New Blood

The Adventurer's Guild was alive with the clamor of warriors, mages, and mercenaries seeking work. The scent of sweat, ale, and parchment filled the air as bounty boards lined the walls, each poster detailing monsters to hunt or jobs to take.

Kael's sharp gaze swept across the room. Once, he had commanded legions of angels. Now, he was just another nameless adventurer in a world that had forgotten him.

A burly guild receptionist, a man with a scar running down his cheek, glanced up as they approached. "New blood?"

The clerk paused after reading Kael's registration, his eyes narrowing. "Wait… you're the guy who took down that D-rank beast yesterday, aren't you?"

The clerk rubbed his chin before reaching under the counter. "F-rank rules say you start at the bottom, but considering your accomplishment, the guild is making an exception." He slid a different badge across the counter.

"E-rank," he said. "You're still low on the ladder, but you're not a complete beginner. Try not to die out there."

Kael took the badge, feeling the weight of it. It was just a letter—a meaningless rank to him. But it was a step forward.

"Let's find that job," he said, turning toward the board. This was just the beginning.

Kael, Darian, and Ren made their way deep into the dense forest outside Emberhod. Sunlight barely pierced through the thick canopy, casting eerie shadows over the moss-covered ground. The air was thick with the scent of damp earth and the distant, unmistakable musk of beasts lurking within.

Their chosen quest was a standard D-rank subjugation mission—eliminate a pack of wolves that had been terrorizing merchants along the trade route. It was supposed to be a routine hunt, something well within the capabilities of D-rank adventurers like Darian and Ren.

"Shouldn't take long," Darian had said confidently as they scouted the area. "We kill the alpha, and the rest scatter."

They tracked the pack's movements through broken twigs and paw prints in the mud, eventually leading them to a rocky outcrop where the wolves had made their den. Kael remained quiet, observing. His instincts, honed from centuries of battle, told him something felt off.

We are being watched!!

But there was no time for hesitation.

The first wolf lunged from the shadows, its teeth flashing in the dim light. Kael sidestepped with ease, driving his dagger into its ribs before twisting the blade free. Blood splattered the grass as the beast collapsed.

Darian and Ren fought alongside him, slashing at the creatures with well-practiced strikes. The wolves were fast, their glowing eyes filled with primal hunger, but they were ultimately no match for the three adventurers.

Still, even a minor battle took its toll. D-rank monsters weren't particularly strong, but they were relentless. After several minutes of intense combat, Kael wiped blood off his dagger, glancing at the exhausted brothers.

Ren sat on a fallen log, catching his breath. "Damn... that was more than we expected."

Darian stretched, wincing at a bite mark on his arm. "Yeah, but at least it's done. Let's carve out proof and—"

A low, guttural growl interrupted him.