Chapter 10: Adventurers

In a certain village called Steamware, in one of the houses, a boy could be seen sleeping. He tossed and turned in his bed, sweat dripping from his body, soaking the sheets. Suddenly, he sat up, eyes shooting open as he panted heavily. Clutching his head in pain, he reached for the glass of water on his bedside table. Again, the same nightmare, he thought.

His fingers tightened around a necklace—a simple cord holding a black stone at its center. He sighed as a strange calm washed over him. Ever since he'd seen it in the market, he'd felt an inexplicable pull toward it, as if it were calling to him. Now, it was his lucky charm.

Grumbling, he got up, glaring at the sweat-drenched bed. Third time this week. Maybe the village shaman could help, but her services were expensive—and he was saving for an awakening stone. The thought made him smile as he dressed.

He had an appointment with the village's mage instructor. Training day. And he wouldn't miss it for the world. Stepping outside, he took a deep breath of the crisp morning air before sprinting through the village. Farmers passed him, tools in hand, heading to their fields.

An old woman sat outside her home, surrounded by wide-eyed children as she spun a tale. Fragments of her story reached his ears:

"And so, with a final swing of his halberd, the God of Destruction split the great metal monstrosity in two, scattering its remains into the void. The gods had saved the world… but the creature did not die. A prophecy was later found: 'When the worlds align, at the dawn of creation, a monster shall rise again—one of pure evil, and it will reign terror upon the land.'"

The children clapped, delighted. The boy chuckled—it was the same old fairy tale everyone grew up with. He remembered his mother telling him the story countless times.

The old woman looked up, spotting him.

"Off to work, Liam?" she asked warmly.

Liam stopped mid-stride, turning back with a grin. "Yes, ma. If I want to be an adventurer, I need to awaken. And for that, I need money." He rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly.

The woman chuckled and waved him off. Liam turned and broke into a run again, his fingers brushing the black stone around his neck. Something told him today was the day—today, he would learn magic.

Somewhere far away…

A group of five adventurers moved cautiously through the dense forest, weapons drawn. Four bore golden badges—D-class adventurers—while the leader's diamond insignia marked him as C-class. He carried a massive shield and a sword at his hip, the group's tank and commander.

The others consisted of:

A healer, clad in loose, flowing garments, her wooden staff topped with a golden crystal.

A mage, her robes faintly shimmering with enchantments, her metallic staff crowned by a pulsating red pearl—embers flickering within like trapped stars.

Two sword masters, twins, their armor a balance of defense and mobility.

Silence hung thick as they scanned for threats.

"Okay, where the hell did that beast-leopard go?" Aurora, the mage, snapped.

"If someone had landed the killing blow, we wouldn't be chasing it through this damn jungle," the female twin muttered, glaring at her brother.

"Fuck, I said I'm sorry. Get off my back already," he shot back, rolling his eyes.

"Trust me, no one would want to get on that shrimp dick anyway," the healer whispered under her breath.

The male twin whirled, blade flashing. "Say that again—"

"Enough!" the leader barked. "Aurora, track the beast. Now."

Aurora nodded, channeling mana into her staff. With a chant, a fiery phoenix erupted to life, perching on her outstretched hand. She whispered coordinates, and the construct launched into the sky. Moments later, it dissolved into embers, flooding her mind with intel.

"Found it," she announced.

"Move out. Daylight's fading," the leader ordered.

The group followed Aurora to a massive trench—unnaturally smooth, as if something had crashed into the hillside. At the bottom yawned a cave entrance. But this was no natural formation. The edges were too precise, the angles too sharp.

"You sure it's here?" the male twin asked.

"Its mana signature is all over this place," Aurora confirmed.

What they didn't know was this wasn't just a cave.

It was a wreckage.

A crashed ship.