The next day, Travis woke up before sunrise, the sky outside his window still painted in hues of deep blue. After a quick breakfast of bread and cheese washed down with warm tea, he approached the innkeeper, who was busy polishing the counter.
“Excuse me, where can I buy potions around here?” he asked.
The woman looked up, smiling warmly. “Two blocks down, on the left. You’ll see a small shop with a green sign.”
Travis thanked her and set off. The morning air was crisp, carrying the faint scent of dew and wood smoke. The streets were quiet, save for the occasional vendor setting up stalls. It didn’t take long to reach the shop, arriving just minutes after the proprietor unlocked the door.
The bell above the door chimed softly as he stepped inside, and a rich, herbal aroma immediately enveloped him. It wasn’t overpowering—just enough to clear his head and sharpen his senses. He inhaled deeply, the refreshing scent soothing in a way he hadn’t expected.
Now that’s how you welcome a customer, he thought with a smirk.
Behind the counter stood a middle-aged man with kind eyes and a neatly trimmed beard. He greeted Travis with a polite smile. “Good morning. How can I help you?”
Travis returned the smile, his tone courteous. “I heard you sell potions here, but I’m not sure what kinds you have. Could you give me a rundown?”
The shopkeeper’s eyes lit up. “Ah, you’ve come to the right place—and at the perfect time, too. It’s quiet right now. Here’s a list, but I’d be happy to explain everything in detail.”
He handed Travis a parchment with neatly written categories of potions: healing, stamina, mana, antidotes, enhancers, and a few marked as “specialty.” The shopkeeper began his explanations, walking Travis through the effects of each type, their duration, and any side effects. His voice was calm and measured, making it easy for Travis to absorb the information.
Travis listened intently, nodding occasionally. After a thorough explanation, he thanked the man and handed over a handful of coins for a selection of hunger-filling potions. They were neatly packed into a small cloth bag, tied with a sturdy string.
Outside, Travis held the bag in his hand, a satisfied smile tugging at his lips.
' These will do just fine, ' he thought. ' A single gulp, and I won’t have to worry about food for hours. Perfect for my plan. I’ll be in that dungeon until I hit at least level 80 or higher. No stopping now.'
The hunger-filling potions were an ideal solution for his peculiar drawback. While his seemingly endless mana gave him an edge, the hunger that accompanied heavy usage was a nuisance. These potions would eliminate that problem entirely.
Returning to the inn, he placed the bag carefully in a corner of his room before heading out again. His next stop was the guild, where he scanned the job board with sharp eyes. After a moment, he pulled down a contract that promised decent rewards and the potential for a promotion.
' Time to work and move up the ranks,' he thought, tucking the job paper into his pocket before heading out.
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Job One: Clearing the Forest Cave
The forest was unnervingly quiet as Travis approached the cave. The air smelled damp, and the faint rustling of leaves kept him on edge. Inside, the cave was dimly lit by bioluminescent fungi clinging to the walls.
His target was a swarm of venomous cave spiders that had made the area unsafe for travelers. The first spider lunged at him as soon as he entered, its fangs gleaming.
With a sharp swing of his sword, Travis unleashed a crescent-shaped wave of mana energy that tore through the air, slicing cleanly through the advancing spiders. The force sent their twitching bodies sprawling against the damp walls.
As more emerged from the shadows, their legs clicking menacingly, Travis shifted his stance, gripping his sword tightly. He moved with precision, his blade flashing in arcs of light as he severed limbs and skewered the creatures. When they began to overwhelm him, he slammed the sword into the ground, channeling a burst of mana through the blade. The resulting shockwave rippled outward, sending the spiders flying and crushing the remaining stragglers.
By the time the cave was silent, his boots were coated in sticky webs, and his breathing came in steady but heavy bursts.
He sheathed his sword with a practiced motion, then crouched to collect the venom sacs as proof of his success before making his way back into the open air.
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Job Two: Escorting the Merchant Caravan
The second job seemed easy enough on paper: escort a merchant caravan to a neighboring town. But halfway through the journey, the peaceful trek turned into chaos.
Bandits ambushed them on a narrow, rocky path. The first arrow whizzed past Travis’s head, embedding itself in a barrel. The merchants screamed, scrambling for cover. Travis leaped into action.
“Stay down!” he barked at the merchants.
The bandits charged, swords gleaming in the sunlight. Travis met them head-on, his sword a blur of steel as he parried and countered with fluid precision. Each strike was deliberate, disarming one attacker with a sharp twist of his blade before sidestepping another’s wild swing and driving his sword into the ground to trip him.
The leader, a burly man with a scar across his face, rushed forward with a heavy axe. Travis ducked under the massive swing, using the momentum to pivot. In one smooth motion, he slashed across the leader’s arm, forcing him to drop the axe with a cry of pain.
The remaining bandits hesitated, their resolve faltering as Travis turned his focused gaze on them. With a single flourish of his blade, he stepped forward, his movements sharp and commanding. It was enough to send the rest scattering into the forest.
The merchants cheered, their relief palpable as they emerged from cover. They offered him a bonus in gratitude when they arrived safely at their destination.
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Job Three: Capturing the Fire-Infused Salamander
The final job of the day brought him to a rocky canyon, where a fire-infused salamander had been wreaking havoc on nearby farms.
The creature was a blur of red and gold, its body glowing with an intense heat that scorched the earth wherever it stepped. Travis crouched behind a boulder, planning his approach.
When the salamander spotted him, it roared, spewing a stream of fire. Travis rolled to the side, the flames licking the edge of his cloak. The salamander roared, spewing a torrent of flames in Travis's direction. He rolled to the side, narrowly avoiding the scorching heat as the fire seared the ground where he’d stood moments before. Its glowing, molten body darted toward him, but Travis sidestepped again, his movements swift and precise.
The creature lunged, snapping its jaws, but Travis twisted away, the swipe missing him by inches. It attacked relentlessly, its speed unnerving, but he stayed one step ahead, his eyes focused and body in constant motion.
With each dodge, he analyzed its patterns, waiting for an opening. When it reared back to release another fiery blast, Travis dashed forward, ducking under its attack and driving his blade deep into the vulnerable scales near its neck. The salamander let out a final, ear-splitting roar before collapsing, its flames dimming as its body went limp.
Travis stepped back, , sweat dripping down his brow. The adrenaline coursing through him subsided as he cleaned his blade, taking a moment to catch his breath.
By the time he returned to the guild, the sun hung low in the sky, casting warm orange hues across the town. His muscles ached from the day’s trials, but the weight of the pouch in his hand and the guildmaster’s approving nod made it all worthwhile.
' One step closer to promotion,' he thought, allowing himself a small, satisfied smile.
Travis strolled over to the mission board, his boots scuffing against the wooden floor as he scanned the postings. His gaze landed on a solitary sheet tacked near the edge, its corners slightly curled. The bold lettering caught his attention immediately, but it was the details that made him raise a brow.
The job description read: “Level 47 Monster Subjugation – Night Contract. Extreme caution advised.”
He leaned in slightly, rereading the specifics. A monster lurking in the outskirts of town, its description vague but the danger clear. The timing was unusual, but so was the payout—it promised a hefty reward for a successful hunt.
“Level 47, huh?” he muttered under his breath, smirking as he reached for the paper. "Sounds like a challenge."
Tucking the contract into his pocket, he turned toward the exit, the weight of anticipation settling on his shoulders.
"Why not? "
TO BE CONTINUED