The sunlight washed over Rey's face, warming his skin. His fingers twitched, and his heavy eyelids slowly opened. Groaning, he pushed himself up into a sitting position. His head throbbed. Blood had dried against his temple.
"Where… am I?" he muttered.
Memories of fire and three-horned demon rushed back. He staggered to his feet and looked at his reflection in the river nearby. His face was pale, streaked with blood. Did he think I died? he wondered, remembering how the demon stopped chasing him. His heart clenched at the thought of his parents… his village. Were they gone?
bullied me. They made me suffer.
Still, doubt gnawed at his chest.
As his vision blurred, the world tilted. His body gave out. Just before darkness claimed him, he faintly heard a voice.
"Hey! Are you okay? Hey!"
---
When Rey opened his eyes again, he was lying on a bed. His body was wrapped in clean bandages. The ceiling was wooden, the walls plain but sturdy.
The door creaked open, and a girl stepped inside. She had yellow hair streaked with white, and wore a bright orange outfit with a skirt. She looked relieved.
"Oh! You're finally awake," she said, stepping closer.
Rey blinked at her, still groggy. "Who are you? Where am I?"
The girl smiled and clapped her hands together. "Ah, right! First things first—you're in the village of Iwata. And I'm Yuki."
Rey lowered his gaze. "…Thanks for saving me."
Yuki waved it off. "No problem. But… what happened to you?"
Rey's eyes darkened. He let out a heavy sigh. "My village was attacked. Flying creatures with claws… and one of them had three horns."
Yuki froze, her expression pale. "You mean… a demon?"
Rey frowned. "Demon?"
She nodded grimly. "Yes. I thought they were gone. The history says demons went extinct a thousand years ago, destroyed by the First Hero—the man who bore the number one million."
Rey's eyes widened. "The First Hero had one million…?"
Yuki continued, "He defeated the Demon Lord, yes. But here in Iwata, we never believed the demons were completely wiped out. We think the Demon Lord perished, but his soldiers still wander, searching for a way to bring him back."
Before Rey could respond, a woman's voice called from outside the room. "Yuki, is the boy awake?"
"Yes, Mom!" Yuki answered.
A woman quickly stepped in—a kind-faced lady with hair tied back neatly. "I'm Kyoko, Yuki's mother," she introduced herself warmly.
Rey nodded politely. His gaze instinctively dropped to the marks on their hands. Yuki's number glowed faintly: 11,000. Kyoko's was even higher: 30,000.
Rey's eyes widened. Stronger than both my parents…
He tried to push himself up, but pain shot through his body. Yuki rushed forward and held him down. "Hey, don't move! Your wounds aren't healed yet."
"I can't just—" Rey began.
"You can," Kyoko interrupted firmly. "Rest. We understand, but if you push yourself now, you'll collapse again."
Rey reluctantly sank back into the bed.
---
Hours passed. Yuki returned, bringing him food. She studied him curiously.
"Rey," she said suddenly, "why do you always keep your hand covered? You never show your number."
Rey's fist tightened. Yuki's eyes widened as realization struck. "Oh… I get it. It's low, right?"
Rey shook his head.
"Then… it's high?" Yuki pressed, tilting her head.
Again, he shook his head.
"Then… what is it?"
Rey sighed. "…If people find out, they'll make me suffer. Just like my old village."
Yuki's lips parted, but then she smiled gently. "Okay. I won't ask anymore."
Rey blinked, surprised. Then, slowly, he smiled back. "Thanks."
---
Months passed, and Rey's wounds healed. He started moving around the house, helping where he could. One evening, after dinner, Kyoko washed dishes while Rey swept the floor.
"Miss Kyoko," Rey asked hesitantly.
"Yes, Rey?"
"…Where is Yuki's father?"
Kyoko froze. Her face turned somber. "He's… gone. He died in an accident."
Rey's chest tightened. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have asked—"
Kyoko shook her head. "Don't apologize. You didn't do anything wrong." She drew in a trembling breath. "Yuki's father was once the strongest in Iwata. His number was over 50,000. One day, while exploring a dungeon with his party… he never came back alive. When they returned with his body, he bore only the number one. Some say monsters killed him. Others whisper betrayal—that someone in his party struck him down. All we know is that when his number hit zero, the Abyss claimed him before our very eyes."
Rey swallowed hard.
Kyoko wiped her eyes and forced a smile. "But we've survived. That's all that matters."
---
The next morning, Rey stepped out into Iwata for the first time.
The village bustled with life. A flowing fountain stood proudly at the center square. Stalls lined the streets, selling bread, fruits, and steaming meals. Adventurers swaggered past, their weapons gleaming. He spotted a Trading Guild, an Adventurer Guild, clan houses, weapon shops, and even carriages waiting for travelers.
Rey tightened his cloak around his arm, hiding the glowing ∞.
