Emma tried to escape, her blood—or whatever strange fluid ran through her veins—boiling. She hovered slightly, orb twitching, but couldn't break free.
"Why am I only able to move within five feet of this girl? I have to find Seido!" she muttered, breath quickening.
A voice drifted in, steady and composed.
"Hello there. My name is Clair. What's yours?" the adventurer asked, her eyes calm but watchful.
—
Meanwhile, Seido had been reluctantly released by the royal knights—technically free, but watched like a hawk. He didn't like it, but it beat a sword through the chest.
He and Haruy, a ten-year-old with a tattered satchel and wide eyes, entered the Adventurers Guild, hoping to make some money. The moment they stepped in:
Slam!
A mug crashed onto a nearby table, frothy ale spilling over the edge.
"What's a kid like you doing here?" a drunken adventurer jeered, eyeing Haruy.
"U-um… to make some money, hopefully," Haruy replied, his voice barely above a whisper.
"Ha! Don't make me laugh. A runt like you couldn't earn a copper without gear."
That was enough.
A crackling orb of light shimmered into view beside Haruy—Seido's presence, buzzing with restrained fury.
"Why don't you pick on someone your own age, ancient caveman?!"
The drunkard froze. Then his face turned beet-red, a vein pulsing at his temple.
"What did you say, pip-squeak?"
"You heard me. Caveman," Seido growled, his eyes glowing oval-white inside the orb.
As Seido was busy with the drunken man, Haruy peeked around. The guild was alive with movement:
A row of quest boards fluttered with enchanted parchments displaying bounties ranging from "capture rogue spirits" to "escort a dwarf caravan through the Mistwood."
A tall feline humanoid with golden fur and a jeweled tail leaned against the wall, polishing daggers.
A small, chattering gnome tinkerer adjusted her goggles as sparks flew from a half-finished contraption.
Across the room, a translucent-winged elf whispered to a floating elemental familiar, barely audible over the hubbub.
All of a sudden, the man lunged—but Seido was faster. A blinding bolt shot from the orb, crackling with atomic energy.
"AAAGH—TZZZZT!"
The adventurer convulsed, then crumpled to the floor, smoke trailing from his clothes. He was alive, barely.
The room fell silent. Every head turned. Even the tall feline with golden fur looked up.
A guild member stepped forward, smiling brightly.
"Welcome in!" she said cheerfully. "Thanks to you, we won't have to deal with that drunken delinquent again."
"So… are you looking to register?"
"U-um… yes," Haruy said, still stunned by what Seido had just done.
The guild attendant chuckled, unfazed by the smoking body behind her.
"Great! All we need to do is measure your magic power. Based on that, you'll receive your starting rank. The more quests you complete, the higher your rank can go."
She handed Haruy a worn clipboard and a glowing crystal.
"You'll also need to state your name, age, and your role in a party—if you plan to join one, that is."
"Okay… sounds good," Haruy said, still catching his breath as he followed Glinda's instructions.
As he held the glowing crystal in his palms—
"Kkkkkkkkkt!"
—it cracked, then crumbled to dust.
Glinda's smile faded. She stared at the powdered remains, stunned.
"That crystal was designed to handle mid-tier spellcasters… You shattered it just by holding it?"
Her gaze shifted to Seido.
"And you—taking out a C-ranked adventurer with one strike? You two might be more dangerous than you look."
She blinked, then straightened.
"Anyway! For now, you're both starting at Rank D. That means you can take on F and D-ranked quests."
Perched upon a tree like an owl, a hooded figure watched. No breath, no blink—just the shimmer of a lens embedded in the mask, recording every step.