The atmosphere within the Heroes' Guild of the Celestial Star Kingdom was never truly silent, but today, the noise was different. It wasn't the usual boisterous laughter of veterans or the clatter of steel; it was a low, vibrating hum of suspicion.

  ?"That man... look at him. Is he truly a commoner?"

  "His presence feels like a physical weight on the room. Stay quiet, he might have heightened senses."

  "Look at his arms—those faint crimson paths of mana... they look like scars from a war we haven't fought yet. We should report this to the administration. A person like that is a liability to any client."

  ?I sat in the corner, my back against the cold stone wall, letting their whispers wash over me like rain. To me, they were merely data points. I had become the centerpiece of their gossip, a strange anomaly in their structured world of ranks and badges. It mattered little. Let them whisper, as long as no one stood in the way of my progression. My goal was the horizon; their goal was the next drink.

  ?The silence was shattered by the rhythmic clank of heavy, ornate armor. A man stepped forward from the center of the hall, his chest plate polished to a mirror finish, adorned with the sigils of a high-ranked hero. He radiated a manufactured aura of authority—the kind that comes from being told you are special for too long.

  ?"I heard there was a newcomer today... a fledgling seeking a name," he said, his voice dripping with a condescension that felt like a physical oily residue. He stopped a few paces from me, looking down as if examining an insect. "You have a suspicious look about you, stranger. I am William Otomaru, a Platinum-rank vanguard. And you? What do they call a grim shadow like you?"

  ?"Nico Sigmund," I replied, my voice devoid of emotion, my eyes never leaving his.

  ?William laughed, a sharp, mocking sound that drew the attention of the entire room. "Nico Sigmund. A name that fits your bleak appearance. Tell me, Nico, are you certain you aren't a threat? Because if I sense even a shred of danger or deception from you, I will deal with you personally. You understand the hierarchy here, don't you? Ranks aren't just for show; they are the laws of life and death."

  ?I looked at him with a vacant calm. "I understand perfectly. Thank you for the warning. If you are finished with your introduction, you may leave. I have a mission to attend to."

  ?An arrogant smirk played on his lips, his hand hovering near the hilt of his claymore. "Listen carefully, boy. I decide when I leave and when I stay. Watch your tongue when a superior is speaking. Am I clear, or do I need to engrave the lesson into your skin?"

  ?"Next... Fledgling Rank adventurer, Nico Sigmund."

  ?Nia's voice cut through the tension from the reception desk, her eyes darting nervously between us.

  ?"I am coming," I said, moving to stand.

  ?Before I could take a step, William's hand shot out, grabbing my arm with a crushing, gauntleted grip. He leaned in close, his mana flaring just enough to make the air around us vibrate. "You have no idea who I am, Nico. And believe me, you won't like finding out. I'll be watching you."

  ?I locked my gaze onto his, my tone turning razor-sharp, the crimson veins on my arm pulsing with a low, rhythmic heat. "And you should be equally cautious of your own movements, William. Release my hand now, or there will be a permanent consequence to this interaction."

  ?We exchanged a heavy, silent glare for several seconds. The air felt thin, the mana in the room beginning to swirl around us. Then, William laughed and let go, though his eyes remained cold. "I admire the confidence. I hope it lasts... that is, if you last in this Guild at all. I'll have you crawling to me for a team eventually. I'll ruin your reputation before you even earn a Copper badge. Just watch."

  ?Ignoring the threat, I stepped to the counter, leaving him standing in the center of the floor.

  ?"Nico Sigmund," I said to Nia. "What is the mission?"

  ?"Welcome back, Nico," she said, her hands trembling slightly as she handed me a scroll. "Your task is an escort detail. You are to accompany this young Elven woman into the forest to retrieve a specific herbal item and provide her with absolute protection. It's a standard retrieval, but the area can be... unpredictable."

  ?I looked at the client standing beside the desk. My experiences with the Elven race—specifically Natalia Grotaro—had left me with a bitter, clinical distaste for their kind. However, as I studied the girl, she seemed different. She wore simple, rugged clothes, and her expression lacked the sharp, aristocratic arrogance of the Arcadia nobility. She looked rural, humble, and genuinely anxious.

  ?"I accept," I said. "When do we depart?"

  ?A gentle, relieved smile broke across the Elf's face. "Thank you for accepting my request... please, look after me. I am Yulia. The carriage is waiting outside. Let's go."

  ?The journey toward the outskirts of the kingdom was quiet. Yulia spoke with a genuine gratitude that felt foreign to me.

  ?"Thank you again, Mr. Nico. I am Yulia Flugoro, from a small village several days from the capital. This item is vital for our elders."

