The wagon rolled slowly down the worn, dusty path. The horizon glowed faint orange, hinting that evening wasn't far. After traveling for hours, they were still 300 kilometers away from Central. Riven's back ached, and Auren looked unusually focused—perhaps a leftover thought from the conversation they had earlier.
They decided to halt at a city that appeared on the path—Valdoria, a bustling merchant hub known for its open trade and travelers.
"We should stock up here," Riven said, stretching his arms. "Food's almost out and we need tents if we're camping again tonight."
Auren nodded, eyes scanning the shops. "Yeah. Let's not sleep under the stars, unless you want bugs crawling up your nose."
They split up briefly, gathering dried meat, bread, water containers, and a few other supplies. Auren went into a slightly bigger store, where an old shopkeeper stood behind rows of stacked supplies.
"Looking to feed a whole army, huh?" the shopkeeper asked with a smirk as Auren dropped a large order on the counter.
"We're heading to Central," Auren replied casually.
The shopkeeper's smile faded a bit. "You sure about that?"
"What do you mean?" Auren asked, his gaze sharpening.
"Central ain't just open to anyone. You need to be a registered magic user, or at least have an access pass. Guards won't even talk to you without it."
Auren raised an eyebrow. "I can use magic."
"Then prove it."
Auren reached into his memory, thinking of the spell he'd been practicing during the journey. He extended his hand and muttered, "Ignis Orbis."
A swirling fireball materialized in his palm, glowing and dancing with red-hot intensity.
The shopkeeper leaned back, impressed. "Alright. You can get in. But what about your companions? They magic users too?"
"No… they're not."
"Then it's a problem. You see, you can only get a pass for someone else from the Main Office in Central itself. Bit of a paradox, yeah?" The shopkeeper chuckled grimly. "But there's another way—get registered as an adventurer. Adventurers can travel city to city, no restrictions."
Auren took that in silently, then nodded. He paid, grabbed the supplies, and stepped outside to find Riven.
"Hey," Auren called, tossing a bag of bread his way. "Change of plans."
Riven caught it and frowned. "What now?"
"We're becoming adventurers."
"What?" Riven blinked. "Why?"
Auren explained everything the shopkeeper said. The pass situation. The restriction at Central. The only way forward if they wanted to stick together.
Riven stared at him for a moment, then sighed. "Let me guess—you don't want to go in alone because you'll get bored without someone to annoy."
Auren smirked. "Exactly. Besides… you've got the face of someone who can at least pretend to be useful."
Riven shook his head, but a small smile crept in. "Fine. Let's go play hero then."
As they prepared to visit Valdoria's Adventurer Guild, the city's lanterns began to light up, casting flickering shadows on the walls. Neither of them knew what kind of trials becoming an adventurer would bring—but the path to Central had just taken a new turn.
And Auren… he felt something. A strange, thrilling fire igniting in his chest.
"Let's raise some hell," he muttered to himself.
---
They reached the Valdoria's Adventurer Guild, a tall stone hall lined with bounty posters, swords, and flickering torches. Inside, they registered their names and filled out a form. Just as they thought it was done, the clerk handed them a scroll with a wax seal.
"You've got a test before full registration," she said coldly. "Kill and bring back the bodies of three Lurklings from the Black Hollow Forest."
"Lurklings?" Auren asked.
"Rodent-sized forest demons. Razor teeth. Fast as hell. Love hiding in shadows and ripping apart birds… or weak humans."
"Sounds fun," Riven smirked, cracking his neck.
---
Black Hollow Forest was dense and sickly. The trees were tall and thin, blocking out much of the light. Whispers filled the air. Strange claw marks scratched across tree trunks. As they ventured deeper, red eyes began flickering in the dark.
Auren saw it first—a blur darting toward him.
He extended both hands. "Psychic Bind!"
Invisible chains of mental force lashed out, slamming the creature to the ground. The Lurkling thrashed violently, shrieking in high-pitched tones, but couldn't move.
Auren's eyes glowed. "Dominator's Gaze."
As he made eye contact, the monster froze. Its limbs stiffened, mouth hanging open as if stunned by fear.
Then Auren stepped forward, whispering the final word: "Shadow of Submission."
A black mist rolled from his body, creeping along the ground and rising into the air. The monster whimpered as its spirit shattered under the crushing dread. It couldn't move, couldn't think.
Auren drew his twin daggers and slit its throat in one smooth motion. Blood spilled like ink.
Riven, meanwhile, faced two of the beasts on his side. As they leapt from the brush, he spun his sword in a crescent arc, slicing one in mid-air. The second jumped onto his back—he slammed into a tree, crushing it, then stabbed through its skull.
When the forest fell silent again, the two stood among three corpses.
"You alright?" Riven asked, panting.
"I'm not the one with rat blood on his face," Auren said, wiping his blade.
They wrapped the bodies in cloth and began walking back.
"Welcome to the world of adventurers," Auren muttered.
"And this is just the start," Riven replied, eyes scanning the forest.
Something still lurked in the deeper dark.
[Notification]
Host has acquired a new skill: Soul Imprint Mark
Magic Type: Soul Trace Seal
Effect: Upon direct contact or focused eye gaze, imprint a fragment of your soul onto the target. This allows:
One-way emotional sensing
Directional tracking
Distance awareness
Alert pulses during danger or intense emotion
Note: Undetectable. Activatable at will. Only usable once per target unless overwritten.
Let's test it's Auren muttered
---
The heavy oak doors creaked open as they stepped in. The warmth of the guild hall welcomed them—lit chandeliers, chatter of other adventurers, the clink of mugs and steel. A large notice board on the right wall held parchment after parchment of missions. But their eyes were focused forward, toward the long counter at the center.
Behind it stood a stern woman in black armor trimmed with bronze. Her nameplate read Mira Valen, and her presence silenced the room the moment she looked up.
"You're back," she said, eyeing the sack Riven dropped onto the counter. Blood dripped from it slightly. "Let me guess—Forest Lurklings?"
Auren gave a Short nod.