The Ruby Road Relic Hunters Guild

Kintu followed the map's guidance, the system directing him toward a large city in Machinara. The towering mountains and sprawling cities loomed over him, their intricate machinery and advanced technology a testament to the dwarven people's craftsmanship. After days of travel, Kintu finally reached his destination—a bustling guild known as the Ruby Road Relic Hunters Guild.

As he walked through the guild's heavy wooden doors, he was greeted by the sight of dwarves and other races, all deeply engaged in conversation, eating, or enjoying a drink. The lively atmosphere was a stark contrast to the solitary journey he had endured.

Kintu's eyes fell upon a dwarven woman standing behind the counter. She was stunning, with a cascade of auburn hair and emerald eyes that sparkled with intelligence. Kintu, not easily rattled, found himself momentarily at a loss for words. Before he could regain his composure, a dwarven patron, visibly drunk, sauntered over with a grin.

"That's our Glenda," the man said, his voice slurred but his tone good-natured. "She has that effect on most men, but do not let those pretty eyes fool you. I know the viper she really is."

The woman, Glenda, shot the man an annoyed look, but her demeanor remained composed. "Theor, quit bothering the guests and go sit down. You have had enough for tonight."

Theor laughed and staggered away, leaving Kintu alone with Glenda. She turned to him, her expression softening. "Sorry about that. He means no harm—just a bit too much ale. Welcome to the Ruby Road Relic Hunters Guild. My name is Glenda. How can I assist you?"

Kintu, finally finding his voice, introduced himself. "I am Kintu. I am looking for a room to rent."

Glenda nodded, businesslike but still warm. "We have rooms available. It is one gold coin per day."

Kintu paid the fee and received a menu in return. "The room comes with a complimentary meal," she explained.

Kintu glanced at the menu and noticed it only had one item listed: the Daily Special—bread and water. Without hesitation, he handed the menu back. "I'll have the daily special."

Glenda smiled approvingly. "An excellent choice." She handed him a key and led him through the busy hall. The guild was unlike any he had seen before, full of life, with people eating, drinking, and chatting on every corner.

"Is it always this busy?" Kintu asked as they ascended the stairs.

Glenda shook her head. "No, but the big competition is in a few days. That always brings in a crowd."

Kintu made a mental note of that before shifting the conversation. "I'm looking for a relic hunter," he said carefully, "one who supposedly obtained three complete sets of relics but then disappeared."

Glenda paused, her hand resting on the door handle. Her gaze flickered with something—recognition, perhaps—before she turned the key and pushed the door open. "And why would you need to speak to a dead man?"

Kintu did not miss the change in her tone but kept his own calm. "I am not seeking trouble. I need his help. I am willing to pay for any information."

Glenda's expression softened slightly, but her answer was firm. "That's too bad because he's dead."

The room was simple but comfortable, with a bed that looked more inviting than anything Kintu had seen in weeks. Glenda handed him the key and took a step back, her professional demeanor back in place. "If you need anything else, just ask."

"Thank you, Glenda," Kintu replied, still processing her words. As she left, closing the door behind her, Kintu could not shake the feeling that the relic hunter's story was not as simple as it seemed. Dead or not, he had a feeling he was on the right path, even if it meant uncovering secrets buried deep within Machinara's mountains.

As Kintu sat on the bed, feeling the weight of the day's events, the system suddenly chimed in. A notification appeared before him, alerting him to an incoming communication. Confused, he accepted the message, and to his surprise, Nyota materialized right in front of him.

"Whoa!" Kintu exclaimed, instinctively pulling the blanket over himself, as he had been sitting in his underwear at the time. "What's this?"

Nyota smiled warmly. "Hi, Kintu. This is part of the storage ring's functionality. It comes with a mana communication feature."

Kintu nodded, still a bit flustered. "I understand how a storage ring works, but I was not ready for this. It made a small version of you on the ring."

