A New Party

The sewers of Ravennest were everything Isagi had imagined and more dark, dank, and filled with the distinct smell of rotting organic material. The walls were wet and slimy, and the ground squelched underfoot with every step. He wrinkled his nose, trying not to gag.

"Okay, this isn't too bad," he muttered to himself, trying to stay positive. His rusted iron sword clinked softly as he adjusted his grip, and his torch flickered in the air, casting an eerie glow on the stone walls. He was deep inside the dungeon-like system now, the sounds of water dripping from the ceiling echoing around him.

With each step deeper into the labyrinth, his adrenaline started to spike. This was his first real test in Tenria the first chance to prove himself. But the closer he got to his target, the more he began to doubt himself. After all, how hard could it be to fight giant rats?

"Should I have taken something less smelly?" Isagi muttered. The more he thought about it, the more silly his decision seemed. But there was no turning back now.

He heard a noise—a scratching, followed by a tiny squeak.

"Ah, there it is," he whispered, trying to steady his breath. He was about to engage his very first combat. Maybe it wasn't a dragon, but a rat was still something he had to fight, right?

As he rounded a corner, his eyes widened.

"Oh, that's a big one!"

Before him stood the largest rat he had ever seen. The beast was nearly as big as a dog, its fur matted and its sharp teeth glistening in the dim light of the torch. It glared at him with eyes full of malice, clearly not pleased with his intrusion into its domain.

Battle!

[Giant Sewer Rat]

Level: 5

Health: 100/100

Status: Hostile

Isagi's heart pounded. He barely had time to process the monster's details before it charged, its claws scraping against the stone floor as it leapt toward him. In that moment, everything he had learned from his games kicked in.

He raised his sword and swung it at the rat, his aim not entirely true but good enough to graze the creature's side. The rat screeched, jumping back to avoid a more devastating blow.

"Okay, okay, focus!" Isagi gritted his teeth. He had faced far worse challenges in his games, but this felt a little too real.

The rat hissed, preparing for another attack. But Isagi had learned the hard way that you couldn't just swing blindly. No, he needed to focus, to use his skills and fight strategically.

Suddenly, he heard a voice behind him.

"Hey, newbie! Need some help?"

Isagi turned to see a group of three adventurers walking down the sewer corridor. They were all dressed in the typical gear of adventurers: light armor, weapons, and a lot of confidence. The leader, a short-haired woman with a bow strapped to her back, grinned at him.

"We were about to head out, but it looks like you could use a hand with that oversized rat."

Isagi blinked, trying to make sense of the situation. "I got this," he stammered, but it was obvious he was struggling. The giant rat wasn't giving him an easy time, and now he had a whole group of strangers watching him.

The woman tilted her head, clearly amused. "Right. Sure. You've got this."

She stepped forward, her bow already drawn. "Let me show you how it's done. Two arrows, and it's over."

Before Isagi could protest, she loosed an arrow. It flew with pinpoint accuracy, striking the rat in the side. The rat squealed, its health dropping by nearly half from the hit.

"See? Now you hit it while I finish it off."

Isagi couldn't believe it. He had barely scratched the rat, and these guys were already making it look like child's play.

The second adventurer, a tall man with a sword nearly the size of Isagi himself, laughed. "Yeah, looks like this one's already done for. You're lucky to have such skilled teammates, huh?"

Isagi blushed, the reality of his newbie status starting to sink in. "Well, I didn't expect it to be like this."

The third member of the party, a grinning mage with a glowing staff, chimed in, "Don't feel bad, rookie. We've all been there. That's why we're offering to help. And besides," he added with a wink, "you owe us one now."

As the rat finally succumbed to the combined onslaught of arrows and spells, the party members moved in, taking their rewards and leaving the last few drops of XP for Isagi.

He stood there, unsure of how to react. These adventurers had just saved his first quest, and now they were looking at him with expectant smiles.

"Well, that was fun," the mage said cheerfully. "We're heading to another dungeon. Wanna join us?"

Isagi hesitated. On one hand, this was an amazing opportunity. A party of skilled adventurers meant they'd be able to clear dungeons together and earn rewards at a much faster pace. But on the other hand, he didn't want to look like a total freeloader.

Before he could respond, the woman with the bow grinned and patted him on the back. "Don't overthink it. We need a fourth anyway. Trust me, you're better off sticking with us."

