Tyler, eyes closed, felt the wagon’s rhythmic rumble along the main road. Suddenly, the sound of a system panel appearing sliced through the noise. He opened his eyes to see the panel displaying: User has Managed to achieve one of the objectives: Slaughter 50 Monsters. User will be rewarded according to the objective's difficulty. Rewards:

A small, faintly glowing object materialized before Tyler’s chest, floating in the air. He opened his palm, and it slowly descended, settling into his hand. The system read: Enhancement Stone. When Mana is applied to it while in proximity to a crafted item, the item will have double the effect. However, this will only work on Accessories, Weapons, and Armor.

Tyler read the message, astonishment evident in his expression. He looked at the small, blue crystal in his hand; the faint glow had faded. *Wow, this reward feels worth it. If I use this on any item, it will double the effect. I’ll see how I’ll use it once I get to town,* he thought.

The wagon arrived at the entrance to Veridia. The grey brick walls, even after repeated viewings, still seemed impossibly wide. As the wagon slowed, he noticed, for the first time, two guards standing near the entrance. The wagon stopped in its usual spot, amongst other wagons a short distance from the gate. Tyler dismounted and addressed the driver. "Hey, um, do you have any change? I want to exchange this gold coin for ten silver." The driver looked at him and said, "Of course. Give me the gold, and I'll exchange it for the silver."

Tyler gave the man the gold coin and received ten silver coins in return. He pocketed the silver and headed towards Hector’s shop.

The marketplace held a smaller-than-usual crowd. Tyler navigated through it, passing the mineral shop he planned to visit later. He reached Hector’s shop; the familiar hammer and anvil sign still hung above the entrance. He saw Hector through the open doorway. Tyler stepped inside and said, "Hey,"

Hector, who had been looking down while seated behind the counter, looked up. "Oh, you’re back. How was the hunt?" he asked.

"It was… okay," Tyler replied. "I almost got killed twice, but everything turned out great, I guess."

Hector stood, his gaze immediately drawn to Tyler’s necklace. "Your D-rank?" he said, surprised.

"Yeah, I got assessed today, and that’s when I found out I’d leveled up enough," Tyler said.

"Did Grone take it this far?" Hector said, touching his chin thoughtfully, considering Tyler’s training.

"What do you mean?" Tyler asked.

"Well," Hector said, "I’m just thinking… Grone said he trained you so you could level up. Did he really train you that much for you to actually be a D-rank so fast? It’s a miracle you didn’t die at this point."

"Oh, no, no," Tyler said. "I actually became a D-rank from killing monsters. I was about level 30 yesterday, and now I’m level 40."

Hector lowered his hand from his chin. "What? You leveled up ten times on your own from killing monsters in one day?"

"Yeah, I was hunting in the middle of the night and then I ran into a—" Tyler’s sentence was cut short by the arrival of another person, who entered Hector’s shop. This individual also wore a D-rank necklace. He was a young man with short black hair, clad in full leather armor.

"Oh, Hector, do you have any more dual axes? I lost mine in the middle of a hunt," the young man said.

Hector replied, "Oh, not even a greeting? Anyways, yeah, I have some axes right now. Do you want to buy them?"

"Yes, of course," the man said. He then turned to Tyler as Hector disappeared into the back room to retrieve the axes.

"Oh hey, so you said you lost your weapons?" Tyler asked.

The young man looked away, pointedly ignoring him. Hector returned, carrying two silver axes. He placed them on the counter. "Well, you know the price."

The man opened a small bag he carried and produced 6 gold coins.

He placed the gold coins in Hector’s hands. Hector accepted the payment, and the young man said, "Good, then I'll be going now," before leaving the shop. Tyler watched him go; the young man briefly glanced at Tyler before resuming his walk.

"So, I’m guessing only one of your hand axes cost three gold?" Tyler said.

