After a quick breakfast, the duo immediately headed out to the meeting place outside of the village.

They walked briskly, eager to reach their destination on time.

The morning air was breezy and filled with the scent of nature, as they continued walking until they came across a group of people standing next to a carriage on the road.

"Greetings! Are you guys also hired by the merchant to escort him to the city?" Nash asked.

One of the individuals in the group nodded and replied, "Yes, we are. It looks like we're all part of the same team. Let's introduce ourselves and get acquainted before we set off."

"I'm Cara. I'm a peak E rank and still haven't gotten my profession."

"Hello, I'm David, peak E rank, and I'm a swordsman."

"I'm Carlos, and I'm a peak E rank too. My profession is ranger."

"Neil, D- rank. Barbarian." Neil smirked as he introduced himself with a hint of arrogance.

"Well, it seems like I'm the highest ranking here. That must mean I'm the most experienced and skilled member of this team."

The others exchanged glances, unimpressed by Neil's arrogance. They knew that rank didn't always equate to ability or competence.

"Hey, you hooded guy in the back. Can you remove your hood? It's a bit impolite to introduce yourself while your face is being covered, right?"

Neil asked Adrian as he pointed at him. His comment was intended to assert his authority and establish himself as the dominant figure in the group.

'If you only knew, Mr. Adrian's Identify you'll be pissing yourself.' Nash thought as he heard Neil provoking Adrian.

"I don't want to." Adrian replied coldly, his voice laced with scorn.

The tension grew evident as Adrian's refusal challenged Neil's attempt to assert control. It was clear that Adrian had no intention of submitting to Neil's expectations.

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"If you don't want to remove it, I'll remove it myself." Neil threatened. Neil took a step closer to Adrian, his eyes locked on him. He reached out towards Adrian's hood, ready to snatch it off forcefully.

But before he could touch Adrian's hood, a peak D rank aura suddenly filled the air around them, slightly suffocating the other members and staggering Neil.

A sword made of silver glimmered in the morning light and pointed directly at Neil's hand. The sharp edge of the blade glistened menacingly, sending a shiver down Neil's spine.

"If those hands of yours touch a fabric of Mr. Adrian's clothing, I'll cut it off myself." a deep voice growled from beside Neil.

Everyone turned to see a tall, imposing figure with piercing eyes and a stern expression, clad in high-quality leather armor with the adventurer's guild insignia on its chest.

The lively expression that can be seen earlier on Nash is already gone, replaced by a look of pure intimidation. Neil gulped nervously and quickly retracted his hand and took a step back.

Just as Neil stepped back, Their employer, the merchant, suddenly arrived, bustling into the scene with a sense of urgency. His eyes widen in surprise as he takes in the tense atmosphere. Sensing the tension, he approached the group.

"Good morning, everyone. Is everything alright here?" His eyes wandered around the group and stopped at Nash. "And you are?"

Adrian took a step forward and said. "This is Nash. He's my friend. He's really capable, and I think he'll make a great addition to the group."

The merchant nodded, acknowledging Adrian's introduction. "Ah, excellent. It's always good to have capable individuals joining our team. Welcome, Nash. I'm Marcus." he said with a warm smile.

"Nice to meet you, Mr. Marcus." Nash replied, returning the smile. "Thank you for welcoming me."

Marcus turned towards the other members of the group and greeted them. Nash took a peek beneath Adrian's hood.

He noticed Adrian's twisted expression and couldn't help but feel a sense of terror. It sent a shiver down his spine.

'Mr.Adrian is really angry. He's really scary. I'm glad that he controlled his anger.'

After greeting everyone, Marcus and his bodyguard, Luther, stood in front of the group, briefing them.

"Ehem. Everyone. As you are all aware, you guys will be our escort when we travel to the city of Hatar. So we will form two groups." Marcus cleared his throat, his voice projecting authority.

"One group will be responsible for scouting ahead and ensuring the safety of the main convoy, while the other group will stay with me and provide protection. The team listened attentively to Marcus.

"The main group, which I'll call the vanguard for the time being, consists of Neil, David, and Carlos. You guys will be responsible for scouting ahead and protecting the front."

"Adrian, Nash, and Cara will be positioned at the back of the carriage and will deal with any bandits or monsters that try to flank us."

"It's crucial that we maintain our positions. If one group needs assistance, they can request assistance from a member of the other group.

This way, we can ensure that our team remains coordinated and is able to handle any unexpected threats that may arise during our journey."

"Once It is already dark, we will set up a perimeter and assign shifts for keeping watch. It is important that everyone stays alert and takes turns guarding our camp to ensure our safety while we rest."

"That's all. We should all get along for a safe trip. The gods bless us for a safe trip."

"Let's get moving."

"..."

As the carriage moved, Me, Mr. Adrian, Cara, and I positioned ourselves at the back of the carriage, following it.

We maintained a close distance from the carriage, ready to respond swiftly in case of any unexpected threats. Our eyes scanned the surroundings, ensuring that no danger lurked nearby.

"Hey, you're Nash right, and that is Adrian." I turned to face the person who had called out our names. Our fellow escort, Cara, is a young woman with a friendly smile.

"Yes, I'm Nash," I replied, introducing myself. "And this is Mr. Adrian." We exchanged greetings, and she introduced herself again.

"Mr.Adrian doesn't talk that much," Cara commented with a chuckle. "But he's got a strong presence, I can tell." I nodded in agreement.

'Yes, He definitely has a strong presence, so please stop trying to talk to him now, or you may irritate him.' I silently hoped that Cara would take the hint and not push Adrian to engage in conversation.