"Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!"

A feminine scream suddenly echoed out from the forest in the night. The bushes and foliage stirred as if something was running through it at a great speed. A woman flew out of the undergrowth, all flailing limbs and askew strands of chestnut brown hair.

"Haah! Haha! Haah!"

Liora Valen, the woman in question, had her eyes wide open in fear and desperately fled without any particular destination in mind.

"H-Help me! Someone, please help!"

She shouted, looking back over her shoulder. Just then, the ground beneath her gave way and she slipped on the damp, leaf-covered floor.

"Kyaaaaaaa?!"

The sound of the wind whizzed past her ear. When she looked, the trees were all in a blur. And then, she finally realized that she was falling.

"Eeekkkkkk!!!"

Her cry echoed in the chilly night. Then, the loud sound of water splashing followed.

"Koff koff! Koff koff!"

Liora was soaking wet. She got up in a panic, wiping her face with her sleeve.

"What is this?!"

There was a pond in front of her. She must have fallen in it since she was drenched from head to toe.

"Ahhhhh, seriously. Seriously. SERIOUSLY!!!"

She screamed at the top of her lungs. The situation was really starting to get her down.

"What's the point of doing this?! I don't want to go through this again!!"

With her clothes sticking to her skin and her hair wet and clinging to her face, she was cold, her feet were dirty, and her hands were covered in mud. The only thing she wanted to do was go home.

Liora Valen was an aspiring adventurer who was working her way up through the ranks. She had started off as an F-rank and was now an E-rank. She had a bright future ahead of her and was hoping to climb the ladder.

But today was the same as always. She was stuck gathering herbs and slaying low-level monsters before a large ugly ogre appeared out of nowhere and now was chasing her!

She was currently running for her life, but her pursuer was much faster and stronger than her. It would catch up to her in no time. She ran and ran, but the ogre was still gaining on her.

Suddenly, the ground disappeared beneath her.

"Waaah!"

Liora tumbled down the steep hill, her body rolling over rocks and bushes before landing in a heap at the bottom.

"Ow ow ow..."

She felt pain all over. She looked down at herself. She was covered in scratches and bruises. Her clothes were torn and her knees were skinned.

"I can't believe this."

Liora Valen muttered in dismay. This wasn't the first time something like this had happened.

"Why do I keep getting stuck with these stupid missions? Herb gathering, pest control, delivery... What am I, a maid?"

The only thing that kept her going was her dream.

"I'm an adventurer! Not a housekeeper. I want to go out there and fight monsters, not pick up after them. It's frustrating."

Her friends were probably laughing at her right now. They always said that she was too weak and didn't have the strength to fight big, bad monsters. That's why they always teased her.

Liora sighed. It seemed like she was destined to be an errand girl.

"Roaarrrrrrrrrrrhhhhhhhhhh!!"

"Give me a break!"

The roar came from somewhere behind her. Liora didn't even look back, she just kept running. How did she when from errand girl to an Orge's meal? She had just been collecting herbs in the woods, and then that giant beast appeared and began chasing her. She couldn't believe it. She'd never even seen an ogre before, let alone fought one.

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"I should've known. I should've known!"

It was supposed to be a simple task, a simple errand for a novice adventurer like herself. But somehow, she always managed to get into trouble.

"If only I had more strength."

That's what all her friends said, anyway. They were probably right. After all, strength was everything in this world. It was the only thing that mattered. If you were strong, you could do whatever you wanted. You could live a long life, make friends, and build a home for yourself. You could have a family. But if you were weak, well, then, you might as well be dead.

In a world of swords and sorcery, power is the ultimate currency. It determines the fate of nations, the course of history, and the lives of individuals. Strength is revered, weakness is scorned, and those who cannot protect themselves will always suffer.

Her grandfather used to tell her of his adventures when he was younger. He was an adventurer too, and a powerful one at that. He had slain countless monsters and saved many people. He had seen wonders beyond imagination and braved dangers most would not dare to dream of. He was a hero, and he was her role model.

But now, as she stood in the middle of the forest, covered in mud and bleeding from her wounds, she couldn't help but feel ashamed.

"I'm sorry, Grandpa. I'm not strong enough. I'm not worthy of being called an adventurer. I'm just a coward."

The words rang in her head, echoing in the dark, empty space. She clenched her fists, her knuckles turning white.