"Yes," Hector replied, "that’s why he gave me six gold to take both. Oh, and about your daggers, I recently sold them to an E-Rank hunter yesterday." Hector reached under the counter and produced six silver coins and five copper coins, handing them to Tyler.

"Wow, so I’m guessing you already took your 35%, huh?" Tyler said, taking the money.

"Yes," Hector confirmed, "three silver and five copper. It’s actually amazing how it happened. Because, I think, probably an hour after you left, an E-Rank hunter got in here and saw the daggers on the wall and immediately pointed to them. As I told you earlier, those daggers really look appealing. I told you they weren’t very strong, but with how they look, people would want to buy them. It’s like the perfect scam."

Tyler scratched his head and laughed nervously. "It’s not really a scam, though. Anyways, I really appreciate you selling them for me. I mean, I know you’re getting something out of it, but really, thank you, Hector, for letting me do this."

"Oh, kid, don’t worry about it," Hector said.

Tyler then looked at Hector with a serious expression. "I want to discuss something."

"Discuss what?" Hector asked.

"Okay, I'm going to start with a question," Tyler said. "Are you willing to hire someone?"

"Um, no. I'm not hiring anyone right now," Hector replied.

"But what if I bought a person for you to hire? Could you hire them then?" Tyler asked.

"What are you getting at?" Hector said, puzzled.

"No, it's just that… well, think about it," Tyler explained. "I craft weapons, and you sell them for me, taking 35% of the profit. What if I got you someone to sell the weapons and clean the store? You wouldn't have much work. They could clean and stay at the counter all day, selling the weapons and armor. You could be in the back crafting, giving you more time to make the best weapons. Wouldn't that be an advantage?"

Hector considered this. "That would be good, but what gave you this idea?"

"Well, it's a long story," Tyler said. "I already have someone in mind who could help you—us."

"Who is that person?" Hector asked.

"It's this other girl I've met," Tyler said. "She's in trouble right now, and I want to help her. I promised her I'd get her a job."

Hector looked at Tyler thoughtfully. "Oh, is she your love partner? You want to help your girlfriend out?"

"Oh, no, no," Tyler said quickly. "She's not really… I don't really know her like that."

The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

"If you bring this person back with you, I'll consider it," Hector said. "I need to see them first before I let them work here."

"Alright, thank you," Tyler said.

"Don't thank me yet," Hector cautioned. "Remember, I said I need to see them first. I might even decline upon seeing them."

"Oh, alright. I'll bring them straight here," Tyler said, heading for the door. "Alright, I'll be back."

Tyler started walking home. He walked down the street and arrived. He knocked on the door and heard, "Come in,"—Lisa's voice. He entered and saw her leaving the kitchen, heading towards her room.

"Good morning," Tyler said.

"Good morning," Lisa replied. "You're already back? How was your first quest as a hunter?"

"It was alright," Tyler said. "I actually became a D-rank hunter."

Lisa's eyes widened in surprise. "Oh, you became a D-rank hunter? That fast?"

"Yeah," Tyler said, touching the pendant of his necklace. "As you can see."

Lisa looked at it. "Yeah, you're really not joking. You are a D-rank hunter. That is incredible. What did my husband do to you?"

"What do you mean?" Tyler asked.

Lisa's face tightened with anger. "Did he really put you through that much hardcore training? Are you alright?"

"Yeah, I'm totally fine," Tyler reassured her.

"Aside from that," Lisa said, "where did you get that armor?"

"Oh, this? I crafted it myself," Tyler said, his voice a little defensive, gesturing to his armor.

Lisa's eyebrows shot up. "What do you mean?"

"It's one of my skills," Tyler explained, his tone serious. "To tell you the truth, I'm actually kind of a craftsman."

Lisa frowned, clearly confused. "What? But I thought you said you couldn't help Hector that time? And how can a hunter be a craftsman?"

Tyler shifted his weight, uncomfortable under her scrutiny. "It's complicated," he admitted. "I can use weapons, I know how to fight, and I can also craft weapons—and much more than that."

