The next morning, the village was buzzing.
Kael's fight with the goblins had spread like wildfire. Some called it luck. Others whispered about magic. But the elder simply gave Kael a long, thoughtful look and said, "The world has taken notice of you now, Kael. That blade you carry will either make you a hero… or a corpse."
It was time to move on.
Thornebrook had given him safety. A start. But not a future. If he wanted to grow stronger—and learn the true extent of his System—he needed to go where warriors gathered and real quests awaited.
He needed to become an adventurer.
---
The city of Eldwyn stood three days' walk to the south, a fortress of stone and iron nestled between mountain ridges and dense pine forest. As Kael approached the towering walls, he felt it—a pulse, like the heartbeat of the world itself.
Eldwyn was alive.
Merchants barked deals, mercenaries laughed over drinks, and armored guards paced the streets. Kael entered with a satchel over his shoulder, a rusty sword on his belt (a gift from Garven), and eyes wide with wonder.
The Adventurer's Guild was impossible to miss—an enormous stone building near the city square, marked by a carved emblem of crossed blades over a burning scroll.
He stepped inside.
The interior buzzed with activity: warriors in mismatched armor, mages in flowing robes, archers polishing bows. A massive quest board covered one wall, pinned with parchment slips. Monster hunts. Escort missions. Ruin dives.
Behind a wooden counter stood a woman with silver hair, eyes sharp as daggers.
"Name?" she asked.
"…Kael."
"First time?"
"Yeah."
She slid a blank slate across the counter. "Place your hand on this. We'll record your mana signature."
Kael complied. The stone lit up.
Her eyes narrowed.
"…Unregistered affinity. Strong soulprint. You're not from this world, are you?"
Kael froze. "What makes you say that?"
She didn't answer. Just smiled faintly. "You're not the first, boy. But you might be the first to last more than a week."
> System Notification:
New Title Unlocked: [Adventurer Initiate]
Guild Rank: Bronze
Access Granted: Guild Store, Bronze Board, Public Training Yard
She handed him a simple bronze badge. "Welcome to the Adventurer's Guild, Kael."
---
Kael spent the next few hours exploring. The training yard let him spar with other rookies—most of whom were stronger than him but lacked his growing System-enhanced instincts.
He found a small inn, The Emberlight, where he rented a room with the coin he earned from the goblins.
Then, at last, he returned to the guild board. His eyes scanned the lower-level quests.
> [Bronze Quest] – Goblin Nest Cleanup
Reward: 12 Silver
Location: Forest outskirts
Notes: Goblins spotted near the old well. Estimated threat: 3–5.
A weak quest. But familiar. And perfect for testing his new skills.
Kael pulled it down.
That night, he stood on the roof of the inn, watching the stars shimmer over Eldwyn. A city of stone, steel, and magic.
He was no longer just Daiki Tanaka.
He was Kael, an adventurer with a System no one else understood. And somewhere out there, this world held secrets—maybe even others like him.
But first?
He was going to clean out a goblin nest.