The sun had climbed higher, casting golden light over Orvelia City's streets. After returning the goblins' stolen vegetables, we made our way back to the guild to report our success.
"I swear, next time we do a 'simple' assignment, I'm packing less gear," I muttered. My backpack felt like it weighed ten times what it should.
"Less gear? You mean less chaos?" Mira smirked. "Good luck with that."
Tessa spun a fireball on her fingertip. "I like chaos," she said cheerfully. "It makes life fun!"
As we approached the guild, a sudden voice cut through the chatter of adventurers and merchants.
"Well, well… if it isn't Kai, the superpowered pauper."
I froze. My stomach sank. From across the courtyard, a figure stepped forward—tall, precise, and radiating authority. Sleek armor gleamed in the sunlight, and a smirk curved their lips.
Selin.
She had arrived to "inspect" the guild's mid-level assignments, though judging by her tone, she was here mostly to show off. She adjusted her gloves, eyes narrowing at me. "I suppose the guild assigned you a task too… interesting choice."
Mira growled under her breath. "Here we go again…"
Tessa tilted her head. "He looks familiar?"
I didn't answer. Somehow, Selin always seemed to know exactly how to get under my skin—and it wasn't just because of her perfect posture or intimidating air. Something about her felt… oddly familiar, like I'd crossed paths with her before, though I couldn't remember when.
[System Notification: Rival Detected — Selin, Level 18 Hero Candidate. Estimated Strength: High.]
I groaned internally. This was going to be a very complicated day.
We finally reached the outskirts of the city, where the mid-level quest officially began. Rolling hills, scattered trees, and patches of farmland stretched as far as the eye could see. Birds chirped in the distance, blissfully unaware of the chaos incoming.
"Remember, goblins aren't stupid," Mira warned. "They've been raiding this area for weeks."
Tessa twirled a fireball. "Then it's our job to show them how stupid we can be."
I sighed. "You two are the reason I'll never get a normal day off."
The first group of goblins appeared near a small farm, trying to sneak a cart of vegetables into the woods. They were smaller than the ones from before but faster, darting between trees and underbrush.
[System Notification: Enemy detected — 4 Goblin Scouts. Suggested tactics: Use Limit Breaker abilities wisely.]
Instinctively, my Limit Breaker pulsed. My past-life memory—or maybe just dumb luck—guided me. I vaulted over a log and landed behind one goblin, slamming my palm into its back with a burst of energy. It yelped and tumbled forward.
Mira flanked the other side, tossing daggers with precision. "Kai, try not to burn the forest down this time," she called.
"Not promising anything!" Tessa yelled, igniting small fireballs that zipped between trees, chasing the remaining goblins.
Amid the chaos, I noticed a glimmer among the trees—a shadow that seemed oddly familiar. I shook my head. Lyra? No… impossible. Still, a small tingle of déjà vu ran up my spine.
The goblins eventually scattered, leaving the vegetables behind, slightly singed but mostly intact. We returned them to the grateful farmers, who offered modest thanks and warned us that the next group of goblins was even sneakier.
I wiped sweat from my brow. "And that, ladies and gentlemen, is why being superpowered but broke is exhausting."
Mira smirked. "At least we survived."
Tessa tossed a tiny fireball into the air and caught it, grinning. "Barely!"
Little did we know, Selin was watching from a ridge above, notebook in hand, taking mental notes.
[System Notification: Rival Activity Detected. Monitoring recommended.]
I groaned again. This wasn't going to be simple.
From her vantage point atop a small ridge, Selin observed every move we made. She jotted notes in a sleek, leather-bound journal, her smirk widening with every chaotic action we took.
"Well, well," she muttered under her breath, "not completely useless, but sloppy as usual."
I didn't see her, of course, but my Limit Breaker tingled faintly—like a sixth sense alerting me to trouble. "Something's off," I muttered.
Before I could investigate, a loud whoosh split the air. A rope snaked down from Selin's position, sending a small weight crashing near the goblins. The startled creatures scattered in every direction, and one nearly tripped over my foot.