Lisa's concern was evident. She sighed. "Just don't push yourself too hard, okay? It's pretty unique to be able to be a hunter and a craftsman at the same time. This is the first I've heard of it, so please, if you've hit your limit, don't try to push yourself further, alright?" She looked directly at him. Tyler nodded, understanding the seriousness in her tone. He sensed the weight of her words, feeling they came from experience. "Alright, I won't," he replied, his voice firm.

"Did you meet James at the base?" Lisa asked, changing the subject.

"Yeah, I met him while I was departing," Tyler said. "He's probably coming a bit earlier today because he wants me to show him something."

"Oh, alright," Lisa said. "I already prepared some food. You can have some; it's in the pot."

"Oh, about that, I have something too," Tyler said. "Do you guys eat Luckers?"

Lisa smiled. "Yes, of course! Well, that's one of my favorites. Did you happen to buy any?"

"Yeah, well… hold on a minute," Tyler said, going to the table.

Tyler stood before the table, a small, hesitant smile on his face. "I don't really know how small or big it is, but—" Before he could finish, a shimmering distortion appeared on the tabletop. Then, as if materialized from thin air, a quantity of neatly arranged, sliced, and chopped meat sat there. Tyler himself looked surprised by its appearance.

"Wait, is that what I think it is?" Lisa exclaimed, her eyes wide. "How did you do that?"

"It's one of my abilities," Tyler explained, his voice still slightly awed. "I recently fought a Lurker and took its meat. I thought I could bring it with me, and here it is."

Lisa, without a word, suddenly hugged him tightly, her gratitude evident. Tyler, flustered by the unexpected embrace, gently pulled away.

"Oh, I'm sorry," Lisa said, pulling back slightly, a blush rising on her cheeks. "I'm just so happy. I didn't think you could actually bring Lurker meat here. I mean, the meat is rare enough, but this thing tastes really good. I'm already thinking of cooking it right now. Thanks a lot."

Tyler scratched his cheek, a blush mirroring Lisa's. "Oh, it's fine," he mumbled, his embarrassment clear. "I was just coming to drop this off. I'm going to have to go again."

"Oh, you're already going hunting?" Lisa asked, a slight frown creasing her brow. "I thought you said James was going to return earlier today so you could do something with him. You said you wanted to show him something."

"Oh, no," Tyler said, "I have to go take someone—" His stomach let out a loud, rumbling growl, cutting him off mid-sentence.

Lisa chuckled. "You're obviously hungry. I already told you that there's some food left in the pot. You can have some."

"Yeah, right," Tyler agreed. "I really should eat, huh?"

Tyler went to the kitchen and served himself some food. Lisa took some of the Lurker meat, wrapping it neatly in a piece of parchment. To Tyler's astonishment, as he sat at the table eating, she extended a hand towards the wrapped meat. Her hand glowed with a faint bluish light before the glow subsided.

Tyler nearly choked on his food, slapping his chest in surprise. "Oh goodness, are you alright?" Lisa asked, concern etched on her face.

"No, I'm okay," Tyler managed, swallowing the food still in his mouth. "I was just surprised, that's all. What did you do just now?"

"Oh, this is preservation magic," Lisa explained, a hint of pride in her voice. "It's a skill that… well, that all mages have, actually."

"What?" Tyler exclaimed, his eyes widening.

"Yeah, I'm sort of a mage," Lisa admitted, a playful smile touching her lips. "Oh, not really. I am a mage, but I'm not a hunter. It's a long story. All I can say is, it's preservation magic. It prevents things from decaying, making food and weapons last longer."

Tyler nodded slowly, absorbing this new information. *I probably shouldn't ask her about being a mage-hunter,* he thought. *Seems like she doesn't want to talk about it.*

He stood up. "I'm done eating. I'm gonna have to go now. If I wait too long, something bad might happen."

"What do you mean?" Lisa asked, her brow furrowed with worry. "Where are you going exactly?"

