Adventurer's Guild

"What the hell just happened?" Arden muttered, his voice echoing in the stillness of the forest.

He had ventured out to hunt some beasts and gain experience, but now he found himself tangled in a fight with a girl he had never met. Arden watched her retreating figure as she slowly disappeared into the distance.

"Kaylee... that's strange," he murmured. There were countless names in the world, and it was not uncommon for people to share the same name, but he had never heard of anyone named Kaylee before.

"Kaylee, huh?" Arden repeated, staring at the Beast Core in his hand. It was clear she wasn't after the Beast Core. Given her strength, the Core would be useless to her.

"I don't know her intentions, but I can't dwell on that now," Arden decided, pushing the encounter to the back of his mind. He continued walking forward, determined to hunt more wolves.

Despite his resolve, Arden's mind kept drifting back to the fight. "I pretty much held my ground, even without the cloak and the mask," he thought. He wasn't sure if she had been holding back, but it didn't matter. What mattered was that he was certainly stronger than before.

ONE HOUR LATER...

Arden emerged from the forest with a satisfied grin on his face. His clothes were bloodied, and his dagger dripped with crimson, but he paid no mind to the mess.

"System, show me the inventory," he commanded.

Instantly, the system screen appeared before him, listing the items in his inventory.

[Items]

- First Step Rank 1 Wolf Beast Core ×20

- First Step Rank 1 Dead Wolves ×20

- Enchanted Cloak

- Enchanted Mask

[End of Information]

"Haha, nice," Arden laughed. He had killed 16 more wolves, bringing his total to 20. Each kill had become easier, and now it took him less than three seconds to dispatch one.

"Coming here was worth it," he mused, making his way toward the East gate.

After a short walk, he reached the gate and saw the guard to whom he had given 5 bronze coins earlier.

"Ahh, welcome back," the guard greeted with a grin, opening the gate for Arden to enter the city.

Arden nodded in acknowledgment and walked past the guard. He knew the guard was supposed to remind him to get his Adventurer's Card, but the guard preferred to keep receiving coins, so he stayed silent. Who didn't like free coins, after all?

Once inside the city, the blood on Arden's clothes was less noticeable. "This is why adventurers wear armor... to prevent blood stains," he thought as he walked. He had a single destination in mind: the Adventurer's Guild.

It was a place where Adventurers could get their Adventurer's Card, take quests, and even sell Beast Cores, and Dead Beasts.

Now, Arden was going there for two reasons. To get his Adventurer's Card, and to sell the Beast Cores.

"That Adventurer's Card is needed. It'll enable me to do a lot of things."

And also, with what he had decided to do, and the path he had decided to take, an Adventurer's Card will allow him to maneuver certain things that'll disrupt his mission.

The Adventurer's Guild was a three-story building made of sturdy brown bricks, adorned with intricate designs. A large signpost beside it read "Adventurer's Guild." Adventurers were bustling in and out of the building, busy with quests and other activities.

Arden entered the guild and was greeted by a busy scene of adventurers seated at tables, engaged in animated discussions. His eyes found the counter not too far away, where a lady stood with a welcoming smile.

He approached her, and she spoke as soon as he reached the counter. "Good day, is there anything I can do for you?" she asked, her smile unwavering.

"I want an Adventurer's Card," Arden replied, getting straight to the point.

"Oh, okay. You'll need to answer a few questions for that," she said, pulling out a book and starting to write. "Your name?"

"Arden... Arden Nightshade."

She quickly jotted it down. "Okay, Arden. Is this your first time getting an Adventurer's Card?"

"Yes, first time," Arden confirmed.

"Alright," she noted. "Since this is your first time, I'm sure you've never taken any quests from this guild, correct?"

"Yes," Arden replied, though he couldn't help but think the question was unnecessary. It was his first time getting a card, so of course, he hadn't taken any quests.

The lady recorded the information and looked up. "One last thing... I'll need to record your Rank."

"As expected," Arden thought.

The receptionist opened a drawer and brought out a transparent orb. "Please, place your hand on this orb and channel your Mana into it," she instructed.

Arden was prepared for this. While in the forest, he had asked the system about the process. The system had assured him that his Ability Energy would register as Mana and generate a Rank.

He placed his right hand on the orb and closed his eyes, channeling his Ability Energy. Instantly, the orb began to glow green—the color of Mana.

The receptionist's voice rang in his ear. "Arden Nightshade, Second Step Rank 1 Mage."