Nyota chuckled softly, clearly amused. "It is a convenient way to stay in touch. How is the journey going so far?"

Kintu sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Badly. I asked around at the guild, but I did not find any useful clues. Worse, I heard the person I am looking for is dead."

Nyota's expression turned serious. "I spoke to the Goddess of Love about this person. She did not say much, but she gave me three clues. First, the person is still alive. Second, they are in a town called Ruby Road. Third, they are not a dwarf."

Kintu's eyes widened in surprise. "That is good news because I am in Ruby Road right now. But… Glenda told me the person was dead. Why would she say that?"

Nyota shrugged, her expression thoughtful. "I am not sure. But it sounds like you are on the right track. Be careful, Kintu."

Nyota's expression grew serious as she explained to Kintu, "I almost forgot to tell you the cult had it all wrong. Hathornia is not just the Goddess of Love. She is the Goddess of the Emotional Spectrum, encompassing the full range of human emotions. Love is just a small part of what she represents. The cult's misinterpretation only fueled their dangerous obsession and twisted their understanding of her true power."

He nodded, feeling a surge of determination. "Thanks for the information, Nyota. I will follow up on it tomorrow. I may not get tired, but I still need to rest."

Nyota frowned, clearly disappointed that their conversation was ending so soon. "Alright… take care."

Before Kintu could say anything more, Nyota abruptly ended the call, her image disappearing. He stared at the spot where she had been, puzzled by her sudden change in mood. "What's her problem?" he muttered to himself as he settled back on the bed.

Unaware of the lurking danger, Kintu finally drifted off to sleep, an unknown spy retreating into the shadows. But just as he was about to slip into unconsciousness, he missed the quiet sound of movement outside his door.

Someone had been spying on him. The figure slowly backing away from the peephole, their breathing shallow as they whispered to themselves, "This is going to create problems…"

The following morning, Kintu awoke with a renewed determination, armed with the latest information that fueled his resolve. However, as he ventured through the snowy streets of Ruby Road, frustration gnawed at him. Every inquiry led to the same dead-end: the person he sought was said to have died years ago. It had been three days before someone pointed him toward a small, unremarkable burial mound, where they claimed the great relic hunter was laid to rest.

Kintu stood before the mound, his breath visible in the cool morning air. The weight of the situation pressed down on him—was his search truly over? Desperation flared within him. He had come too far to leave empty-handed. His mind raced as he considered his options. He turned to the system, the silent companion in his journey, and asked if his "Necromancer" skill could bring forth answers from the dead. The system, however, denied the possibility, explaining that the body was too old for such a technique. But as Kintu's frustration grew, the system offered a glimmer of hope—a solution in the form of a new ability.

Without hesitation, Kintu poured all his accumulated points into this new path, including the twenty points he had earned from vanquishing the cult leader. The system confirmed his investment and alerted him that he had unlocked "Bond Familiar," a rare and powerful ability that allowed him to bind a soul to a familiar.

Intrigued and slightly apprehensive, Kintu activated the skill. Before him, a small figure materialized—a skeleton draped in a black hooded cloak, with tiny, bony fingers clutching a miniature scythe. Around its neck hung a ring on a black string. The system introduced the familiar as "Grimmy," a name that seemed almost whimsical compared to the gravity of the situation.

Kintu stared at the skeletal figure, puzzled. How could this small, eerie doll help him find the answers he sought? He voiced his confusion about the system, which instructed him to bind the soul of the person buried beneath the mound to Grimmy, explaining that the body had long decayed beyond recognition. With a mixture of hope and trepidation, Kintu obeyed, channeling his mana into the familiar. As he did, Grimmy began to glow with an otherworldly light, spinning faster and faster until black smoke seeped from the ground, spiraling into the tiny skeleton.

The process was taxing; Kintu felt his mana draining rapidly, and by the time it was over, the system informed him that 75% of his mana had been consumed. Gritting his teeth, he quickly drank a mana potion, feeling the familiar warmth of restored energy course through his body. He watched Grimmy anxiously, waiting for something—anything—to happen.

