-lined horizon of Sevest Forest. As the canopy thickened, birds called overhead, and insects buzzed in the distance.
They dismounted in a shaded clearing and Arriel opened the envelope.
Inside were two simple silver rings and a folded note. The letter read:
"These are Hero Concealment Rings. When worn, your Status Bracelet will display Level 1. Your true strength remains untouched. Wear them, and stay unburned in the torch's shadow."
Without a word, Arriel passed one to Lira. They both slipped them onto their fingers. Immediately, their status bracelets pulsed once—then changed.
LEVEL: 1
Arriel tested the weight in his limbs. Nothing had changed. He still felt the tension in his muscles, the mana coursing through him like a raging current.
"It works," Lira whispered, eyes wide. "No detection... but we're still us."
"Neat trick," Kell added. "Scary, but neat."
They entered Sevest Forest and followed the trail until they encountered a trio of Rotfangs near a shallow creek—dog-sized reptilian beasts with curved teeth and semi-armored hides. They coordinated their movements with a hunter's precision, but Arriel and Lira dispatched them with ease.
Lira cast a wind spell that staggered two of them, and Arriel rushed in with three swift strikes from his sword. Each beast fell within seconds.
They harvested the cores and returned to Polberan.
As they entered the guild to report the completed quest, the atmosphere shifted. A small group of armored soldiers had arrived, flanked by the town's lord—Petora, a heavy-set man in noble attire. In his gloved hand, he held a round glowing crystal—a Hero Detection Orb.
"These three," Petora pointed. "You, adventurers. Step forward and touch the orb."
Adventurers nearby went silent. Lira stepped forward first. She placed her hand on the orb. Nothing.
Kell did the same. No reaction.
Then Arriel stepped up. His palm touched the cool crystal.
Still nothing. The orb remained dormant.
Petora frowned. "Curious. All clear." He gave a shallow nod and turned away. The soldiers followed, their boots clicking across the tiled floor.
The moment they left, the guild resumed its chatter, like a breath collectively held had been released.
Back at the Salebori Inn, the three sat around their room's table, voices low.
"It worked," Lira said. "Completely. They didn't suspect a thing."
Arriel turned the silver ring on his finger. "But this also means they're watching closely. They're looking for people like us."
Kell nodded solemnly. "And now we know for sure how dangerous it would be if we were found out."
Lira crossed her arms. "We can't let our guard down. But... maybe this is the first real step to staying one move ahead."
Outside their window, the sun dipped low into the horizon, casting Polberan in soft orange light. Somewhere in the town, the torch-shaped symbol of True Heroes gleamed faintly under the setting sun.
They were hidden now.
But they weren't alone.