The wagons creaked along the winding dirt path, flanked by low shrubs and scattered trees. The sun dipped lower, casting elongated shadows across the trail.
Alex bored out of his mind waited for some mc action but all he got was...
Briga trudged beside Alex, armor clinking. She gave him a sidelong glance and sneered.
"Support type, huh? So when the beasts come, you planning to cheer us on with your mind tricks?"
Alex didn't bother turning to her. "You'll see when the time comes."
"So," she began, voice loud enough for the others to hear, "our little hero finally speaks. Thought the mute trick was part of your gimmick."
Alex didn't reply.
"What's wrong with this woman head, I thought it would at least be the leader who would have a scuffle with me but this! The plot different" Alex said inward feeling aggrieved.
Briga scoffed."Telekinesis, huh? Bet you moved a spoon once and thought you were special.
He glanced at her, expression calm. "No, I moved an idiot's pride. Just like now."
The spearman up ahead chuckled under his breath.
Briga stopped. "What did you say?"
Alex slowed to a halt, the caravan continuing a few paces before noticing. He turned to face her fully, eyes cool and unreadable.
"I said—" Alex flicked two fingers.
Briga's sheath jerked upward with a clank, slapping her armored thigh. She instinctively grabbed it but was too slow. Her dagger loosened in its loop and flipped into the air. It hovered there, spinning gently in front of her face.
Alex tilted his head. "You dropped this."
Her eyes widened. She reached for it, only for the dagger to fly past her head and stick into a tree trunk behind her with a dull thunk.
A beat passed.
Then she lunged.
Her gauntleted fist arced straight toward his cheek. Alex side-stepped, just enough for the punch to graze his shoulder. He didn't retaliate, well not physically.
Instead, he snapped his fingers.
Briga's foot slid, her weight thrown off-balance by a sudden tug on her ankle. She stumbled, armor clanking as she caught herself mid-fall with a frustrated growl.
"Why you—!"
"Enough!" Garran's voice cracked across the trail like a whip.
He stormed over, heavy boots pounding the dirt. "Do either of you have brains in those heads? Briga, you throw fists at an escort mid-mission again and I'll strip you of your rank myself. And you—" He jabbed a finger at Alex, who just raised an eyebrow. "You provoke another teammate, I'll personally leave you hog-tied as bandit bait."
"I didn't—"
"You did," Garran growled. "This ain't a training yard or a sparring ring. You all want your coin? Then play nice, or play dead."
The trail was quiet.
Briga backed off, snarling under her breath as she rubbed her bruised pride. Alex dusted off his tunic and gave Garran a polite nod.
"Noted."
The healer, watching from the side, mumbled under her hood, "And here I thought this kid was a newb."
"Those aren't the movement of a newb the kid been trained" the spearman said in a low tone" by a professional"
The rest nodded gravely
Garran groaned. "Move. We're behind schedule."
The caravan started rolling again, the air heavier than before. Alex walked near the rear this time, hands in his pockets, eyes slightly narrowed.
The rest of the journey passed in silence, each member keeping to their side of the path.
---
To Alex's surprise, the first night passed without incident. No beast attacks, no bandits, or anything out of the ordinary.
The second day was even calmer. Birds chirped, the road widened, and the merchant even whistled.
By mid-afternoon, the gates of a quiet outpost town came into view—Flintcross. The wagons rolled in without a scratch, the job done.
Alex stood by the fire that evening, staring blankly into the flames.
"No ambush. No sudden betrayal. No random monster. What kind of main character luck is this?"
"Where's my MC charm? This supposed to be the time to show my skills or something like they all died and I came back alive sitch"
He glanced at his hand.
"…Something's wrong."
"Am I not the MC I thought I was?"
Then he shook his head
" No no no I am the MC just the plot a little different from what I thought off."
"Yeah that right it just a little different"
He comforted himself
"Or maybe… this is the calm before the storm."
****
After unloading, the merchant waddled off with exaggerated bows, gushing gratitude no one really listened to. The rest of the escort dispersed toward water buckets, benches, or whatever ale they could sniff out.
Alex, however, approached Garran, who stood near one of the wagons, arms crossed, eyes scanning the horizon like he hadn't relaxed in years.
"Garran," Alex greeted simply.
The grizzled man turned, then gave a grunt of acknowledgment. "Didn't think you'd come straight to me."
"Am broke were else should I be?,You've got the payment, don't you?"
He snorted. "That I do." Reaching into a heavy pouch tied to his belt, Garran pulled out a wrapped bundle of silver slivers and tossed it to Alex. "One-fifty, minus ten for the healer's emergency poultice you used on Briga's bruised ego."
Alex caught it with one hand, then quirked a brow. "Ten? For bruises?"
"Using a healer just for bruises a little pathetic don't you think so?"
He shrugged,"She said emotional damage."
A smirk flickered across Alex's face. "Fucking bitch."
Garran chuckled. "Hey! Your still a kid tone down the cursing besides don't take it personal. You handled yourself well, kid. Better than most first-timers. You don't rattle easy, and you think before swinging." His eyes narrowed slightly. "You've been trained."
Alex pocketed the slivers. "I've had… instructors."
"Mhm." Garran didn't press. "Still, don't get cocky. You survived a luck run. No real bandits, no mana beasts. That's rare. Next one won't be so forgiving."
"So my advice to you when heading back should be careful luck doesn't go twice"
Alex looked back at the peaceful trail they'd traveled.
He's right… it went too smoothly. No ambush. No freak accident. Not even a snapped wheel. For a mission flagged 'low risk', that's unusual.
He narrowed his eyes thoughtfully. Almost like someone cleared the route ahead of time…
"You spacing out?"
Alex blinked. "No. Just thinking."
"Isn't that the same thing?"
"Well, don't do that too hard. You'll get your hairline reduced." Garran gave him a pat on the shoulder. "You've got potential. Try not to waste it dying."
With that, the leader walked off to yell at someone about wheel alignment.
Alex watched him go for a beat, then sighed and leaned against a post, tossing the bundle of slivers gently in one hand.
So this is the beginning. Guess I better start stacking funds, contacts… and information.
He looked up at the reddening sky.
One successful mission. That's one more step forward.
Stashing the coins in his pockets he patted his butt, stretched a little and prepare for his return alone since garran won't be accompanying him back.
"I can do this? how hard could it be? I don't believe my luck that bad, am a MC for lords sake" keeping optimistic he set off for his journey return.
Outside the gate of the town he stepped forward not in the direction of the road but in the forest directions.
"If the MC event won't trigger itself imma trigger it myself" feeling kinda excited and nervous of what to come he Sprinted into the forest.