Suddenly, the small skeleton stirred. Its head tilted up, and in a weak, confused voice, it spoke. "Where am I? What is going on?"

Kintu's heart skipped a beat. He had done it—he had brought someone back to life. But as Grimmy continued to speak, the hope in Kintu's chest began to fade.

Kintu, eyes narrowing with determination, asked the soul now residing within Grimmy, "Are you the legendary relic hunter who assembled three complete sets of relics?" His voice was steady, but there was a note of urgency as he waited for the answer, hoping this soul held the key to his quest.

"I'm just a simple farmer," Grimmy said, sounding dazed. "I had a heart attack while harvesting. I'm not sure how much help I'll be."

Kintu's shoulders slumped as the realization hit him—this was not the relic hunter he had been searching for. This was just an ordinary man, a farmer who had met an untimely end. The weight of disappointment settled heavily on him. With a heavy sigh, he gently explained to Grimmy that he had been seeking someone else, someone who could provide answers. Grimmy, understanding his mistake, simply nodded.

With a final, somber farewell, Kintu released the farmer's soul, watching as Grimmy collapsed back into its inanimate form. The little skeleton lay motionless, its task complete, leaving Kintu standing alone by the burial mound, no closer to his goal than before.

Still frustrated, Kintu returned to the guild hall, laid another coin on the same desk, ordered the same meal, and retreated to the same room. He was not going to give up until he found a solution to his problems. He knew he was far too weak to venture into the Fire God's nation as he was.

As he sat in thought, Thorne greeted him with a smirk. "Still at it, me boy?"

"Yes," Kintu replied, his tone determined.

Thorne chuckled, "Well, you know what they say—dead men tell no tales."

"Stop teasing the boy," Glenda chided, rolling her eyes. Thorne then asked her if there were any low-level quests available.

"Yes, but you're too drunk," Glenda remarked, then added with a sly smile, "But I have an idea. Take the boy here with you, and I will give it to you. Pays two hundred gold coins."

"What's the rank?" Thorne inquired.

"C rank," Glenda answered.

Kintu's mind drifted for a moment. He remembered learning about the guild ranks when he first joined at thirteen years old at the Elderville Guild. The ranks were E, the lowest, then D, C, B, A, S, SS, and SSS, with only relic users capable of taking on SSS-ranked quests.

"I never agreed to help anyone out," Kintu spoke up, his voice firm.

Glenda smiled knowingly. "Thorne here used to be friends with the person you're seeking—the mighty dwarf Odenro."

Kintu felt a pang of doubt. The Love God had said the warrior was not a dwarf, so why did Glenda believe he was? Despite his suspicions, he conceded, "Fine, maybe this will help me clear my head."

Glenda nodded. "The quest is to clear out a nest of spider monkeys."

Kintu's eyes narrowed. Spider monkeys were deceptively dangerous; they seemed sweet at first but were notorious for their love of human flesh, especially that of children.

Thorne burped loudly before slurring, "Fine, me boy. Glenda, we will take it… burp… excuse me…"

Glenda opened a worn book, scribbling down their names. "Alright, boy, you can eat your meal now or take it to go."

"I'll take it to go, actually," Kintu decided, grabbing the wrapped food.

They had been walking for a while before Thorne broke the silence. "So, why do you want to find my old friend so badly, me boy?"

Kintu hesitated before answering, "It's a personal matter that I feel only he can solve."

"Come on, me boy, you can tell old' Thorne," the dwarf insisted with a grin.

Kintu relented, "I am a relic hunter. He is said to have completed three series of relics. I was simply curious about how he did it, and he could train me."

Thorne let out a low chuckle. "The only thing he's training now are ghosts."