"Hey!" I yelled, jumping back. "What the—?"
Tessa's fireball went wild, narrowly missing a tree as she shouted, "Rogue interference detected!"
Mira's daggers spun in precise arcs, keeping the remaining goblins pinned, but even she frowned. "Someone's watching us… and they're messing with the enemy."
From the ridge, Selin waved casually. "Consider this a… friendly demonstration. Learn from the expert."
I groaned. Friendly? Right.
The goblins, now panicked, started running in random directions. One launched a bucket of mud directly at me, hitting my face squarely.
"Seriously?!" I yelled, wiping the sludge off.
Tessa laughed so hard she nearly dropped her fireball. "It's… artistic!"
I noticed Selin watching every move, taking notes as though our every mistake was a lesson plan. My Limit Breaker pulsed again, stronger this time. Instinctively, I lunged forward, dodging a second mud projectile and grabbing a goblin mid-flight, tossing it gently but firmly onto a rock.
Mira sighed, rolling her eyes. "Kai, you're too… theatrical."
"And yet effective," I muttered, realizing that my instincts were guiding every move. Something about this felt familiar—like I'd been here before, in another life, facing chaos in exactly this way.
The goblins were finally subdued, and we rounded up the remaining vegetables. The farmers, wide-eyed and relieved, clapped nervously.
Tessa spun a small flame in her palm. "Mission… accomplished?"
I groaned again, glancing at Selin on the ridge. "Yeah, and she's clearly taking notes for a reason."
[System Notification: Rival Selin has recorded tactical behaviors. Potential future confrontation likely.]
As we left the area, I couldn't shake the feeling that this was only the beginning of Selin's meddling, and that her interference might become a recurring problem.
Little did we know, the next challenge waiting on this mid-level quest would test not only our Limit Breaker powers but also our patience—especially with Selin lurking nearby.
The next stretch of the outskirts was denser—trees thickened, streams cut across our path, and small hills hid who-knows-what. The goblins here were smarter, working in pairs and using the terrain to their advantage.
"Finally, a challenge," Mira muttered, crouching behind a boulder.
"Challenge? More like chaos!" I whispered, scanning the area with Limit Breaker instinct. My past-life memory tingled faintly—I knew where the traps and ambush points were before I saw them.
Tessa twirled a fireball in her palm, her grin widening. "Bring it on, little guys!"
The goblins sprang their ambush. One launched a mudball, another charged from behind a bush, and a third aimed a small javelin. I dodged instinctively, catching the javelin mid-air and tossing it aside with a flick of my wrist.
[System Notification: Limit Breaker Growth +15.]
Mira took down two goblins simultaneously with her spinning daggers, while Tessa created a small wall of flames, forcing the remaining enemies into a corner.
Even in the chaos, I couldn't ignore the subtle feeling of being watched. Selin's presence was like a shadow over the battle, observing, calculating, learning.
After several minutes of frenetic fighting, the goblins scattered into the forest. We gathered the last of the stolen items and returned them to the nearby farm. Farmers thanked us, but the uneasy feeling didn't leave me.
Tessa twirled another fireball and looked at me. "Kai, you okay? You're… quiet."
I shook my head. "It's nothing. Just… this whole situation feels weirdly familiar."
Mira frowned. "You mean aside from the chaos, the goblins, and the rogue rival?"
I groaned. "Exactly."
As we headed back toward the guild, a soft glint caught my eye from a ridge. A figure watched us, scribbling in a notebook. Selin.
[System Notification: Rival Selin—Activity Monitor Active. Estimated future interference: High.]
My Limit Breaker pulsed as if warning me. The feeling of déjà vu grew stronger—Lyra, Selin, and even the goblins felt like echoes of something past.
Little did we know, the mid-level quest was far from over, and tomorrow would bring encounters that would challenge not only our powers but also our understanding of this strange, interconnected world.