A new village. A new life.
But shadows of the past still clung to him.
And demons still roamed the world.
Rey slipped a hand into his pocket and felt the rough edges of the gems he had collected back in the forest. When he pulled them out, they glimmered faintly in the sunlight—proof of the monsters he had defeated.
He made his way to the Trading Guild, a sturdy stone building filled with merchants and adventurers bartering loudly. The scent of parchment, ink, and coins mixed in the air. Rey approached the counter and set the small pouch of gems down.
The merchant weighed them carefully, then nodded. "That'll be thirteen copper coins and six silver coins."
Rey accepted the coins and stepped back into the street, looking at the meager weight in his hand.
"...This isn't enough," he muttered under his breath. His thoughts turned to Yuki and Kyoko. They saved me. Took care of me. And I can't even repay them properly…
He sighed heavily, then tightened his grip on the coins. "I'll just have to get stronger."
---
The Adventurer Guild towered nearby, its doors carved with the symbols of swords, shields, and magic circles. Adventurers of all kinds filled the lobby—armor clanking, laughter echoing, the faint smell of alcohol lingering from the tavern side of the hall.
Rey walked to the front desk, where a woman with tied-up black hair greeted him with a polite smile.
"Welcome to the Adventurer Guild. Are you here to register?"
"Yes." Rey nodded firmly.
"Then please fill this out." She slid a form across the counter.
Rey dipped the quill into ink and carefully wrote:
Name: Rey
Age: 17
Village: …
He hesitated, staring at the blank space. Finally, he looked up. "Can I… not write my village name?"
The receptionist raised a brow. "Is there a problem?"
"My village… was destroyed. By demons." His voice was quiet but steady.
The woman's eyes softened, and she nodded. "Understood. You don't have to fill it in."
Rey exhaled a breath he hadn't realized he was holding. After finishing the rest, he handed the form back.
"Thank you," the receptionist said. "Would you like me to explain how the Adventurer system works?"
Rey nodded. "Please."
"Alright," she began, pulling a chart from beneath the counter. "Dungeons can appear anywhere. They're dangerous, but they're also the best way to grow your number. The more you fight, the more your number rises. For adventurers, your rank is tied to your number. For example—once you reach five thousand, you qualify as E-rank. The highest recorded adventurer number here is ninety thousand, which makes them S-rank."
Rey nodded slowly. "I see."
The receptionist flipped the paper back and frowned. "Wait… why didn't you write your number?"
Rey froze. His fist tightened on his cloak. For a moment, he considered lying. But the truth pressed against him like a weight. Slowly, he raised his hand and pulled back the cloth covering it.
The glowing ∞ symbol shone faintly in the dim guild light.
The receptionist's eyes widened. She leaned back slightly. "T-that… is that your number?"
Rey hesitated, then nodded. "Yes."
She stood quickly, almost stumbling in her chair. "Please wait here. I need to speak with the Guild Master."
"Guild Master?" Rey asked.
"Yes. He's the leader of this branch. Please… wait."
With that, she hurried off. Rey swallowed nervously. The hum of the guild around him suddenly felt distant.
Minutes later, the receptionist returned. "The Guild Master would like to meet you. He's upstairs on the second floor."
Rey stood, his pulse quickening. "Alright."
The second floor was quieter, lined with wooden doors. Rey stopped before the largest one and knocked.
"You may enter," came a deep, steady voice.
Rey pushed the door open.
Inside sat an old man with a thick brown beard and sharp eyes that seemed to pierce right through him. Papers and maps covered his desk, and the air carried the faint scent of smoke from a pipe resting nearby.
"So," the Guild Master said, folding his hands. "You're the one with the mark."
Rey nodded nervously.
"Show me."
Rey lifted his hand. The ∞ glowed faintly in the light.
The Guild Master studied it for a long moment, his face unreadable. Then he gestured to the chair opposite him. "Sit."
Rey obeyed, heart pounding in his chest.
"About your symbol," the Guild Master said slowly, "it's not something I've ever seen before." He leaned back. "If word of this spreads, people will fear you. Envy you. Or worse, hunt you."
Rey clenched his fist. "Then… I can't be an adventurer?"
The old man's eyes softened, just slightly. "No. You can."
Rey's eyes widened.
"I'll make an exception. But for now, you will remain at C-rank. You'll have access to quests and can rise in reputation However…" His voice grew stern. "You must complete every quest you take. No exceptions. The Guild will not tolerate failure."
Rey's lips trembled, then curved into a smile. "That's fine. As long as I can be an adventurer."
The Guild Master gave a slow nod. "Good. Then you may leave. Don't make me regret this."
Rey rose, bowing slightly before leaving the room. As he stepped back into the bustling guild hall, his heart soared.
"Yes…" he whispered, a rare grin spreading across his face. "I can finally take quests."