As dawn broke over the capital city of Belgrav, the first rays of sunlight spilled into Raph's room at the Gilded Lantern. He stretched languorously, thoughts of the night's encounter with King Alden still swirling in his mind. Today he would be going on a guild mission with Lia's party.

'Do guild parties have names. I wonder what theirs would be.'

Raph rose from the bed, pulling on his gear, he summoned a katana from his mind space and attached it on his waist with practiced ease. There was excitement in the air, something electric that tingled at the back of his mind. He was ready for the meeting with Lia, Tess, and Finn.

Belgrav It was a city of possibilities, that he intended to navigate with finesse. He hoped that by living amongst these mortals, living a mundane life like they did would open his eyes, 'maybe I will get to see these invisible forces at work, things they would usually be wary of revealing when in the presence of those with power. Who know, I might just stumble upon something I normally wouldn't.'

Wearing his signature carefree smile, Raph walked out of his room into the empty inn corridor on the second floor. He walked downstairs and found the little girl sweeping the floor with a grass broomstick.

Her eyes lit up when she saw him. "Good morning, sir!" she gave him a light bow in greeting, her voice audibly excited.

"Hey" He waved to her, his lips curling up slightly higher " And please, call me Raph, if that's okay with you." He said as he walked towards the door.

"Of course Raph" she appeared jovial as she continued with her chores.

As he stepped outside, the bustling sounds of the city filled his ears. It was as if the disaster from the previous day never happened. It was a stark reminder of the life that thrived beneath the surface of conflict.

The part of Belgrav he was walking through right now was relatively unharmed. It had the architecture and structure of Victorian era Britain, the streets were lined with cobblestone and gravel spreading out in a labyrinthine network.

The buildings are particularly narrow and tall and seem to lean inwards, creating a sense of confinement.

Mana powered gas lamps flickered out of life, making way for the sun that had risen reasonably high enough to cast long shadows in Belgrav.

The sun cast a warm golden glow across the area, Raph looked up momentarily, staring at the sun. Lens flares danced in his vision as he did so.

Raphael took the sights in with stride, the streets were gradually being lined with wares and goods. The smell of freshly baked bread wafted through the air as he walked past an open bakery.

He made his way to a nearby tavern, The hanging willows, it was the appointed meeting place with Lia's party. As Raph entered, his sharp gaze swept across the room, landing on a corner table where Lia, Tess, and Finn were already gathered, waiting for him.

He took note of the spiderweb cracks that lined the walls of the tavern. 'The shockwave from the fight must have reached these parts.' Not that it was any of his concern.

Lia was the first to spot him, her emerald hair catching the light as she waved excitedly. "Raph! Over here!" she called, her voice bright and warm.

The trio were having breakfast, bowls of hot, steamy potato soup on the table. Cups of ginger ale and bricks of bread accompanied the bowl of soup.

"Good morning, everyone," he greeted, taking a seat. A teasing smile played on his lips. "I hope you didn't think I'd stand you up after promising to join you on your little mission."

Lia chimed in, leaning in closer to Raphael as she spoke "Are you going to order anything? the food here is pretty good."

"No thanks, I'm good"... His response elicited a slight pout on Lia's plump lips as she withdrew her bountiful Bossom from his line of sight. Finn interrupted their exchange soon after.

"Little mission?" Finn scoffed, his bulky frame leaning back in the chair. "You've got a lot to learn about what we're up against."

Raph raised an eyebrow, intrigue colored on his features. "Oh? Do tell."

Tess, chimed in. "We're not just gathering herbs or chasing off a few bandits. There's been rumours of a disturbance in the Forest to the west of these parts. Mostly rumours of a powerful manticore." Was all she said before abruptly closing her lips.

This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.

Lia continued for her "A few dozen people claim to have seen it, their descriptions say it has the head of a large cat with a long mane, paws lined with long claws for front legs, a reptilian tail, and hind legs of a horse."

Raph's interest piqued. A manticore, you say? This could be more than a usual routine mission. "And what's the plan for locating this beast?" he asked, a smirk tugging at his lips. His gaze lingered on Finn, he seemed to be gauding him in.

"First, we scout the area, gather information about the factors at play, then—" Lia began, but Raph cut her off.

"Leave the scouting to me. I excel in moving unseen you see."

Finn frowned, crossing his arms over his chest. "I thought you were a swordsman?"

"More like a jack of all trades," Raph replied, his tone shifting to something more casual.

"A jack of all trades is a master of none." Finn said, giving Raph a scrutinizing look.