Tyler looked at her, a serious expression replacing his earlier embarrassment. "Oh, it's just somewhere. I don't think I can tell you right now. I'll tell you about it later."

Lisa nodded, accepting his explanation. She took the preserved meat into the kitchen, leaving Tyler to head for the door.

Tyler exited the house and started walking towards the dungeon. After a while, he stopped, a frown creasing his brow. "Wait, is this the way again?" he muttered to himself. "That guy… he took us in this direction, right?"

He looked around. The streets were a confusing maze of houses and narrow alleys. He walked a little further, then stopped short, his eyes widening in recognition. A man in silver armor, a silver sword strapped to his hip, stood a short distance away.

Tyler approached him. "Excuse me," he said.

The man turned, and Tyler's surprise was evident. It was the man who had wanted to form a new guild.

"Oh, hi," Tyler said, a little awkwardly.

"Oh, it's you," the man replied. "Right, have you decided yet?"

"Oh, I'm not… I mean, I'm not really… um… I didn't really come here for that," Tyler stammered. "I just wanted directions, that's all."

The man sighed. "Where are you trying to go?"

"Oh, I'm trying to head over to the dungeon," Tyler explained, "but I feel like I'm close, but I don't really know which direction it is. At this point, I might end up going to the guild hall instead."

The man's eyes widened as he noticed Tyler's D-rank necklace. "Wait, you're D-rank?"

"Yeah, I am," Tyler confirmed.

"Oh, then how did that happen?" the man asked, clearly surprised. "You were just an E-rank recently, weren't you?"

"Oh, I leveled up," Tyler said, a little impatiently. "Just like anyone would. Anyways, the directions?"

"Stop trying to change the subject," the man said, his tone sharper now. "You said you were starting to become a hunter that time, but you're already D-rank?"

"Yeah, I mean, if you think about it, it happens," Tyler said, trying to sound nonchalant. "I probably went there when I was like level 38, and then when I hit level 40, I became a D-rank. I mean, it shouldn't be that surprising, right?"

The man considered this. "If you put it that way, I guess it is possible," he conceded. "I mean, it's not the first time it's happened, just that it's rare, especially for someone who stays in Veridia."

"Oh, anyways, what about the directions?" Tyler prompted, growing impatient.

"Are you really not going to join my guild?" the man asked, a hint of pleading in his voice. "I mean, it could turn out great. I'm already a C-rank, I mean—"

Tyler interrupted him. "Oh man, I guess I have to ask somebody else for directions because I really can't waste time here. I have to help someone where I'm going."

The man sighed. "Okay, alright."

"You know what," Tyler said, "I'll think about joining your guild when you've reached A-rank. Just like Grone said."

The man seemed deflated but nodded. "Alright. Just go straight, then turn left, and go straight again. You'll see a sharp turn; turn left and go straight again."

"Oh, alright," Tyler said. "Thank you." He started walking away.

"Oh, if you can, please meet me at the guild in two weeks' time," the man called after him.

Tyler paused, a thoughtful frown on his face. *Wait a damn minute. I don't even know what day it is.* He turned back. "Alright, I'll do that!" he shouted, then resumed his walk towards the dungeon.

Tyler followed the directions, his mind drifting to the silver-armored man. *What was his name, anyway?* he wondered, realizing he hadn't learned it. He finally reached the dungeon, a grim, imposing structure. Several guards were lounging on a nearby rock, chatting amongst themselves. Two guards in silver armor, spears held at the ready, stood sentinel at the entrance.

"Good after noon," Tyler said to the guard he recognized.

"Oh, it's you," the guard replied. "You've come back this early. I thought you'd be back later. Did you bring the payment?"

"Yes, I brought the payment," Tyler confirmed. "You said it's seven gold, right?"

"Yeah, yeah, seven gold," the guard said. "You should be able to free her with that."

"Yeah, right. Okay," Tyler said. "Let's go inside."

