As they approached the gates, a pair of armored guards stood watch, eyeing the group of young adventurers warily. One of the guards, a burly man with a scar running down his left cheek, stepped forward.
"Halt. State your names and purpose for entering Pallax City," he commanded.
Serena, ever the talkative one, stepped up with a bright smile. "We're new adventurers from Mint Leaf Village! We're here to register with the Adventurer's Guild."
The guard looked them over, his eyes narrowing slightly when they landed on Asher. There was something about him that made the guard pause, but he said nothing. Instead, he nodded and gestured for them to present their badges.
One by one, the group handed over their bronze adventurer badges. After a brief inspection, the guard returned them. "Everything checks out. Welcome to Pallax City. Follow the main road, and you'll find the guildhall near the center of the city. Don't cause trouble."
With that, the massive gates creaked open, revealing the bustling city beyond. The streets were filled with people—merchants calling out their wares, adventurers in various types of armor walking in groups, and even a few robed individuals who were likely mages.
Serena's eyes sparkled with excitement. "This place is amazing! Look at all the people!"
Asher, however, remained indifferent. He was already scanning the surroundings, committing landmarks to memory. His goal was clear—register at the guild, gather information, and find a way to advance his strength as quickly as possible.
Max, who had been quiet since their battle with the Shadowfang Wolves, scoffed. "Try not to act like a country bumpkin, Serena. You're embarrassing us."
Serena rolled her eyes but didn't argue. Instead, she grabbed Asher's wrist again. "Come on! Let's find the guild!"
Asher sighed but let her lead the way. The Adventurer's Guild was easy to find—a large, imposing building with a crest of crossed swords and a shield hanging above the entrance. The moment they stepped inside, the air was filled with noise—adventurers laughing, shouting, and negotiating quests at the various counters.
A receptionist, a young woman with sharp green eyes and short brown hair, looked up as they approached. "New recruits?" she asked.
Serena nodded enthusiastically. "Yep! We're here to register!"
The receptionist gave them a professional smile and gestured toward a set of documents on the counter. "Fill these out. Registration requires a small fee of five silver coins per person."
The group dug into their coin pouches, handing over the required amount. Asher, having no money of his own, was about to speak when Serena quickly covered his fee without hesitation.
"I'll pay you back," Asher muttered.
Serena just waved him off. "Don't worry about it. You can get the next meal."
Once the paperwork was done, the receptionist nodded. "Alright, you're officially registered as adventurers of the Pallax City Guild. Your current rank is Bronze. You can accept E-rank and D-rank quests for now. If you want to rank up, complete enough quests and take the evaluation test."
She handed each of them a small metal plate with their names engraved on it—proof of their status as adventurers.
"Welcome to the guild," she said with a slight smile. "Try not to die out there."
Serena shivered at the ominous send-off, but Asher simply pocketed his plate.
Max smirked. "Alright, time to get some real action. I'm going to take a quest immediately."
Serena shot him a look. "We just got here. Shouldn't we rest first?"
"Tch, if you want to sit around, go ahead," Max said, already heading toward the quest board.
Asher ignored him and instead focused on the missions available. Most of the lower-ranked quests involved simple tasks like gathering herbs, hunting weak monsters, or escorting merchants.
And Asher began to look at it, going to start his journey here to level up as fast he could and return to his World to help it.
While back in Volarisa, Captain Renard returned to camp alone—even though he was in a very sorry state. Half of his body was charred; his right hand was missing, and his left hand was cut as if it had been peeled off. Upon seeing him, everyone rushed to his aid. However, just as Renard finally reached their side, he collapsed, his willpower giving out. Many healers with restorative abilities immediately surrounded him, bathing him in healing powers until his entire body was renewed in no time. Yet, despite their efforts, he did not regain consciousness.
At that moment, a powerful presence appeared nearby. It was Emily, Asher's bodyguard, though she too was in a sorry state. Her clothes were in tatters, a long scar ran down her face, and a deep, bone-crushing wound marred her back.
