Narrator: After a week of completing quests and rising in the ranks of the adventurers’ guild, Acki had finally reached a point where he could focus on something more personal—something he had wanted to do ever since he’d joined.

The first light of dawn crept into the room as Acki slowly opened his eyes. Another day, another lonely room.

Acki: “God… I’m beat. That fight with that beast really helped me shake off some nerves, but I didn’t expect to still feel this tired two weeks later.” He groaned as he sat up, rubbing his eyes. His body felt heavier than it should have. The exhaustion wasn’t just physical; it had been a long, hard road since that night.

He stood, stretched, and walked toward the window. The streets below were just beginning to stir with life.

Acki: “What to eat today? Maybe chicken? Stew? Rice cakes? Or maybe just grab a drink…” He muttered to himself as he began getting dressed, then gave his appearance one last glance in the mirror before leaving the room.

The streets were calm as he made his way down the road, but the nagging feeling of anticipation stayed with him. His stomach growled, reminding him that he hadn’t eaten anything yet.

He turned a corner and caught sight of a small, familiar bar in the distance. He was close enough to smell the faint scent of alcohol drifting from the open door.

He entered the bar and approached an empty seat by the counter. The bartender nodded at him in acknowledgment as he sat, the usual quiet hum of conversation filling the air.

Acki rested his elbows on the counter and sighed. He still had a lot on his mind, but today wasn’t the time to dwell on everything.

Acki: “I’ll have a beer,” he said, ordering without much thought.

The bartender set the mug in front of him, and Acki took a long drink. The cool liquid helped clear his head, if only for a moment. He didn’t feel much like drinking, but it was something to do.

As he drank, his mind wandered back to his mission.

Acki’s thoughts: “Alright, I’ve gathered most of the information I need. I just need to figure out where they keep her at night. Once I know that, it’s go time.”

The beer was gone too quickly. He placed the empty mug down and thought about leaving, but the waiter caught his eye.

Acki: “Hey, how much do I owe you?”

Waiter: “That’ll be one silver coin.”

Acki: “Jeez, that’s a little steep,” he muttered, not particularly pleased.

Waiter: “Well, you’re getting quality, plus I’ll need a tip.”

Acki: “Bunch of assholes, robbing me…” he muttered under his breath, but he paid the man anyway, then stood to leave.

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He stepped out of the bar and onto the busy streets again, the weight of the silver coin in his pocket a reminder that his quest wasn’t going to come cheap. But that didn’t matter. Not now.

Acki’s thoughts: “Didn’t think I’d get scammed today… Oh well. I need to hit the guild and snoop around some more. I heard some officials are having a meeting today. Fingers crossed they’ll say something useful.”

As he approached the guild building, he slowed down, scanning the area for any sign of the meeting. He entered the guild cautiously, still trying to make sense of everything. The soft murmur of the guild’s usual crowd didn’t provide any clues, so he walked up to the counter.

He rang the bell. A man emerged, looking a little tired but attentive.

Man: “How can I help ya, son?”

Acki blinked in surprise.

Acki: “Huh? You’re not Asha.”

Man: “Asha? Who’s that?”

Acki: “The beast girl who works here.”

Man: “Oh, you mean the slave girl.”

Acki’s stomach dropped. The casual, indifferent tone of the man caught him off guard, and his face hardened as he locked eyes with the man.

Acki: “Yeah, her. Where is she?”

Man: “I don’t know. I heard she couldn’t come in today, so the guild master had me cover for her.”

Acki: “Where’s the guild master?”

Man: “He’s in his office. There’s a meeting with traders from the east. Apparently, it’s a big deal.”

Acki: “When did it start?”

Man: “About half an hour ago.”

Acki’s chest tightened. Time was running out. He couldn’t afford to waste another second.

Acki: “Thanks.”

Without waiting for a response, he turned and rushed out of the guild, heading straight for the guild master’s office. His mind raced, wondering if he was too late.

Outside the building, Acki disappeared in a flash, reappearing at a window of the guild master’s office. He crouched low, peering inside.

Guild Master: “Well, that settles the issue with the money.”

Traders: laughing “Guess it does.”

The laughter was light, but it quickly faded as the mood shifted.

Traders: “Now, about the girl…”

Acki’s heart skipped a beat. He pressed his ear closer to the window, trying to catch every word.

Guild Master: “Yes, the girl… She’s in pretty bad shape right now. Nothing too serious, though. Just malnourished.”

Traders: “Good. Beasts perform best when they’re hungry.”

Guild Master: “Couldn’t agree more… And what about her mother?”

Traders: “We’ve got her chained up. Honestly, she’s probably going to die soon.”

Guild Master: “What a shame. She was supposed to be the strongest of all the beasts.”

Traders: “Indeed. Well, it’s getting late. I must return to my work, but just one more thing.”

Guild Master: “Go ahead.”

Traders: “Is it possible for me to meet the girl? Or at least know where she’s being kept?”

Guild Master: “I’m afraid I can’t let you meet her. But I can tell you where she is. She’s being kept in the guild’s dungeon, along with the other slaves.”

Traders: “What a shame. And here I thought I’d at least get to see the product.”

They all laughed.

Acki stood frozen, his hands clenched into fists. His entire body was stiff with rage, and his mind was boiling over with anger.

Acki’s thoughts: “Product? Slave? No morals. No sympathy. They treat her like she’s less than nothing. These bastards are no better than animals. I’ll save her, and I’ll tear down this guild. Hell, I’ll burn it all down if I have to.”

Acki’s mind snapped into focus. He quickly used his flames and disappeared into the shadows, waiting for nightfall.

As the sun dipped below the horizon, Acki was ready. He stood atop a building, cloaked in black, his face concealed by a featureless white mask. It was impossible to tell anything about him—no eyes, no mouth, just an empty mask.

Acki’s thoughts: “I probably look so damn cool in this.”

He smirked beneath the mask, then in an instant, he vanished, reappearing in front of the guild’s dungeon.

It was go time.