As they approached the cave, its entrance shrouded in spider monkey webs, Kintu reached for a simple stick, not wanting to reveal his status as a relic user. But before he could knock down the webs, Thorne stopped him. "No, me boy. These bastards are sensitive. You got to burn 'em so you don't alert those demons inside."

With a snap of his fingers, Thorne set the webs ablaze. "You see, they have great eyesight and reflexes, but no sense of smell."

They ventured deeper into the cave, and Kintu could not help but flash back to the time he was betrayed. But this time was different—*he* was different.

As they journeyed further, they encountered their first spider monkey. The creature appeared simple enough, but its large fangs, eight eyes, and eight arms marked it as anything but.

It spotted them and let out a shrill scream. Instinctively, Thorne threw a dagger, hitting the monkey in the throat.

"Wasn't fast enough," he muttered. "Bastard has gone and alerted the other buggers.

The ground trembled as a horde of spider monkeys charged toward them, their screeches echoing through the cave like a rising storm. Kintu's eyes widened as the sheer number of them became clear.

Thorne's face hardened. "This is not a C-rank nest, me boy. It is S-rank. There is a queen in here—an' too many to count!"

Without hesitation, Thorne pulled out a sword, its blade gleaming in the dim light. "It's a fake," he said with a smirk. "We dwarves are mighty crafty." The sword suddenly burst into flames, casting eerie shadows across the cave walls. Next, he produced a shield that pulsed with energy. As it hit the ground, waves of rocks surged forth, sending spikes crashing into the advancing spiders.

"That stick isn't going to cut it, my boy!" Thorne yelled. "Pull out your real relic!"

Kintu nodded and produced the Frost Scythe. He slashed at the spider monkeys, sending waves of freezing cold across the ground, slowing them down. Thorne followed up with a fiery slice, the two elements combining to devastating effect.

"This is too slow!" Thorne shouted, frustration edging his voice. He pulled out three glowing orbs and hurled them into the crowd of spider monkeys. The resulting explosions tore through the ranks, sending charred bodies flying. "Oh, we're cooking with gas now!" Thorne bellowed, grinning wildly. "But let me show you how a vet ends this!"

Thorne's body began to glow with a blinding white energy. In the blink of an eye, he dashed through the horde, cutting down every spider monkey in his path with a single slash. "Shadow Dash Slash!" he roared.

When the dust settled, not one spider monkey was left standing. Thorne turned to Kintu; his grin still plastered on his face. "Now, boy, let's go kill that bi—"

Before he could finish, the queen spider monkey, far larger and more terrifying than the others, emerged from the shadows. Her muscular body was supported by six spiked legs, and her two powerful arms bristled with claws. Without warning, she lunged, one of her legs piercing straight through Thorne's chest. His body went limp, and the queen hurled him against the cave wall with a sickening thud.

"Thorne!" Kintu screamed, rage and despair flooding his senses. He charged at the queen; his attacks driven by fury. But she was stronger, faster. His Shadow Daggers bounced harmlessly off her exoskeleton, and even the Magma Scythe failed to leave a mark.

Kintu refused to back down. He split the Magma Scythe in two, formulating a desperate plan. He channeled the icy energy into one blade and fiery magma into the other. Spinning them in his hands, he released the frost blade first. It struck true, freezing one of the queen's legs solid. A heartbeat later, the magma blade followed, shattering the frozen limb into pieces.

The combo worked. He could win.

The battle raged on for what felt like hours, the cave a blur of slashing limbs and flying debris. Finally, Kintu saw his opening. With one final, desperate move, he slashed through the queen's neck, decapitating her in a spray of dark blood.

Kintu stood victorious, but his victory was hollow. Thorne was dead. He stumbled over to where the dwarf's body had fallen, but instead of the kind, grizzled warrior who had fought beside him, he found a tall chameleon beast kin lying in a pool of blood.

"Who… who are you?" Kintu muttered, confusion clouding his thoughts. "Where's Thorne?"

The man reached out with a trembling hand; his voice weak. "Help me, boy… don't just stare…"