The morning sun crept slowly over the rooftops of Greenwood Village, casting long golden streaks across the cobbled streets. The village was already awake. Merchants shouted about fresh bread and smoked fish, carts rolled over uneven stone roads, and the smell of herbs and roasted meat drifted through the air.
Kael walked through the village square with a steady pace.
Four days.
Four days since he officially registered as an adventurer.
Four days of small quests, training, and slowly building a reputation inside the guild.
Not impressive quests—nothing heroic.
Delivering supplies.
Clearing out rats from grain storage.
Helping an old farmer repair fences after monsters trampled his land.
But Kael didn't complain.
Every quest meant coin.
Every coin meant survival.
More importantly…
Every fight meant experience.
Kael adjusted the simple sword hanging at his waist. The blade wasn't special. Just standard iron issued by the guild. But he treated it like treasure.
Because right now, it was the only weapon he had.
And every night after returning to the inn, Kael trained.
Swing.
Step.
Guard.
Strike.
Again and again.
Sometimes until his arms trembled.
Sometimes until sweat soaked through his shirt.
He could feel himself improving little by little.
Not fast.
But steady.
And Kael knew something important.
In this world, slow improvement was still improvement.
---
Inside the Adventurer Guild, the atmosphere was lively.
Adventurers crowded around the quest board while others drank ale at the long wooden tables. The sound of laughter, arguments, and clinking mugs filled the hall.
Kael pushed the door open.
Immediately, someone waved at him.
"Oi! Kael!"
It was Lyria.
She sat at the counter beside the receptionist desk, lazily spinning a quill between her fingers.
Her silver hair was tied back today, though several strands escaped and framed her face.
"Morning," she said.
Kael walked over.
"You're early."
"You're late," she replied immediately.
He raised an eyebrow.
"It's barely morning."
Lyria smirked.
"For adventurers? This is already mid-day."
Kael leaned against the counter.
"You've been here since sunrise again, haven't you?"
She didn't answer.
That was answer enough.
Kael sighed.
"You work too much."
"And you complain too much."
She slid a piece of paper toward him.
"Here."
Kael looked down.
"A quest?"
"Three silver reward," she said. "Clearing goblins near the eastern hills."
Kael frowned slightly.
"Goblins already?"
"Relax," Lyria said casually. "Only two or three sightings. Probably just scouts."
He crossed his arms.
"You're sure?"
She leaned closer, lowering her voice slightly.
"If it were a real goblin nest, the reward would be ten silver or more."
"Fair point."
Kael picked up the quest sheet.
But before he could say anything—
A loud voice interrupted.
"Well well… if it isn't the orphan swordsman."
Kael didn't need to turn around.
He already knew that voice.
Mike.
Kael slowly looked back.
Mike stood near the entrance with two of his usual lackeys. Their armor looked slightly better than most beginner adventurers—clearly purchased with family money.
Mike crossed his arms.
"So you really became an adventurer."
Kael shrugged.
"Looks like it."
Mike stepped closer.
"I heard you've been taking rat-killing quests."
One of the lackeys snorted.
"Real heroic work."
Kael didn't react.
Lyria however rolled her eyes dramatically.
"Oh look," she muttered loudly, "the academy rejects are here."
Mike glared.
"We're not rejects."
"Right," Lyria said dryly. "You just barely passed the entrance exam."
One of the lackeys clenched his fists.
"You—"
Mike raised a hand, stopping him.
Then he looked back at Kael.
"You know," Mike said slowly, "people like you shouldn't get ahead of themselves."
Kael tilted his head.
"Oh?"
"You got lucky."
Kael smiled faintly.
"Maybe."
Mike's eyes narrowed.
"But luck runs out."
Kael shrugged again.
"Everything does eventually."
For a moment the two stared at each other.
Then Lyria clapped her hands loudly.
"Alright! That's enough testosterone for one morning."
She pointed at the door.
"Mike, unless you're here to actually take a quest, go bother someone else."
Mike scoffed.
"Whatever."
Before leaving, he leaned closer to Kael.
"Don't die out there."
Then he walked away with his lackeys.
The door slammed shut.
Lyria groaned.
"I swear he comes here just to annoy me."
Kael chuckled.
"He's harmless."
"For now."
She looked at the quest paper in Kael's hand.
"So?"
Kael nodded.
"I'll take it."
She smiled.
"Good."
Then she paused.
"Actually… wait."
Kael raised an eyebrow.
"What?"
Lyria reached under the counter and pulled out another folded document.
"This one came in this morning."
She slid it across the counter.
Kael opened it.
His expression slowly changed.
"Missing livestock?" he read.
"Not exactly," Lyria said.
"Then what?"
"Animals disappearing."
Kael looked up.
"How many?"
"Seven."
His brow furrowed.
"In four days."
That was strange.
Predators usually didn't hunt that frequently near villages.
"What do the farmers think?" Kael asked.
"Wolves," Lyria said.
"But?"
"But there are no tracks."
Kael stared at her.
"No tracks?"
She nodded.
"None."
He leaned back slightly, thinking.
"Something smart then."
"Exactly."
She tapped the quest sheet.
"That's why I thought of you."
Kael blinked.
"Why me?"
Lyria smiled faintly.
"You actually pay attention."
He couldn't argue with that.
Most beginner adventurers would rush in looking for a fight.
But Kael had lived in the forest long enough to understand something important.
Creatures rarely attacked without reason.
He folded the paper.
"I'll investigate."
"Good."
She paused again.
"And Kael?"
"Yeah?"
"Be careful."
He smirked.
"You sound worried."
"I'm not."
"Sure."
She glared.
"Just go already."
---
The eastern fields outside Greenwood stretched wide and quiet.
Golden grass swayed gently in the wind while distant forest lines marked the edge of wilderness.
Kael walked along a dirt path leading toward the farms.
His mind was busy.
Goblins.
Missing livestock.
No tracks.
Something about it felt…
Off.
As he approached the first farm, an elderly man waved.
"You the adventurer?"
Kael nodded.
"Kael."
The farmer shook his hand.
"Bren."
He pointed toward a wooden fence.
"Lost two goats yesterday."
"Any sounds during the night?"
"None."
Kael crouched near the fence.
The wood wasn't broken.
It was…
Cut.
Cleanly.
He ran his fingers across the edge.
Not claws.
A blade.
Kael's eyes narrowed.
"Did you hear voices?" he asked.
Bren shook his head.
"No."
Kael stood slowly.
This wasn't an animal.
And it definitely wasn't wolves.
"Show me where the goats were kept."
The farmer led him to a small wooden pen.
Kael studied the ground carefully.
Footprints.
Faint.
But there.
Small.
Too small for humans.
Kael whispered quietly.
"…Goblins."
But something still felt strange.
Goblins weren't usually this careful.
He followed the tracks for several meters.
Then they disappeared near the tall grass.
Kael crouched again.
Thinking.
"Not scouts," he muttered.
A goblin group.
Maybe even a nest.
If that was true…
Greenwood Village was in danger.
Kael slowly stood.
He could return to the guild.
Report it.
Let stronger adventurers handle it.
That would be the smart choice.
But…
If goblins had already started stealing livestock…
An attack might not be far behind.
Kael gripped the handle of his sword.
"…I need to confirm first."
He stepped into the tall grass.
The wind rustled softly around him.
Somewhere in the distance—
A faint sound echoed.
A laugh.
High-pitched.
Ugly.
Kael froze.
Then slowly smiled.
"Found you."
His hand moved to his sword.
The real test…
Was about to begin.