Chapter 53: 1st Mission - 1

"What is the mission?" I asked him with anticipation growing in my heart.

"We need at least a hundred monster cores from 'steel rhinos' to create a few weapons. Kamran is now going to the forest to get them. You can join him if you are willing to accept this mission" Hoger told me.

I nodded and left the office to catch up to Kamran before he left the guild. I was able to catch him at the entrance of the guild. He was happy I would accompany him to the hunt for monster cores. He didn't want to say no but was surprised to see the freelance badge on my shirt.

No one knew that I was going to quit the guild as they are privileged to be in any guild. Joining the warrior guild which accepts only the elites is the most honored moment in anyone's life.

"You quit the guild, Allen?" Kamran asked me with disbelief in his voice. I nodded and he said "I don't want you to come with me for this hunt. It is too dangerous for you right now." he said to me.

I know it is dangerous as the steel rhinos are in the mid-level Seargent stage and I was just in the low-level private stage. The rhinos can kill me easily like squashing an insect. B ut I still wanted to join the hunt as it will help me hone my fighting style with the sword.

I wanted to hone my swordsmanship as the golden sword given to me is not just gradeless, but also a sword that can be used one-handed and two-handed depending on the situation and it will be faster if one's life is at stake.

"I want to hunt the monsters Kamran and I have already accepted the mission. I will accomplish it with or without you. The decision is yours." I told him with a straight face as I know he would do anything to keep me safe, even hurting me temporarily to save my life.

"Sigh, okay Allen. I'll take you with me, but promise me that you will do everything I order," he told me knowing that it is hard to change my heart once I have decided what to do.

"You are a veteran in this. So you will be my 'commanding officer' until this mission is accomplished. I will do anything you order me, except for leaving a man behind," I said to him and straightened my back. He nodded his head and ordered an armored car from the guide to take us out of the city.

We were out of the city wall and nearing the forest sooner than expected. Since this is a guild armored car, we can use it to go near our destination and not just to the border of the forest. These cars will be provided to us only when we are going on a mission.

These armored cars are not used for training or any normal hunts. It will be given only when the mission is very important for the guild. This is equal to a military truck but with comfort instead unlike the military truck. Using this car made me realize how important this mission is to the guild.

We landed 3 km away from our destination which is 'Vena lake'. It is also near an ore deposit which gives the monsters near the area water element and steel bodies which increases their physical strength. The steel rhinos we are here to hunt have greater strength than the other rhinos as they have steel covered throughout their body which gives them good defense.

The armored car will wait for another 24 hours as it is a standard rule for any mission for the soldiers to return home. But what surprised me is that this is not the only armored car in this location. I could see another 5 armored cars already parked and about 20 guild warriors standing together and waiting for us.

As soon as Kamran and I went near them, they all bowed their heads and paved way for us to get to the center of the gathering. I realized that Kamran is the CO for this mission and he is the one to devise a strategy and order us on how to proceed.

I was not surprised as the warriors all look like same age me and Kamran has a lot of experience than anyone as he worked in a few missions of the guild himself. These young warriors have better armor and weapons than mine and I knew they are the sons and daughters of noble families who were able to bypass the mandatory 4 years of military service.

Kamran stood in the middle and started explaining the importance of the mission we are going to undertake. All the warriors present there are members of the warrior guild except for me as I am a freelancer. Everyone maintained a distance from me as they know I am close to Kamran by the way I spoke to him when we landed here.

They all showed little respect toward me. By the end of the meeting, I got to know that these soldiers are all in the Seargent stage except for me. They all came from different cities for this mission and this mission will help them to create weapons for their respective city's warrior guild.

Kamran ordered all the armored cars to leave the place and come back after a few days as it will take at least 3 days to hunt the steel rhinos and gather the amount of monster core that is requested by the warrior guild's headquarters.

We prepared for the upcoming hunt which will be a bit tricky as the rhinos are heavy in defense and their strength will make them a tougher opponent. Everyone made sure that their weapons and armors are in good condition. I didn't check them because it was just crafted by the best blacksmith in the city.

The resting place was already placed in the surroundings and Kamran told us to practice and get some rest as we will be starting the mission the next day at dawn. I didn't get the tent as I am not part of any of the groups that came for the mission. So I was told to stay with Kamran that night which increased the respect of others towards me.