The morning sun peeked over the rooftops, casting long shadows across the streets of Bailey. In the cozy confines of the Purple Walnut, Hikaru stirred from his slumber, the day’s agenda already dancing in his mind. Today was the day he and Lydia would embark on their first adventure mission together.
After a hearty breakfast together, Hikaru and Lydia made their way to the training hall for their regular morning practice. Since they had an adventure mission later, they decided to stick to light drills to warm up their bodies while conserving their stamina. The crisp morning air invigorated them as they ran through their exercises, each movement precise and focused.
Lydia gestured for him to stop as she started to get tired. “Let’s stop for now. I think this is enough warm-up,” she said, wiping sweat from her brow.
Hikaru nodded, his eyes lighting up with excitement. “Sounds good to me. Let’s hurry to the guild and see what missions are available!”
“Don’t be too hasty,” Lydia replied with a smile. “Let’s first stop by the alchemy shop near the market. I need to restock some potions for our journey.”
Hikaru sighed, a hint of disappointment in his voice. “Alright, we can do that.”
With their practice complete and their gear packed, they use carriage and set off towards the alchemy shop Lydia mentioned. The streets were beginning to bustle with activity, and the sun was climbing higher into the sky, signaling the start of what they hoped would be an exhilarating day.
Soon, they arrived at an alchemy shop called Bailey Brew. The staff greeted Lydia warmly by name, a clear sign she was a regular there. She then made her way straight to Mira, a female forgekin dwarf with intricately braided auburn hair and a welcoming smile.
“Hey there, Mira,” Lydia greeted with a warm smile. “Those braids are looking as sharp as ever.”
“Hey Lydia! Thanks! What brings you to Bailey Brew today?” Mira asked.
“Just need to stock up on supplies. Can I get three vials of healing potions, please?” Lydia replied.
“Sure thing, but I’m out right now. I need to do a fire ritual, so it’ll take about 15 minutes. Think you can handle waiting that long?” Mira said with a playful wink.
“No worries, Mira! As long as you don’t set the place on fire, I’m good,” Lydia replied with a grin.
As Mira performed the fire ritual, Hikaru found himself with nothing to do. He decided to pass the time by browsing through the shop catalogue, which displayed all kinds of alchemy services the shop had to offer.
“Wow, they make dyes, silicone, liquid mana... They really do it all. But what’s with the stars next to the services?” Hikaru asked, pointing at the list.
“Those indicate the difficulty level of the fire ritual,” Lydia explained. “Mira can handle up to four-star complexity now. I heard she might soon be able to perform five-star rituals.”
Mira soon completed the ritual and handed Lydia the three vials of healing potions. Lydia slipped them into her hip pouch with a satisfied nod and paid Mira for her work. With their supplies restocked, they bid farewell to Mira and made their way out of the alchemy shop.
----------------------------------------
After finishing their business in the shop, they set off towards the adventure guild, ready for their adventure. Inside the guild, the familiar hustle and bustle of the guild greeted them as they entered its doors, and Tiana, the ever-energetic receptionist, was quick to notice their arrival.
“Hi Lydia. Hi Hikaru. What a pleasant surprise to see you both together!” Tiana commented
Hikaru was momentarily taken aback by Tiana’s familiarity with Lydia, but he quickly composed himself and returned the greeting. “Hi Tiana.”
Lydia chuckled, adding to the lively atmosphere. “Oh, don’t be surprised, Hikaru. Tiana here makes it her personal mission to remember every adventurer she meets!”
Tiana beamed at Lydia’s remark, nodding enthusiastically. “That’s right! Can’t let any of you slip through the cracks!”
“Hi Tiana! It’s great to see you again after so long. We’re in the mood for a bit of adventure today. Do you have any exciting D-rank missions available for us?” Lydia asked.
“Unfortunately, nothing new for D-rankers, just the usual fare,” Tiana replied, gesturing towards the mission board.
"Hikaru, let’s take a look at the board. See if anything catches your eye?" Lydia suggested.