"You gather as much information as you can from the locals. I'll get a sense of the atmosphere out there. The last thing we want is to walk into an ambush."

Lia nodded, recognition dancing in her eyes. "That makes sense. We'll split up then; it's a good plan."

"Just remember," Finn spoke, leaning in slightly, "keep your heads down, no unnecessary risks. We have to little information at the moment. We have no idea how high the stakes could be."

"Sure--" Raph replied

With the plans laid, they finished their meal and set out to gather their resources. Raph took advantage of the growing buzz around the streets, slipping into crowd as he moved toward the west side of the city.

Entering and exiting the Belgrav required identification so as he approached the guards stationed at the west gate, he flashed his guild rectangular guild card. One of the guards was visibly surprised looking at Raphael then his card but nodded to him nonetheless as he walked past them.

'Another rookie, and so young gods be with him, many of his type die every year'.

"Good luck out there, it has been especially dangerous lately, especially after the attack yesterday. You may never know if those guys are still hanging around."

"Thanks, I will keep that in mind."

The guard's eyes widened. The response irked him, but he sighed in exasperation and decided to keep his thoughts to himself. 'In the end, his life is his own, I tried to give him some advice.' He looked back at Raph to find him already a ways of on the dusty road.

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As he reached the edge of the forest, dense trees loomed around him, casting long shadows that darkened the path. Raph felt the pulse of mana thrumming in the air. He took a deep breath, letting the fresh air fill him, revitalizing every cell in his body.

The mana absorption capabilities of his constitution were simply a cheat. He could not even imagine a day when he will run out.

As Raph entered the forest, the subtle thrum of mana woven into the air seemed to respond to his presence. He invoked the space element, surrounding himself in an ethereal cloak that rendered him invisible to the naked eye. He moved soundlessly among the trees, branches parting before him as if guided by an unseen hand.

The forest was alive with sounds, the rustling leaves and chirping birds providing a backdrop to his thoughts as he wandered aimlessly for a while. He felt a heightened connection to the environment, each step guided by instinct as he navigated deeper into the heart of the woods.

He crossed several mana beasts along the way, they could not even sense his presence, with the space element, it was as if he was in another dimension altogether.

After some time, Raph stumbled upon a deep ravine shrouded in shadows. Peering over the edge, his gaze fell upon the manticore, its formidable body sprawled across a bed of moss and underbrush, deep in slumber.

'Not much to observe when the big guy is sleeping.'

He remained still for a few minutes, observing the manticore's rhythmic breathing and the occasional flick of its ear. Here, hidden and safe, he contemplated his next move. With an idea forming, Raph picked up a small stone from the ground, channelling space mana around it to ensure it would be undetectable.

With a flick of his wrist, he tossed the stone into the ravine. It landed with a soft thud on the other side, some distance away. Almost instantly, the manticore awoke, its eyes snapping open as it registered the sound. With a startled growl, it lunged toward the source of the noise, briefly grasping at empty air with its large claws.

The manticore prowled cautiously around the area, confusion etched across its fierce features. It sniffed the air, muscles tense as it growled lowly, tail swishing in agitation. Raph remained perfectly still, observing the creature's behaviour. After a few tense moments, the manticore seemed to realize it was alone, the alarm fading as its wariness subsided. It settled back onto its mossy bed, curling into itself and drifting back to sleep.

'Guess I should go tell the others I found our target, not much fun if I dispatch it just like that.'

Raph decided it was time to withdraw. Still cloaked in invisibility, he retraced his steps away from the ravine. He moved with a calm purpose.

As he made his way back toward the city, he reflected on the information he had gathered. Discovering the manticore's lair and 'observing its behaviour' would undoubtedly aid Lia's party in approaching the situation with caution and strategy.

He after all did not plan to play The OP hero in this case. Though he planned to show he was stronger than your average adventurer, he would not do much to raise eyebrows.

Quickly reaching the bustling streets of Belgrav, Raph let the cloaking spell dissipate, reappearing amidst the crowd. The familiar architecture of the city felt welcoming, and he walked with renewed energy toward The Hanging Willows, the chosen rendezvous point.

As he entered the tavern, the warm light spilling from the lanterns inside contrasted sharply with the cool shadows of the forest he had just left behind.

He found an empty table in a corner and relaxed into his seat, the clamour of the tavern enveloping the atmosphere like a warm blanket. Raph took a moment to gather his thoughts, feeling the pulse of anticipation building within him.

'I guess they're still on it, should I wait for them. Guess I will have some food then.' With that thought, he ordered some beef gravy stew and bread for himself, he found it quite delectable.

'Hmmm this is not bad' He had to say.