As they entered, Tyler noticed the other guard glaring at him, a look of intense anger in his eyes. He followed the guard deeper into the dungeon, the air growing heavy with the stench of mildew and despair. They reached Emily's cell. The cell still reeked, and Emily was slumped on the floor, her head in her hands. She looked up as they approached, rising to her feet.

Tyler turned to the guard. "Nothing happened to her, right?"

"Yeah, I kept an eye on her. Nothing happened," the guard assured him.

Tyler nodded, then reached into his pocket. Unseen by the guard, seven gold coins shimmered into existence before he withdrew them.

"Okay, here," Tyler said, handing the seven gold coins to the guard.

"Good," the guard said, taking the money. "I can release her now." He unclipped a ring of keys from his belt and unlocked the cell. Emily stepped out, looking dazed but relieved. Tyler smiled at her. "You're free now."

Before Emily could respond, a figure emerged from the corridor, his voice cutting through the air. "Man, I can't believe it. Someone actually came to pay for her crimes." He approached Tyler, his expression turning unpleasant. "You're literally buying her off our hands. Why won't you let us have a little fun before you take her? What do you—"

Tyler's smile vanished, replaced by a cold fury. "You have to be joking," he said, his voice dangerously low.

The man smirked. "Oh, come on. I'll pay two gold. I'm pretty sure she's not worth that much, right?" He leered at Emily.

"Shut up," Tyler spat, his disgust evident. "You're freaking disgusting." He bumped the guard's shoulder as he took Emily's hand, pulling her away from the cell.

The guard, enraged, roared, "What the fuck did you just say to me?!" He started to draw his sword, but the other guard intervened, grabbing his arm.

"What the hell are you trying to do inside the dungeons? You wanna get in trouble?" the second guard hissed.

The first guard shoved him away. "Fuck off!" he yelled.

The guard sheathed his sword, muttering, "You're so freaking lucky that newbie's here; otherwise, I would have cut your head off." Tyler glared at him over his shoulder before continuing, pulling Emily along. Emily's eyes were wide, her nervousness palpable as she walked beside him, her steps hesitant.

Emerging from the dungeon, the sunlight momentarily blinded her. The fresh air, a stark contrast to the stale, foul-smelling dungeon, was a welcome relief. As they walked, tears welled up in Emily's eyes. Instinctively, she squeezed Tyler's hand tighter, surprising him. He looked down at her.

She looked up at him, her voice choked with emotion. "Sir, thank you."

Tyler, flustered, offered a hesitant smile. "Oh, um, uh, don't… don't cry. I was just helping out, that's all." He gently released her hand. "Okay, you need to follow me. I need to show you something."

"Alright," she whispered, starting to walk beside him. Tyler glanced at her as they walked. Her brown cloak was worn and tattered, her dark hair falling across her forehead, obscuring most of her face.

"Hey, Emily," Tyler said, "where are you from?"

She looked up at him, her voice barely a breath. "Oh, I'm from Lyria."

Meanwhile Bernardo sat at a table in the guild hall, two twin hunters—brothers, he knew—across from him. He was trying to negotiate a deal, and it wasn't going well.

One brother smirked. "I can't believe you actually came here without money, just to consider this stupid deal."

His brother chuckled. "Am I right? This idiot thinks we'll actually go along with this."

Bernardo leaned forward, his voice earnest. "Please, listen to me. If we get this person's gear, I promise I'll pay you back. It's worth it, I need your help. This person's gear and weapons have to be worth a lot." He paused, a flicker of doubt crossing his face. *I don't really know what kind of weapons he has,* he thought, *but I'm guessing they're probably high quality.*

The twins exchanged a look, then burst out laughing. "Do you really think we're going to work with you to pay the dept you owe then get paid back? What kind of stupid logic is that?" one of them said, wiping a tear from his eye. "Anyways, you do know tomorrow's the day, right? If you don't bring the money, you're dead."