  ?"It's a pleasure," I replied, my eyes scanning the passing trees. "I am Nico Sigmund. I am a newcomer from Arcadia. This is my first official mission in this kingdom."

  ?Yulia's expression turned serious, her fingers twisting in the fabric of her skirt. "I see... I am honored to be your first client. But please, Mr. Nico, if we face real danger... do not hesitate to retreat. I would rather lose the herbs than see a life lost. Unfortunately, I've heard that even 'easy' missions in these woods can turn into nightmares where neither the adventurer nor the client returns."

  ?I offered her a thin, analytical smile. "There is no need for such concern, Yulia. No matter the variable of danger, your survival is the absolute priority of this contract."

  ?She looked at me in surprise, her pointed ears twitching. "But Nico, shouldn't it be the other way around? You are the one protecting me. You are the one risking yourself."

  ?I looked out at the distant horizon, where the sun was beginning to dip behind the peaks. "That is not how the logic of this path works. An adventurer chooses this life with full awareness of the void. If he survives today, he might die tomorrow. That is his choice, his gamble. But you... you are the client. Your safety is a non-negotiable term. I will ensure your protection, regardless of the cost to this vessel."

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  ?Yulia's face flushed a deep crimson, and I could tell my words had instilled a sense of security she hadn't anticipated. "Thank you, Nico... I'm glad to have someone like you with me."

  ?After an hour of travel, I asked, "Are we nearing the destination?"

  ?"Yes, just beyond that ridge," she replied. "But the light is fading. Let's stop and rest here for a moment. I've brought some supplies; we can cook a meal before we enter the deep brush."

  ?"Lucky me," I remarked with a dry, rare chuckle. "More local cuisine. You are becoming quite an interesting client, Yulia."

  ?She laughed, the sound bright and innocent. "Save your praise until you've tasted my recipe!"

  ?As she enthusiastically began to prepare the food, I sat by the fire, reflecting. (Was I a fool to generalize my judgment of Elves?) I wondered. In every race, there were the arrogant like Natalia and William, and the fragile like Melina and Yulia. Power seemed to birth a specific kind of rot, while the weak remained the thin, beautiful threads of the world. It was a potential experiment for the future: take a kind soul, grant them absolute power, and see if the corruption is inevitable.

  ?"Nico! It's ready! Here is your plate."

  ?"The aroma is... unexpected. This is excellent. How did you achieve this flavor?"

  ?Yulia beamed, explaining the combination of spices and roots with a passion that made her eyes sparkle. "It's a village secret! You take the mashed potatoes, the carrots, and then you add a special—"

  ?Suddenly, she stopped. Her fork clattered to the ground.

  ?I felt it before she did. A sudden, violent spike in the ambient mana—a pressure that felt like a needle piercing the air. From the shadows of the ancient trees, a pair of glowing, soulless eyes fixed upon us.

  ?In a heartbeat, a heavy iron spear whistled through the wind, moving with the velocity of a lightning bolt. It was aimed directly at Yulia's chest.

  ?My instincts moved before my conscious mind. I didn't reach for a weapon. I simply reached out.

  ?[CLANG]

  ?The iron shaft hit my palm with the force of a falling star, the vibration humming through my arm and into my chest. I caught it mid-air, inches from Yulia's face. The spearhead groaned under the pressure of my grip, the metal beginning to warp.

  ?Yulia collapsed to the ground, clutching her head in absolute, paralyzing shock.

  ?Standing at the edge of the clearing was a nightmare. It was a hybrid—half-man, half-horse, but grotesquely distorted. It was headless, its torso ending in a jagged stump of scar tissue, with eyes embedded in its massive, muscular shoulders. Its raw mana was suffocating.

  ?[Monster: Headless Hybrid]

  [Rank: General]

  [Mana Stats: ~320,000]

  ?"Yulia! Stand up, now!" I barked, my voice cracking like a whip to shatter her terror. "Tell me the objective of this journey. Now!"

  ?"I'm... I'm sorry," she stammered, her body shaking so violently she couldn't breathe. "I didn't mean... it was supposed to be safe. We're going to die..."

  ?I grabbed her shoulder, my grip firm and grounding. "Focus, Yulia. I will not repeat the command. What is the objective?"

  ?She gasped, her eyes clearing for a split second. "Red-faded branches... they grow in clusters near the base of the Great Oak... deep in the forest."

  ?"Understood. Now, get to the horse and head back toward the main road immediately." I looked at her, my expression as calm as a summer pond. "One more thing: how do I claim the bounty for this beast if I terminate it?"

  ?She looked at me, stunned. I was looking at a General-rank threat as if it were a broken toy. "You... you must bring a significant part of it back to the Guild for confirmation. But Nico... you can't... it's a General!"