"Damn it," she muttered as she sat near Renard's body while others began helping him. "What am I gonna do?" she added, recalling how Asher had struggled during the Void Crack.
Just as she was contemplating her next move, she noticed something odd—a pendant, or perhaps a symbolic token, hanging around her neck. High above her, a powerful aura from Volarisa flared into existence. Several smaller auras shot forth in a steady, determined formation, each emanating from Emily's location. In that instant, the fury of the Magnus family was unleashed.
A year later, at the Myrain outpost—now bathed in the fury of the Magnus family—nearly all members of the Metis race were brutally murdered. The Magnus family had used a later, ruthless code to erase every trace of the Metis family from the Volarisa world. Their method was as brutal as it was effective: they deployed an overwhelmingly powerful force above the known limits to rescue down Asher and reclaim what their family member. Having long transcended the world, the Magnus family possessed powers far beyond what the old codes could handle. Their longstanding power was always hidden, they wanted the world to have their freedom on their known—a lesson meant to teach people how to defend themselves against invasion and similar threats. But when they targeted Asher, they unleashed their full fury, no longer caring about anything else, and massacred the entire Metis race. Although the other invaders were spared, they eventually recalled their forces, driven back by the fear inspired by the Magnus family.
Though no matter what they did, they were never able to find Asher. Now, in a fit of fury, the Magnus family reversed the tables. They have begun invading the world of the Metis race. The tables have truly turned: the proud Metis race is being invaded by forces from across Volarisa—but not by everyone. Only three families, the Magnus, Black, and Indra families, who are closely tied together, now solely control the Metis world. As a result, the Metis race is losing badly. They deeply regret having incurred this wrath, but for their enemies there is no such regret. Soon, the Metis race will cease to exist because of a single, fatal mistake on their part.
As he was looking for Quest, One particular quest caught his attention: "Investigate the Disappearances Near the Southern Forest. Reward: 20 Silver Coins." It was marked as a D-rank mission.
here D rank means the most powerful enemy they might encounter will be of D rank.
Serena followed his gaze and frowned. "That one seems dangerous."
"That's why it's worth considering," Asher replied. "If we want to get stronger, we need to take risks."
Serena hesitated but then nodded. "Alright. If we're doing this, we should prepare properly."
After their brief conversation, Asher and Serena headed deeper into the guildhall to prepare for the quest. The air buzzed with anticipation as fellow adventurers discussed missions and shared war stories. Though many were still settling in after their arrival, Asher and Serena moved with purpose.
They began by visiting the marketplace adjacent to the guildhall. The area was crowded with vendors selling everything from rations and healing potions to specialized equipment. Asher inspected various weapons and armor upgrades, while Serena carefully selected healing herbs and small vials of restorative elixirs.
"We need to be ready for anything out there," Asher remarked, examining a finely balanced dagger that seemed a step above his usual weaponry. His eyes scanned the stalls, looking for any edge that could help in a D-rank encounter, even if it meant facing only moderately powerful foes.
Serena nodded in agreement as she added a few extra potions to her bag. "I found some high-quality herbs—these might help me refine my healing abilities further. We can't afford to be underprepared." New novel chapters are published on Novel~Fire. (n)et
After purchasing their supplies, the pair returned to the guildhall to review the quest details one more time. A large notice board was filled with requests and assignments, but the "Disappearances Near the Southern Forest" mission glowed in the back of their minds. The reward of 20 silver coins was modest, but the potential for danger—and, more importantly, growth—was undeniable.
Later that evening, as the sun began to dip behind the distant towers of Pallax City, Asher and Serena met near the back entrance of the guildhall. A cool breeze hinted at the night's chill, and both adventurers secured their packs and double-checked their equipment.
"I've mapped out a rough route to the southern edge of the forest," Asher said, unfolding a worn parchment map. "We should be able to reach the designated area by dawn."