Hikaru looked at the mission board and discovered that the first mission he had completed weeks ago, involving Twin-tailed wolf’s pelts, was once again posted. He also noticed that most of the D-rank missions on the board were recurring missions.
“How about this, Lydia: gathering 5 Blightblossoms, a rare plant found in the Misty Grove Forest west of Bailey?” Hikaru suggested.
“Are you sure we can handle it? Do you know where to find them?” Lydia asked, intrigued.
Hikaru pulled out a map detailing the hunting grounds and vegetation around Bailey. “I got this,” he said confidently.
Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
Lydia examined the map and smiled. “Not bad. Alright, let’s take this mission!”
Lydia took the quest card and handed it to Tiana. “Can you register this mission under Hikaru’s name, please?”
Tiana raised an eyebrow. “Are you sure? Just so you know, several adventurers have tried this mission and came up empty-handed. This one might be tougher than the usual D-rank missions.”
Lydia smiled confidently. “Doesn’t matter. Even if we fail, it’ll be a valuable experience!”
Seeing how confident Lydia was, Tiana registered the mission under Hikaru’s name with a nod.
----------------------------------------
After completing the necessary procedures, they took their carriage and headed to the West Bailey Custom Checkpoints. From there, they continued on foot, venturing into the shadowy depths of Misty Grove Forest.
“Hikaru, I'll be leading the party, so you'll need to follow my lead during our adventure, got it?” Lydia stated as they headed to the first harvesting spot.
“I understand, Lydia,” Hikaru replied.
“Hand over the map. I’ll take the lead,” Lydia commanded.
Hikaru gladly handed the map to Lydia, trusting her judgment.
‘Hikaru moved too quickly. I need to position myself in front and lead the way to slow down his pace and conserve my chi, or else I will be left behind,’ Lydia silently thought to herself.
After speed-walking for approximately 3 hours, they arrived at the first spot. The area was bustling with activity, as many people were setting up camps due to its open, flat terrain. Lydia and Hikaru scanned the surroundings, but they didn’t spot any Blightblossoms.
‘These people probably already took anything remotely precious, even if it wasn't their mission, as they can just sell them to the market,’ Lydia thought to herself. ‘Looks like we need to journey further to even get the chance of finding the plants.’
With each step into the forest's depths, their search for the elusive Blightblossoms grew increasingly futile. Three more spots yielded nothing but disappointment, urging them further into the wilderness. By dusk, they settled at the last clearing, undeterred by the day’s setbacks. Lydia prepared their meal as night descended, and they took turns keeping watch, with Hikaru sleeping first for the midnight shift.
As the night deepened, the forest around them grew eerily quiet, amplifying every sound. Now, Hikaru was on his shift, sitting by the bonfire, trying to stay alert. *Rustle – Rustle – Rustle* suddenly, he heard a noise coming from the bushes. He instantly became alert, sensing something wasn’t right. He channeled mana to light up the light crystals on his gauntlets and hurriedly entered the camp, intending to wake Lydia up so she could defend herself.
However, Lydia was fast asleep, so Hikaru took the initiative to carry her out of the camp, activated his [Phoenix Wings], and soared into the sky.
*Rush – Rush – Rush* Hikaru hovered in the night sky, his eyes fixed on the flickering bonfire below. In its glow, he discerned the figures of their assailants—four Pantherine Catmen.
Note: Pantherine Catman.
Description: Pantherine Catman is a beastman that evolved from a beast called Pantherine. They are recognized by their cat-like ears atop their heads, black hair, piercing yellow irises with vertical slit pupils, and a tail resembling that of a cat.
As Lydia slowly awakened from her deep sleep in Hikaru’s arms, she noticed the unfamiliar surroundings. Looking down, she saw the figures of the Pantherine Catmen lurking near their camp. Instantly, she realized they were under attack.
“Put me down, Hikaru! We need to fight them!” Lydia commanded urgently.
Hikaru quickly obeyed, gently lowering her to the ground. But as soon as they descended, the catmen closed in, their eyes gleaming with predatory intent.