  ?"Go. It is closing the distance."

  ?She tried to stand, but her legs were like water. "Nico... I can't move! I'm too afraid!"

  ?In a blur of motion, I reached her and lifted her as if she weighed nothing. I detached the lead horse from the carriage and placed her firmly on its back. "Ride. Do not look back. I am counting on you to return safely. I will see you at the Guild."

  ?As Yulia spurred the horse and rode away, she cast one final look over her shoulder. For a split second, she saw it—not the man she had eaten dinner with, but something else. My eyes were glowing with a hellish, absolute crimson light, and the air around me was beginning to distort. She vanished into the trees, convinced she was hallucinating from the fear, her tears falling for a man she was certain was about to be slaughtered.

  ?[At the Clearing]

  ?The hybrid lunged, its massive hooves churning the earth into dust. It was fast, powerful, a master of its domain. But I didn't use a spell. I didn't call upon the elements of fire or water.

  ?I simply stepped forward.

  ?The beast's spear-arm swung with enough force to level a building, but I caught the strike with my bare hand, the wood shattering into splinters. Before the creature could react, I drove my arm forward.

  ?[CRUNCH]

  ?My hand pierced clean through the hybrid's thick, leathery chest, my fingers wrapping around its primary mana core. The creature let out a wet, gurgling sound from the eyes on its shoulders.

  ?"You weak, wretched thing," I whispered with a dark smirk, the crimson veins on my arm glowing with a blinding intensity. "How did you let a mere hand tear through you without me even needing to expend a drop of my magic? You truly do need a head, if only to realize who you were trying to consume."

  ?I jerked my hand back, and the monstrosity slumped to the ground, its life force extinguished in an instant. I looked at the mess. (I can't believe I let Yulia leave without finishing her mission because of this trash. A waste of efficiency.)

  ?I walked into the deep forest, found the Great Oak, and retrieved the red-faded branches. Then, I returned to the clearing and looked at the carcass.

  ?"I'll take the whole thing. It's easier than choosing a part."

  ?[The Adventurer's Guild]

  ?Yulia stumbled into the Guild, her clothes torn and her face a mask of grief. She approached Nia, her voice a broken whisper. "Nia... it's about Nico. We ran into a General-rank hybrid. He... he stayed behind to let me escape. He's gone. I saw him... he looked like he was being swallowed by the dark."

  ?A mocking, loud laugh erupted from the back of the hall. William Otomaru stood up, a tankard in his hand. "I knew it! The fledgling dies on day one! If you had hired a professional like me, girl, you'd still have your guard. But peasants can't afford quality, can they?"

  ?Nia snapped, her eyes flashing with anger. "Mr. William! Enough! Have some respect!"

  ?"I'm just being real—" William started, but his voice was cut off by a violent, booming kick that sent the massive Guild doors flying off their hinges.

  ?The room went silent.

  ?I walked in, dragging the three-hundred-pound carcass of the hybrid behind me with one hand. Blood stained my cloak, and my eyes were still adjusting back from the crimson glow. I dropped the beast in the center of the hall, the impact shaking the floor.

  ?"Apologies, everyone. I wasn't sure which part was required for the confirmation, so I brought the whole entity. Why is everyone staring? Is there a storage issue?"

  ?Dead silence.

  ?"Impossible..." someone whispered. "A Copper-rank killed a General... alone?"

  ?I spotted Yulia and walked over. "Miss Yulia, apologies for the early departure. It turns out the beast was too fragile to justify the caution. Our contract is complete."

  ?Yulia stared at me, then threw her arms around me in a frantic, sobbing embrace. "Nico! You're alive! I thought... I thought you were dead!"

  ?I patted her shoulder awkwardly. "It was a successful mission. And the meal you cooked was truly the highlight. Oh, I almost forgot—these are the branches you required."

  ?I handed her the red-faded clusters. Her eyes went wide. "You... you killed the monster and finished the retrieval? How?!"

  ?"Keep the bounty for the beast for yourself," I said, turning toward the exit. "The payment for the escort is sufficient."

  ?"No! Nico, I can't accept that—that's thousands of silver pieces!"

  ?"It is an order, not a request," I said, my voice leaving no room for argument. "Farewell, Yulia. I will see you around."

  ?As I walked away, I felt a burning gaze on my back. William Otomaru stood frozen, his face a mask of pure, green envy and confusion. (Who is this guy?) his eyes screamed. (It has to be a trick... I'll expose you, you freak. No one is that strong at rank one!)

  ?I didn't look back. I had a silver in my pocket, blood on my hands, and the world was starting to feel a little more like home.

  ?

  [End of Chapter 10]