"Sora! Stop!"
Raijin's voice tore through the forest path.
Ahead of him, Sora was running—without looking back—almost as if he were enjoying a game.
"Sora!"
Raijin called again.
Suddenly Sora stopped near a tree.
He laughed and turned around.
"You're really fast, Raijin. But it'll take you years to reach my level."
He pointed his wooden sword at him.
"So? Ready?"
Raijin raised his own wooden blade.
"I've been ready."
The next instant—they clashed.
It wasn't a real fight, yet it looked like one.
Wooden swords struck sharply. Dust rose beneath their feet.
Around them stood seven or eight people.
Two soldiers guarded a cart filled with supplies.
Three boys, one girl, and two farmers watched nearby.
Sora suddenly lunged forward with a fast strike.
Raijin stepped back, blocked it—
and in the same motion shoved Sora away.
Thud.
Sora's sword fell to the ground.
"I win!"
Raijin shouted, looking toward him.
But Sora…
He wasn't smiling.
His eyes were strange.
As if they could swallow Raijin whole.
"Sora?"
Raijin said nervously.
"What happened?"
Sora didn't answer.
Slowly, a bitter smile spread across his face.
"Raijin…"
His voice grew heavy.
"Why did you do that?"
Raijin froze.
"Why did you do that?"
Sora repeated.
The same words.
The same question.
And then—
The faces of everyone standing around them twisted into the same bitter smile.
"Traitor!"
"Betrayer!"
"You betrayed us!"
The voices came from every direction.
Again.
Again.
Again.
Raijin stepped back.
His foot slipped.
He fell.
Out of fear, he shut his eyes tight.
"No… I didn't do anything…"
He jerked his eyes open.
A room.
A bed.
A table.
A chair.
He was sitting on the chair.
His breathing was heavy.
"A dream…" he muttered.
"It was just a dream."
He remembered—
the last thing he had done was count his coins.
And he had fallen asleep right there.
Raijin held his head for a while.
Then he stood and walked to the window.
He pulled the curtain aside.
Dawn was approaching.
At that moment, his stomach growled loudly.
He remembered—
the last time he ate was in the forest.
And that too because of Sofia.
"Food first," he told himself.
He got ready quickly and entered a small restaurant near the Hunter Guild.
Warmth filled the interior.
Wooden tables.
The smell of soup.
"Rabbit stew and bread," Raijin said at the counter.
He ate quickly and stepped outside.
Then he counted his money.
Three gold coins.
Three silver coins.
"I've already paid the room rent," he thought.
"But this won't last long."
He clenched his fist.
"I need work.
The kind that makes me stronger—and pays well."
With that thought, he entered the Hunter Guild.
Today, a different woman sat at the counter.
"I'm a B Rank Adventurer,"
Raijin said calmly.
The moment he said that, several adventurers inside the guild looked toward him.
No anger.
No hatred.
Just… silence.
Raijin didn't pay attention.
"I want the most difficult job available."
The woman shook her head slightly.
"I'm sorry. High-rank missions are assigned to teams. At least four or five members. And most of them must be C Rank or higher."
Raijin remained calm.
"Then give me the hardest B Rank mission."
The woman pointed toward the B Rank board.
"You can choose any from there. All of those are solo B Rank assignments."
Raijin turned and walked toward the board.
There were many tasks posted—
Guard duty.
Supply escort.
Wolf hunting.
His gaze stopped at one.
He pulled the paper down.
There was a stillness in his eyes now—
the kind that said—
This one is perfect for me.
Thank You For Reading This Chapter.
Author: Mohammed Zaid Saifi