The forest was calm… until a loud crash shattered the silence: a monster had fallen.

  "Alright, these are all the ones the mission asked for," Velt said, wiping the sweat from his brow.

  But then he noticed something.

  "Seven… the mission only asked for six. I killed one too many," he murmured, counting them again. "Well, I guess this one’ll come in handy."

  With a gesture, he expanded his violet mass and devoured the seventh monster’s body.

  Later, back at the guild, Velt walked in confidently and headed to the counter, placing the mission leaflet on it.

  "Mission complete," he announced with a smile.

  "Congratulations! Please hand over the items and wait for your payment," the receptionist replied warmly.

  Velt placed a few claws and teeth on a tray and sat at a nearby table to wait.

  "Is that him?" someone whispered from another table.

  "Yeah, he’s been doing missions nonstop since he arrived," another answered.

  "What’s wrong with him? Planning to die of exhaustion?" one man joked with a smirk.

  "Well, he’s prettier and more hardworking than you," a girl in the group shot back teasingly.

  Velt just listened, not wanting to get involved.

  "Mr. Velt, that makes fifty-seven missions completed. What’s next for you?" Cero interrupted.

  "I thought about leveling up fast, so I can take on riskier missions and achieve a feat. Or… with the money I have, I could pass as nobility, right?" Velt thought.

  "I don’t recommend the latter. Impersonating nobility is a crime. You could face five to eight years in prison—or worse, be sold into slavery," Cero warned.

  "Then leveling up is my only option. Not bad… I’m already rank B and can acquire new DNA," Velt said with a grin.

  "Correct. So far, you’ve cataloged DNA from twelve new species," Cero confirmed.

  "That’s awesome!" Velt exclaimed.

  "Still going strong, Velt?" an energetic voice called.

  Velt didn’t need to turn; he already knew who it was.

  "Yeah, Dash. Not much else to do," he replied.

  "You’ve been at it for two days straight… you sure you’re not tired?" Dash asked, concerned.

  "No, not even a little," Velt said confidently.

  "Alright… just don’t overdo it," Dash said, walking over to the mission board.

  "Sorry for the delay, here’s your payment," the receptionist said, handing over a bag of coins.

  If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

  "Thanks a lot," Velt replied, taking the bag.

  "May I have your card for a moment?" she asked with a smile.

  "Of course," Velt placed it on the counter.

  The receptionist stamped the card, turning it a deep blue.

  "Congratulations! You’re now a Rank A adventurer," she said.

  The other adventurers reacted in shock.

  "What? He’s a newbie! How can they promote him to Rank A?" one exclaimed.

  "He’s only been here two days!" another complained.

  "Let me remind you, Velt has taken the hardest and most tedious missions of all ranks. That’s why the guild promoted him—it would be a waste to keep him in the lower ranks," the receptionist explained.

  "I only took those missions because they paid more… in case I had to go with my second plan if the feat didn’t work," Velt thought to himself.

  "Congratulations, Velt! You’re the youngest adventurer to be promoted," Dash said, patting him on the shoulder.

  "Thanks, ma’am. If it’s not too much trouble, I’d like to take another mission," Velt said to the receptionist.

  "Sure, take whichever you want. From now on, you can take Rank A missions," she replied with a smile.

  Velt approached the board and scanned the available missions.

  "None of these will count as a feat…" he thought.

  "What are you going to choose?" Dash asked.

  "I don’t know… nothing really catches my eye," Velt said, scanning the options until one stood out. "Let’s see this one," he said, picking up the paper.

  "Looks like a rescue mission," Dash commented, peering at it.

  Velt didn’t hesitate and brought the paper to the counter.

  "I’ll take this one," he said.

  "For this, you’ll need a team, Velt," the receptionist warned.

  "No problem, I’ve got one right here," Velt said, tapping Dash on the shoulder.

  "Hey, what are you doing?" Dash said, moving his hand away.

  "Don’t want to come?" Velt asked.

  "Of course I do! But don’t decide for me," Dash replied, trying to sound stern, though he was excited.

  "Alright, you need four people for safety. Otherwise, I can’t give you the mission," the receptionist said. "I can’t break the rules."

  "Just need to find two more," Velt thought.

  "I’ve got a scout friend, perfect for this kind of mission. I’ll call him," Dash said, leaving the guild.

  "Just one more," Velt muttered, when someone tapped his shoulder.

  "Excuse me… may I join you?" a nervous girl in church attire asked.

  "Uh… you are…" Velt began.

  "I-I’m Rosa Cofert, a healer. I was wondering if…" she tried to introduce herself, but Velt cut her off.

  "A healer? Perfect, you’re in!" he said enthusiastically.

  "Th-thank you, I’ll do my best," Rosa said, bowing slightly.

  "No need for so much formality. By the way, I’m Velt," he introduced himself.

  "Yes… I saw your promotion to Rank A. I’m Rank C, but I hope I can help," Rosa said.

  "No problem. A healer is always needed. Thanks to you, we won’t have to rely on so many potions," Velt said with a smile.

  Rosa relaxed at his attitude.

  "I promise to do my best," she said, smiling nervously.

  "So, we have: healer, a warrior, a heavy warrior, and a scout," the receptionist said, jotting it down, stamping the mission, and handing it to Velt. "You’re the leader. Their lives depend on you. Good luck."

  "Thanks for the extra pressure," Velt said sarcastically.

  "You’re welcome," the receptionist laughed.

  "Alright, let’s go and wait for Dash outside," Velt said to Rosa.

  "Okay," Rosa nodded, following him.

  "Her?" an adventurer muttered, eyeing Rosa uneasily.

  "Stop paying attention to them," Velt said.

  Rosa just nodded.

  Soon after, Dash returned.

  "Here he is. This is Duke Miller, a Rank B scout," he introduced his friend.

  "Nice to meet you," Duke said.

  "Likewise," Velt replied.

  "And her?" Dash asked, pointing at Rosa.

  "She’s Rosa," Velt began to introduce her, but she jumped in.

  "I-I’m Rosa Cofert. Nice to meet you. I’m a healer, and I promise to do my best," she said, still nervous.

  "Relax, I’m Dash. No need to be so nervous," he said kindly.

  "Y-yes… nice to meet you," Rosa replied.

  "Alright. Our mission is a rescue. We need to find a merchant caravan in the Red Mole Caves, to the south. If we find them alive, bringing them back safely is our top priority," Velt read from the paper.

  "Red Moles, huh… we’ll be walking through caves for hours," Dash muttered, a little annoyed.

  With that, the group headed toward the southern exit of the village. A new mission had begun.