Isagi scratched the back of his head, still unsure about the situation. He had only just begun to get used to the idea of adventuring on his own, and now he was being offered a spot in a team of seasoned adventurers. Was this the right move? Could he really keep up with them?

The woman with the bow, sensing his hesitation, smirked and gave him a gentle nudge. "Look, we won't bite. You'll get experience and loot. We get an extra hand, and everyone's happy. Besides, you clearly need some help." She winked. "I promise we're not that scary."

Isagi hesitated for a moment longer, then sighed. "Alright, alright, I'll join. But I'm not going to just be some deadweight," he added, more to himself than to them. He wasn't about to let his pride get in the way, but he also didn't want to be known as the guy who always had to be carried.

The mage chuckled. "Deadweight? Please, you survived the rat attack. That's a good sign." He gave him a thumbs-up, his wand glowing slightly in the dim light. "So, how about it? You in?"

Before Isagi could reply, the tall swordsman clapped him on the back, nearly knocking the wind out of him. "It's settled then! Don't worry, rookie. You'll be an expert in no time."

And with that, just like that, Isagi found himself officially part of a new party. There was no turning back now.

The party introduced themselves as they made their way through the sewers, the stench of the damp tunnels now feeling more like background noise as they began to walk in a line. Isagi found himself walking next to the woman with the bow, who introduced herself as Asha. She had sharp, green eyes and a cocky grin that didn't seem to leave her face.

"I'm Asha. That's Lyle," she pointed to the swordsman, "and that's Fenwick," she gestured to the mage, who was currently fiddling with his glowing staff.

"Asha," Isagi repeated. He tried not to let his nerves show, but this was a big step for him. This was his first real experience in Tenria with a group. Before, he had been alone, managing to handle things like a solo player, but this? This was different. Group dynamics, the constant back-and-forth between people it was all new to him.

"So, you've been adventuring long?" Isagi asked as he walked beside Asha. He needed to break the ice, even if he was a little unsure.

"Me? About two years," Asha said, "Lyle's been at it for a bit longer. Fenwick…" she paused, glancing back at the mage, "Well, Fenwick just got here a month ago. So, don't feel too bad about being a newbie." She grinned. "You've got plenty of time to catch up. Trust me, this world is vast. You'll never run out of things to do."

Isagi nodded, absorbing the information. "So, what's the goal here? Are we just… clearing dungeons?"

Asha gave him a sideways glance, clearly amused. "Well, yeah. Clear dungeons, fight monsters, level up, and get loot. That's the gist of it. But, you know, there's always the bigger picture."

"The bigger picture?" Isagi raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

Asha's grin faded slightly, and for a moment, she looked more serious. "Well, there's the guild wars and the big quests. You'll hear about that soon enough. But for now, let's just focus on getting you stronger, okay? We'll keep things simple, at least until you get the hang of it."

Isagi nodded, the bigger picture already making his head spin. Guild wars? Special quests? There were layers to this world he hadn't even begun to fathom yet.

Fenwick, the mage, turned around and threw in his two cents. "Don't worry too much about guilds yet. You'll get the basics first get stronger, fight together, and learn. Then we can talk about the real fun later." He had an almost mischievous glint in his eye.

Lyle, the swordsman, let out a hearty laugh from the front. "Just don't get caught up in too much drama. We're here to make a living, not get ourselves killed over some pointless battle." He paused, then added, "And Isagi, you'll learn to balance it all. The loot's nice, but it's the experience that'll get you where you need to go."

Isagi felt a sense of camaraderie start to form. These people weren't just some random party members—they were experienced adventurers, each with their own unique knowledge and skill set. And now, for better or worse, he was going to learn from them.

As they continued deeper into the sewers, Asha suddenly stopped. "Alright, here's the next room. Get ready, everyone."

Isagi's heart skipped a beat. The anticipation was building again. This was it the first real dungeon they were about to tackle together. The last rat fight had been a piece of cake, but this? He had no idea what they'd face next.

Fenwick twirled his staff, his eyes glowing with excitement. "Let's make this one count."

And Lyle cracked his knuckles, already ready for a fight. "Don't hold back now, rookie. We're doing this together."

Isagi gripped his sword, now more determined than ever. He wasn't just a newbie anymore. He was part of something bigger and he was going to prove himself.