Geo, Heri, and Shoji. Three childhood friends whose home was recently attacked. No leads to this phantom mastermind that Shoji had been searching.

Shoji decided to become an adventurer, to become stronger and in hopes in finding the mastermind. All the while, his childhood friends tagged along. Not to just watch over him, but they also felt longing for the outside.

Outside of their tiny village. Outside of their daily routine. Adventure was calling them.

With goodbyes from their family and neighbors of the village, and a lot of determination and will against Shoji’s mother.

They hopped onto a merchant’s wagon and off to the town of Andel. They reached the town before Toki and her gang.

The entrance to the town was through a stone arch. There were patrolmen standing guard and inspecting everyone's cargo and belongings.

After a guard looked at everyone's faces and checked the merchant's goods for any illegal contraband, Geo asked a question to the merchant.

“Hey Youri, why the guards didn't ask for entry fee? I heard from my dad you always have to pay.”

The merchant, Youri, chuckled. “This town and handful of others all called the beginner’s town. You don’t have to pay because many poor folks comes to these sorts of town."

“Beginner’s?” Heri softly spoke.

Youri explained that the many people wished to be adventurers to earn a living, despite the unstable income. Towns with weak monsters in the vicinity are good practice to new adventurers. Since those people wished to be adventurers, most of the time, they didn’t have enough funding to begin with. Hence, dropping the entry fee and even registration fee at the guild.

The three young villagers nodded their heads in understanding.

The merchant drove his wagon on the right side of the road and stopped in front of a large building with a sign that has a sword and shield emblem on it.

“Here you are, the adventurer's guild.”

The three friends jumped down and said their thanks and farewell.

“Okay, this is it!” Shoji raised his fist in the air.

“Please put your hand down Shoji. You’re embarrassing us.” Geo slapped Shoji’s fist down.

"Ow!" Shoji rubbed his hand.

As the three entered the guild, it was pack filled with people and their strange physical features. A woman with the bottom half of a snake, a man with gills on his neck, and a girl with bird-like legs and small, white wings on her back.

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Their village were filled with normal humans, but the world was filled with what you called humanoids. Humans that took on non-human traits or born from another humanoid.

After waiting in line, all three stood before a beautiful receptionist with lush, green hair and eyes.

“My name is Rizi. How may I help you today?” Rizi smiled.

“Uh. Uh. Uh.” Heri elbowed Geo, who was stuttering. He was the tallest and most outspoken of the group, who volunteered to speak for them.

Geo missed his chance, so Shoji stepped in. “We are here to register to be adventurers.”

Rizi scanned all three of them with a piercing gaze. She then asked if anyone can read or write, while bringing out forms.

Heri was the most educated of the three and helped her friends complete their forms.

Rizi looked through the forms and nodded in satisfaction.

“Now, before you be handed your guild cards, you have to attend training.”

“Training? This is the first time I heard of this,” said Shoji.

Rizi explained patiently.

Upon registering, everyone must attend a training school of adventurers. People can be exempt from attending only by recommendation by a high ranked adventurer or an authority figure. The school was meant to teach new adventurers about what it means to be an adventurer and the risks it imposes. As well as evaluating and maturing the new adventurers’ fighting style and skills in a short amount of time. At the end of the two week training, they must pass an exam.

This gave enough time for an individual whether this was the right path for them to take. Also, there’s another benefit - it’s free. Free lodging, free meals, and no fees. Everything was funded by both state and guild.

Geo teared up. “A place to sleep and free meals.” He sniffled a bit. “Why didn’t I become an adventurer sooner.”

“It’s only for new beginners,” Shoji said.

Rizi clapped her hands to get everyone’s attention, “Now! Are you ready to go to school?”

All three nodded.

“To your left, there’s the door that will lead to closed off area to the back of the guild. Take these slips and give it the man in armour at the end of the hall. Once you enter, you can’t leave for safety reasons. You will be shown to your new rooms and begin your lessons tomorrow morning.

Gooood luck!” Rizi waved as the trio marched.

***

As the three yet-to-be adventurers went behind doors, a ragged man rushed through the entrance like a maniac. He staggered passed the line of people.

“Hey! No cutting!”

“Get back at the end of the line!”

The ragged man ignored the yelling and shoved a youngster out of the way in front of Rizi.

Rizi stood up and yelled at him, “Hey! Where are your manners Julius!? And where’s the rest of your friends?!”

Julius, the ragged man, had tired, swollen eyes. He slammed his fists on the desk. Despite the uproar he created he slowly spoke in a clear, quiet tone to Rize, “They're dead. Monster-party.”

Rizi sharpened her eyes, grabbed Julius’s shoulder and pulled him closer.

“You have to be a hundred percent sure. This is serious.” Rizi hissed.

Julius gritted his teeth and tighten his fists and repeated his words. “They’re. DEAD. Monster-party. Coming.”

Julius was abled to meet the Guild Master and told his story.

***

The next morning.

Geo, Heri, and Shoji among other newcomers, stood in the middle of an open area in straight line, side by side.

A gruff bodybuilder with a bastard sword on his back.

“Welcome to hell! Newbies!” His voice rang in the courtyard and into their eardrums.