"Ugh…"
Ren found himself standing in front of a small fruit stall, realizing that he was in a completely new city — broke, hungry, and utterly alone.
"How am I supposed to survive with no money for food or water?" he muttered.
He still had four days until his summon to the Guild. Maybe he could borrow some money until then.
A commotion caught his attention. A crowd had gathered near the city square.
"What's going on there?" he wondered and moved closer.
A group of people stood shouting passionately.
"Open your eyes, everyone! See the horrors the government hides from us! Follow us to a perfect world! We are The Trinity Church, and our mission is to create a world where all people are equal and free! The government lies to us, enslaves us, and uses us for their gain!"
Ren frowned but listened.
"What do you mean by a perfect world?" he asked.
The preacher smiled, placing a hand on his shoulder.
"I'm glad you asked, young man. The government rules through fear. But if we unite, we can destroy the monsters and the chains that bind us. A world without fear — that is our faith!"
Ren stayed silent. Their words sounded grand, but empty.
A perfect world… is something like that even possible?
"Where are you from, boy?"
"Veerda. I came here to become an explorer."
"Oh, you poor soul… forced to abandon your home and serve the government like a dog. I heard what happened to your village — such a tragedy."
"You've heard?"
"Everyone has. But we know the truth — it was the government who destroyed it. They couldn't tolerate free people."
"That's not—"
A sharp whistle cut through the air. A city guard was running toward them.
"Hey! You lot, stop right there!"
"Oops. Seems we have to go. Take care, boy — and beware of the lies around you. We will not be enslaved!"
They vanished into the crowd, leaving Ren speechless.
"Hey, you!" the guard shouted. "Were you with them?"
"I don't even know who they are!"
"Don't lie to me. ID, now."
"Ah… you mean the number I got from the guild?" Ren pulled out a crumpled paper and handed it over.
The guard snatched it.
"New recruit, huh? From an underground village?"
"Yeah… how did you know?"
"You don't have your official ID yet. Listen, stay away from those lunatics. All they spread is chaos."
"Um, one more thing… I don't have money, or food. Any idea what I could do?"
The guard groaned, walking away.
"How would I know? Get a job or something."
Ren sighed, his stomach growling loudly.
"Now what…"
Wandering the streets, he spotted a large building: Ferath Dojo – Mixed Martial Training.
"Hey, kid! Wanna give it a try?" someone shouted.
"Sounds fun, but I've got no money."
"Haha, don't worry! It's free. A place for young ones to learn how to fight — or just a hobby. Wanna try?"
"I'd love to, but I'm starving…"
"Then let's make a deal. If you manage to knock me down, I'll buy you a hot meal."
Ren's eyes lit up. "Promise?"
"Promise. But don't blame me if you lose."
"Deal!"
The two stepped into the ring, surrounded by students.
"What's your name?"
"Ren."
"Captain Cyrus. Nice to meet you."
Cyrus stood firm, left arm raised like a blade, right hand near his waist — a silent tension in the air.
Ren crouched low, hands lifted like claws ready to strike.
"Hmph… a wild, natural stance. Let's see what you've got," Cyrus said, smirking.
Ren lunged forward, striking low. Cyrus shifted slightly, deflecting with ease.
A flurry of movements followed, but every attack missed. Ren's frustration grew. Cyrus barely moved — yet Ren couldn't touch him.
Finally, Ren spun low, swinging his leg like an axe. Cyrus leapt over it and, in one smooth motion, caught Ren by the chin and pushed him back.
Before Ren could react again, Cyrus grabbed his arm, swept his legs, and pinned him softly to the floor.
The dojo went silent.
Cyrus smiled. "Maybe next time, Ren. You've got potential — but a long way to go."
Ren said nothing and walked away.
"We'll be waiting for you, Ren!"
ost in thought, Ren wandered through the city streets until a familiar voice pulled him back to reality.
"Hey, Ren!"
A cheerful hand waved at him — it was Ino.
"Hey, Ino."
"How are you? You look… alive at least."
"Looking for food," Ren muttered.
His stomach growled right after, proving the point.
Ino laughed. "Come with me. Klaus didn't show you the Guild? You can borrow money there, prepare your gear, or pick up small city jobs for recruits. And since you helped take down that monster, you should already have some payment waiting."
Ren frowned. "That bastard just registered me and left. Didn't tell me a damn thing."
In his mind, Klaus appeared, smiling wide and waving like an idiot.
'That's it, good luck, Ren! Hope we meet again!'
"When I catch him next time…" Ren muttered through clenched teeth.
They entered a large building marked Guild of Apprentice Explorers.
A polite young woman greeted them.
"Hello! I'm Joy. How can I help you today?"
"Hi, I'm Ren. Just joined."
"Oh, I've heard about you. Please, follow me."
She led him to a small room.
"Please remove your shirt and stand there — I'll take your measurements."
Name: Ren Peregrin
Age: 15
Weight: 58 kg
Height: 1.72 m
Build: slim but defined, highly agile
Hair: chestnut brown, slightly messy, medium length
Eyes: clear blue, sharp but calm in expression
"All done. Here's your identification plate — make sure to wear it during missions."
