Onward To Dire Wolves

Zayn had just begun mapping out how to best abuse his new Soulforge ability when a knock came at his door.

'Damn it.'

He barely had ten minutes to process his newfound power, and already Tobias was summoning him like some kind of overworked employee.

"We're heading to the Guild now," Tobias called through the door.

No 'Are you ready?', no 'Take your time', just a statement. As expected of their fearless leader.

Zayn sighed, shutting his system screen with a mental command before standing.

"Got it," he called back, stretching his arms before strapping his Goblin Sword to his waist.

Time to see what kind of quests this world had to offer.

By the time they hit the streets, the town of Timberstead was already bustling with activity.

Unlike yesterday, when they had arrived much later in the day, now they were early — early enough to see shopkeepers unlocking their doors, vendors setting up their stalls, and kids chasing each other down the narrow streets with the boundless energy of youth.

The air smelled of freshly baked bread, sizzling meat, and the faintest trace of manure from the horses tied up outside the stables.

Bran yawned loudly, stretching his arms as they walked.

"Man, I still can't believe you two survived last night," he chuckled, nudging Kara with his elbow. "Especially you, Zayn. Thought I was gonna have to carry you to the healer's ward."

Zayn grinned, shoving his hands in his pockets.

"Turns out I have Alcohol Resistance now," he said casually. "Not to brag, but I'm basically immune to hangovers."

Bran gave him a flat look.

Kara snorted. "That's literally the opposite of what Elisse told me."

"I don't recall," Zayn said smoothly.

"You were dying," Kara continued, undeterred.

"False. That was an illusion created by my great suffering."

Bran let out a hearty laugh, while Tobias, walking ahead of them, sighed as if reconsidering all of his life choices.

#####

The Adventurer's Guild was just as lively as it had been the day before.

The moment they stepped inside, they were met with the familiar scent of aged wood, ink, and something suspiciously like sweat and ale — a combination that Zayn was almost starting to get used to.

The place was never empty, it seemed.

Mercenaries, adventurers, and wannabe heroes milled about, some seated at tables discussing quests, others drinking despite the early hour, and a few engaged in heated arguments over rewards.

As they stepped further inside, Zayn's eyes drifted toward the reception desk.

And there she was.

The half-elf receptionist from yesterday.

She looked just as stunning as before — long hair, flawless skin, and, most importantly, the kind of figure that made Zayn briefly consider what the night shift receptionists might look like.

'Tobias and the others might be interested in quests, but I'm conducting important research.'

Zayn flashed her his most devastatingly handsome smile.

She didn't even glance his way.

Pain!!!!!

Meanwhile, Tobias led them toward the large bulletin board near the center of the Guild.

This was where all available quests were posted.

There were dozens of parchments pinned to the board, each one containing different tasks, from hunting monsters to escort missions to fetch quests that looked painfully dull.

Kara was the first to approach, scanning the quests with a thoughtful hum.

"Alright," she muttered, "what are we looking for?"

Tobias adjusted his glasses, as he always did when getting annoyingly serious.

"We're D-Rank now," he reminded them. "That means we can take on more challenging quests."

Bran grinned, crossing his arms. "So, we're looking for a fight?"

Tobias didn't confirm or deny it.

Zayn, meanwhile, was still mentally processing something.

He glanced at Tobias.

"You just said we ranked up, right?"

Tobias gave him a tired look. "Yes?"

"And we ranked up because of the dungeon?"

"Yes."

Zayn stroked his chin.

"So that means... if we just clear another dungeon, we rank up again?"

Tobias blinked.

Kara narrowed her eyes. "You're thinking of speed-running, aren't you?"

"...What? No."

"You're totally thinking of speed-running."

Bran smirked. "Gotta admit, I kind of like the idea."

Tobias rubbed his temples. "We're not dungeon rushing. We need to balance our growth — missions give us real-world experience, connections, and allow us to gain favor within the Guild. Dungeons are useful, but they shouldn't be our only focus."

Zayn sighed dramatically. "Fine, fine. Let's pick a boring quest instead."

Kara ignored him, pointing at a particular quest pinned to the board.

"Hmm. What about this one?"

They all leaned in to read it.

[Quest: Eliminate the Dire Boars]

[Rank: D]

[Reward: 5 silver coins]

[Details: A group of Dire Boars has been destroying farmland in the western fields of Timberstead. Adventurers are requested to hunt them down and return their tusks as proof of subjugation.]

Zayn frowned.

"Boars?"

"They're Dire Boars," Tobias corrected.

"Oh no," Zayn deadpanned. "Not the boars. How terrifying."

"Zayn, a Dire Boar is about the size of a horse and can trample a man to death if you're not careful," Kara explained.

Bran grinned. "That just makes it more fun."

Zayn sighed. "Fine, fine. Let's go kill some killer pigs."

Tobias grabbed the quest sheet and turned back toward the reception desk.

This time, the half-elf receptionist looked up as they approached, eyes widening slightly as she noticed Tobias.

"You're taking another quest already?" she asked, sounding a bit impressed.

Tobias nodded, sliding the paper across the counter.

She glanced at it before taking out a stamp and marking the quest as claimed.

"Alright," she said. "You have three days to complete the quest. Good luck."

Zayn watched as Bran leaned against the counter with a cocky smirk.

"You know, if you're impressed now, just wait until we hit B-Rank."

The receptionist's lips twitched slightly in amusement, but she didn't respond.

Instead, she handed them the official quest approval and moved on to the next adventurer in line.

Zayn turned to Bran. "So... that was a failure, right?"

Bran scowled. "Shut up."

Zayn grinned.

With their quest secured, they stepped away from the counter.

"Alright," Tobias said. "Let's gear up and head out."

Zayn stretched his arms above his head, yawning slightly.

"Dire Boars, huh? Wonder if they taste good."

Kara snorted. "Guess we'll find out."

And with that, they set off.