"Pardon my sudden visit," Dylan said with a flashing smile. "I came here as soon as I heard the news. I would like to join the team that you are assembling."
"The team?" Genevieve asked in confusion. "How did you hear about it?"
"The entire guild is talking about the mission," Dylan said in confusion. "I thought you made the announcement yourself."
"It seems that some of the members spread the word," Erebus said with a rage-infused voice. "Let me find out who."
"There is no need," Genevieve said. "I'm afraid that the team has already been selected, Dylan. I'm sorry."
"You have promised me a compensation for what happened a few days ago," Dylan said while bowing his head. "Please let me join the team and consider us even."
Genevieve wanted to rise and slap this man into the sixth dimension, but had to refrain from appearing as a tyrant. She had yet to solidify her position inside the guild and wanted to avoid making any bad reputation for herself.
"Very well then," she said with a sigh. "Welcome to the team."
Dylan flashed them a grin, thanked her, and then excused himself. Erebus watched him leave and turned toward the guild master with confusion.
"You hate that man."
"I hate all men, so what's the difference?" she answered while rising from the chair. "Tell me where I can find him. This will be my final visit."
"What if he refuses again?"
"I just have to make sure he does not."
[---]
Aiden left the inner city the next day. He took Bamba from the stables of the inn, who had been taking care of him for a few days now. The two abandoned the old cart and traveled alone.
"Have you gained some weight, Bamba?" Aiden asked, but the elgorn was displeased by the comment and almost threw him off.
Leaving the city was a lot easier than entering it. Aiden found himself in the familiar wilderness again in no time. After he found a secluded spot and dismounted, he took out Promise from his inventory.
"It's time to shine," Aiden muttered as he unsheathed the blade. It was flawed and chipped, but let out a threatening aura. "Let's find our first victim, Promise."
Aiden asked Bamba to stay on the side of the road, and run if there was danger. He walked into the forest alone to find his first monster — a giant hedgehog bear.
"As luck would have it, I'm forced to fight in a few days," Aiden said as he waved his sword, letting the wind whistle. He took his moonlight stance, which reached fifty-percent mastery.
The monster let out a low growl before it jumped forward, turning into a giant cannonball of spikes rushing toward Aiden. Trees came tumbling down, as the monster shredded everything in its path.
"I will call you Hedgebear," Aiden muttered as he lowered his body and took a stance. "Excuse me for attacking without a prior notice—but I need to grow stronger."
The cannonball arrived in front of Aiden, who danced away from its path. It struck a giant tree, still rolling before losing its momentum. The bear unfurled and tried to stabilize itself.
Aiden used that moment to strike at the bear's hind legs. One clean stroke severed the tendons, and the monster cried and crashed to the ground.
A strange sound echoed from the monster's armor, and Aiden ducked in response. Spikes came flying toward him, but most of them flew over his head—except for a few that impaled his shoulder.
"Always my damn shoulder," Aiden muttered as he jumped forward and turned around the monster.
The bear clawed at him, but Aiden used his sword to deflect the blow. He came face to face with the monster, which was twice his size. Aiden slashed with his sword as a trail of moonlight followed it.
One clean strike to the neck, and the monster fell to the ground.
Aiden collapsed as well as he pulled the spikes out of his shoulder before applying a healing potion he purchased from the city. As it healed his wounds, he turned toward the corpse.
"Let's hope your size means you have some Awakening Shards," Aiden muttered before touching the monster.
It dissolved into a red energy and revealed a set of three items—which seemed to be the ironclad rule of looting.
First were two bronze coins.
Second was a large red shard.
And third… was a container of meat.
Aiden sighed.
"I'm not as lucky as I hoped I would be," Aiden said before pocketing the three items and moving forward with his hunt.
His next opponent soon made itself known—a large serpent that could change its color to match the surroundings. Aiden would have missed it if not for the hissing sound it made.
The serpent lunged at him, venom dripping from its fangs. Aiden parried the fangs before striking at the scales, but his sword slid as they were covered in oil.
Aiden ran, and the serpent followed. Instead of attacking the monster directly, he began kiting it around a large tree as he hacked and slashed at the trunk.
The monster had no idea why this human was doing such a thing until the giant tree came crashing down on the serpent and crushed it. It hissed and wiggled until Aiden pushed Promise through its skull, ending its misery.
Aiden had no expectations for the loot, but it turned out to be different than earlier.
One bronze coin.
One large green shard.
And a vial of poison.
"I was eager to try some serpent meat, but this is… fine too," Aiden muttered as he looked at the vial. As soon as he touched it, a message appeared.
[Poison of the Hidden Serpent: a poison of great potency, with the ability to inflict the Poisonous status on any weapon it touches. Any living creatures inflicted with the poison will lose their sight in three minutes. Enough to be used ten times.]
"Well, this makes my hunting a lot easier," Aiden muttered with a grin. "Let's just hope it doesn't ruin the meat."