She smiled again.
"You can come here for mission rewards, gear maintenance, emergency aid, or extra side-quests around the city. And, of course, if you have any questions."
"Thanks. Uh… what about food?"
"Ah, I'm afraid the supplies are only distributed during long expeditions or breakfast at nine. You missed it."
"What about the last mission I helped with? Do I get paid for that?"
"Yes, you're entitled to two silvers. It'll be added to your account."
"Perfect! Can I get them now?"
"Unfortunately, the paperwork isn't done yet. Maybe tomorrow… or the day after."
Ren sighed, glaring at the floor.
"Damn you, Klaus…"
By the time he turned around, Ino had already left.
Once again, he found himself alone — broke, hungry, and with absolutely nothing to do.
"What am I even supposed to do until tomorrow?" Ren muttered, staring up at the evening sky as he wandered aimlessly.
"A library… maybe they've got books about monsters and other cities."
While lost in thought, he bumped into a tall man dressed entirely in white. The stranger looked refined — around middle age, with blond hair and beard, and a calm, noble air that seemed to fill the street around him.
"My apologies," the man said softly, smiling. "I should watch where I'm going."
"No, it's my fault. I was lost in thought," Ren replied quickly.
"If you don't mind," the man continued, "perhaps I can help you. My work doesn't allow me to ignore problems I can solve. Would you grant me that favor?"
Ren blinked. "Uh… sure. I just wanted to know if there's a library nearby."
"Of course. Turn right over there, then go straight for two streets. You'll see it on the right side."
"Thanks a lot."
"The pleasure is mine."
As Ren watched him walk away, he thought, That man… there was something strange about him. Not his clothes, not the way he spoke — something deeper.
Then he groaned. "Damn it, I should've asked him for a hot meal instead! What a waste of luck."
Meanwhile, the man smiled faintly to himself. "What an interesting boy… something tells me our paths will cross again."
Ren eventually found the building. "There it is. Guess the old man wasn't lying."
Inside, the library stretched out like a cathedral of books, endless rows of shelves reaching high above.
"Good evening," greeted a young librarian. "How may I help you?"
"Hi. Do you have books on wild animals or city histories?"
"Of course. But do you have a membership card?"
"No… do I need one?"
"Only if you wish to borrow books or stay after closing time — which is in an hour. It costs two silvers."
Great, Ren thought bitterly. Either my luck's cursed, or this world really hates me.
"I'll pass for now," he said. "But I'd like to take a look until closing, if that's fine."
"No problem. The books on creatures are that way, and the history section is on the second floor, first shelf on the right."
"Thanks."
He wandered between the towering shelves, scanning titles until one caught his eye:
"A Beginner Explorer's Guide to Wild Beasts."
Flipping through it, he read quietly:
"The world is divided into three main zones, separated by both natural and artificial barriers to keep monsters away from humans.
The first, known as No Man's Land, is vast and almost entirely unexplored — filled with beasts, strange flora, and deadly natural phenomena.
Beyond it lies the Outside World, a region crawling with creatures ranked from S to F. Only professional explorers venture there.
And finally, the Inside World — walled and fortified within the second zone — is home to the majority of human settlements. Here, creatures are usually of rank D to F."
Ren closed the book and sighed.
"So… this world's way more complicated than I thought."
A sudden alarm echoed through the entire city.
Ren froze, startled, then rushed outside.
What he saw, however, made him hesitate — everyone around was calmly sitting down, as if this kind of thing happened every day.
A mechanical voice boomed from the sirens:
"City connection sequence initiated."
Moments later, the ground began to shake violently. A deafening metallic rumble filled the air — like massive steel wheels grinding deep beneath the earth.
"Sectors One and Three have been successfully merged."
Then, just as suddenly, the noise stopped.
People stood up, dusted themselves off, and went on with their day as if nothing had happened.
Ren stared in disbelief.
"What… the hell was that?"
Too tired to care, he returned to his small guild dorm room and collapsed onto the bed.
Days went by quickly.
Every morning, Ren followed the same routine — wake up, eat at the guild, go for a run, and spend the rest of the day in the library.
A simple, dull rhythm… until the day of his first official mission finally came.
The plaza was crowded — packed with recruits, most of them forced to be there.
As Ren scanned the crowd, a familiar face waved at him.
"Klaus…" Ren muttered.
"Hey, long time no see!" Klaus grinned from ear to ear.
"You rat. You forgot to tell me the most important stuff!"
"I forgot," Klaus said with a teasing tone.
"Anyway, what are you doing here?"
"Well, I'm a recruit now — like you. Except I joined willingly. Most of these guys are here to work off their crimes."
"You? Willingly? I thought you were the one who committed a crime."
"Not exactly. I've got family debts. If I make it to the Capital, being a soldier's the safest job I can get."
Ren smirked. "You always think like a cowardly bug, huh?"
A metallic announcement interrupted them:
"Attention! Task assignments will now be announced."
Ren sighed. "Here we go again…"