*Swish* Lydia, still partially in Hikaru’s grasp, unsheathed her sword in a flash and unleashed a [Flying Slash] in a wide, powerful arc. The energy crackled through the air, forcing the catmen to leap back, their ambush thwarted by her swift counterattack.
Lydia readied her stance as she was preparing to launch another energy attack if the catmen moved closer, preventing them from dodging.
Meanwhile, Hikaru closed in from the sky. Two catmen pounced as he approached. Their speed was no match for his. Hikaru delivered a front kick with his chi-covered leg, sending one catman stumbling back. He swiftly grabbed the wrist of the second catman as it swiped at him with its claws.
[Sleepy Touch] (L1 Illusion Magic Skill)
*Fwish* Hikaru's mana seeped into the wrist of the second catman, swiftly plunging him into a deep slumber.
[Sleepy Touch] (L1 Illusion Magic Skill)
*Fwish* Just as the first catman recovered from his stumble, Hikaru deftly touched his shoulder while activating his spell, sending him into a sudden and profound sleep.
Hikaru thought to himself: ‘Great, I managed to incapacitate them without killing them in the process!’
As the other two catmen noticed the state of their comrades and became distracted, Lydia seized the opportunity. *Swish* she managed to behead one of the catmen by unleashing a [Flying Slash].
Meanwhile, Hikaru cast his [Sleepy Touch] spell and swiftly touched the last catman heading his way, putting him into a deep sleep.
After the fight concluded, Lydia started to loot the catmen of their belongings. She began by undressing the one who was dead to see if he had any markings that could indicate his identity.
Lydia gestured for Hikaru to come over as she pointed at the tattoos on the dead Catman and said: “Look, Hikaru. That symbol tattooed on their body indicates they are members of the Feralholt Syndicate. The Feralholt members have an ideology to turn all beasts, especially their kind, into Beastmen. So these people probably wanted to kill us and feed our flesh to beasts to create more Beastmen.”
As Lydia explained about the Feralholt Syndicate, she finished looting the corpse of the dead catman and approached one of the slumbering catmen. Slowly, she removed his clothes and pointed her sword at his chest, but before she could proceed further, Hikaru interrupted her.
“Hold on, Lydia, what's going on? You’re not seriously going to kill him, are you?” Hikaru’s voice was tense with concern.
Without hesitation, Lydia drove her sword into the catman’s heart, ending his life swiftly. “You’re absolutely right, Hikaru. I intended to kill him,” she admitted, her tone unapologetic.
“Why, Lydia? We could have tried to reason with them and then taken their belongings as a warning. Why resort to cold-blooded murder?” Hikaru’s voice was filled with disbelief and frustration.
Lydia met his gaze squarely. “You’re being naive, Hikaru. These people are part of the Feralholt Syndicate, and their beliefs pose a danger to every adventurer out there. If we let them go now, they’ll just come after others. It’s better to eliminate the threat before it harms more innocent lives,” she explained firmly.
Listening to Lydia’s sound reasoning, Hikaru couldn’t retort. She proceeded to kill the third and fourth catmen while also looting their belongings.
After gathering all the loot, Lydia managed to collect 33 Red Eden Beads and 25 gold coins. She gave all the money to Hikaru as a gesture of goodwill, as she had enough money of her own. She also collected a chest plate and steel boots, but Hikaru wasn’t interested as they were too bulky to carry around. So, the rest of the loot was left there along with the dead bodies of the catmen.
Lydia then decided to continue her sleep as it was still nighttime. She spoke some final words before drifting off. “You know, adventurers in Bailey have a higher mortality rate compared to other places. It's not just because of conflicts between adventurers, but also due to the prevalent existence of Feral Beastmen and Monsters. Beyond Bailey’s borders, it’s a law of the jungle mentality, so remember: show no mercy, as none will be shown to you. Keep that in mind!”
As Hikaru maintained his vigil over the camp throughout the night, solitude gave rise to contemplation. ‘With 58 gold coins already in hand, do we truly need to persist in our mission, especially when the promised reward is a mere 5 gold coins?’ Hikaru’s motivation started to wane as he didn't really want to kill people in cold blood.