The courtyard was quiet after Lyra's success, but Kael's eyes scanned the hall beyond the walls.
More F-ranks. Hidden in corners, ignored by everyone. They were the ones the guild didn't even bother training properly, the ones everyone forgot.
Kael spotted a boy with a short sword, leaning against a wall. His clothes were torn, and his posture screamed defeat.
"Over here," Kael said, stepping forward.
The boy jumped. "Y-yes?"
"Your name?"
"T-…Taren Vale," he stammered.
Kael nodded. "Good. Follow me. You're going to do something for me."
Taren's eyes widened. "I… I don't understand…"
Kael ignored the question and glanced at the invisible system.
[Custom Quest Creation — Manual]Target: Taren ValeObjective: Strike the training dummy with precision three times without missingDifficulty: Medium (F-Rank)Failure: Miss a target or fail to strike all three
[Quest Registered]
Kael led him to the same courtyard, this time to a row of training dummies set up for multiple hits.
"Hit each one," Kael said simply. "All three. Go."
Taren hesitated, then gripped his sword tightly. He swung, missing the first. Kael stayed silent, letting him adjust.
Second swing—hit. Third—hit again. Sweat dripped down Taren's face as he completed the task.
Blue light flickered at Kael's edge of vision.
[Quest Complete — External Target]Recipient: Taren ValeSkill EnhancedSwordsmanship (F-Rank → E-Rank)Enhancement: Precision Strike (Minor)
Taren staggered back, staring at his hands. "I… I feel… awesome. Everything I swing at—I can sense it before it moves!"
Kael nodded. "Good. That's how it starts. Keep practicing."
Riven stepped forward, smirking. "We're getting stronger fast."
Kael's lips twitched. "This is just the beginning."
He looked around the courtyard. Forgotten hunters, ignored hunters, the ones everyone had given up on.
One by one, they would become unforgettable.