"No. I won't give up. I'll keep trying until I'm strong enough to make a difference. I promise."

"Roaarrrrrr!!"

"I don't want to die yet."

She was still running.

"Please. Please."

Her vision was starting to blur.

"Someone. Anyone."

Then, something grabbed her hand.

"Waaah!"

And yanked her into the air.

"Hyaaaaaaaaaaaaah!"

She was suddenly lifted high above the forest. Her stomach was doing flips as she watched the ground grow further away. She was being pulled upward at an incredible speed, the wind whipping past her ears. the ogre has managed to pull and catch her leg.

"Let me go! Let me go!"

The monster didn't respond, just held onto her and continued to drag her through the air.

"Help me! Please!"

Liora was panicking now, tears streaming down her face. This was it. She was going to die.

She squeezed her eyes shut, preparing for the inevitable end. She would never see her family or friends again. She would never fulfil her dream of becoming a great adventurer.

"I'm sorry, grandpa. I'm sorry. I couldn't do it."

Her heart was pounding in her chest, putrid breath washing over her as the monster roared and roared. She took a glimpse of the muscular green monster who had two massive tusks protruding from its mouth. Its face was hideous, its eyes wild and full of bloodlust.

she guessed she should have listened to her mother and stayed home.

"I'm so sorry, grandpa. I'm sorry. I failed you."

Tears stung her eyes as she spoke. Her grandfather had always told her that she had potential and that she could become an adventurer if she worked hard enough. But she was weak, and she couldn't even take on a real quest without getting hurt. She couldn't protect herself, let alone others.

"Please forgive me."

Her words were lost in the wind. The ogre was still roaring, and she was sure it would tear her apart soon.

She didn't want to die. But she knew that she wasn't strong enough to fight back.

"I'm sorry."

She was sobbing now, her entire body shaking.

The ogre lowered her head towards its mouth, ready to bite her. She could feel its hot, rancid breath on her face. She was going to die. She was going to be eaten alive.

Suddenly, a flash of blue beam shot through the Orge's face and continued towards the torso. Blood splattered everywhere as the beast's body exploded into a thousand pieces.

"Kyaaa!"

Liora plummeted towards the ground. The earth rushed toward her, and she braced herself for impact. She landed with a thud on the puddle of blood, her body absorbing the impact. She groaned in pain, her bones aching.

"Errrrhhh..."

"Are you alright?"

A soft and gentle voice asked. Liora lifted her head, and her vision blurred. She blinked several times, trying to focus on the figure that was leaning over her.

She looked young, maybe someone around her age, with a slim frame and long amber hair that fell around her shoulders. Her skin was pale, almost glowing, and her eyes were a deep blue. She wore a small breastplate over a dark blue tunic, along with a pair of leather boots and gauntlets. There was a sword at her side, its hilt encrusted with jewels and engraved with intricate designs as well as an emblem she didn't recognize.

Liora then shifted her attention back to the meaty remains of the ogre scattered around her. She felt her stomach lurch and quickly turned away, vomiting onto the ground.

"Hey, are you okay?" the woman asked.

"Elora! What's going on?" A new voice shouted from the distance.

Liora didn't answer, feeling a mass wave of embarrassment wash over her. She was covered in mud and blood, her clothes were torn, and she had just thrown up all over the forest floor. She couldn't help but feel like a complete idiot.

Once again, Liora dashed off.

"Hey! Wait!"

The woman called after her. But Liora didn't stop, she kept running as fast as she could, her lungs burning and her legs aching.

"Wait!"

The woman shouted again. Liora ignored her, focusing on getting as far away from the scene as possible. She didn't want anyone to see her like this, especially not some strange woman who had just saved her life. She felt humiliated enough as it was. She then dash off as far away from the stranger as possible.

Then another thought crept up her mind,

"Ah, crap! The Quest!"

It was a simple request for gathering herbs, but the reward was enough to live comfortably for a month. It was the reason why she was here, but after the ordeal, she just went through, there was no way she was going to be able to make it back to the city before the task expired.

"This sucks."

Liora Valen grumbled in dissatisfaction. She had been searching for hours, and yet she had only managed to gather a fraction of the required herbs. And even then, the quality was subpar at best. She let out a sigh, her shoulders slumping.

"I guess it's time to call it a day."

He turned towards the forest path, heading back towards the city. It had been a long day, and she was tired. All she wanted to do was go back to the inn and get some rest.