Two girls sat at a nearby table waiting for someone.
Alex was already steering me toward to the table.
The girl on the right bore the unmistakable air of a mage. Her blue hair fell neatly around her shoulders, framing sharp sapphire eyes that observed the room with quiet focus. She wore a well-kept robe in muted shades of blue and brown, modestly tailored and cinched at the waist with a woven belt from which a small spell pouch hung.
Resting against her chair was a polished wooden staff, its surface etched with simple apprentice runes humble, orderly, and clearly belonging to someone still learning magic.
To her left sat another girl, her blonde hair catching the light, green eyes alert and lively. She wore a fitted tunic layered with light leather guards, designed for freedom of movement rather than heavy protection.
Slim trousers tucked neatly into sturdy boots, and a reinforced bracer wrapped her bow arm. A simple quiver rested at her back, with a shortbow hanging at her side clean, practical equipment suited for a novice archer honing her aim.
If she told me she was an elf, I'd believe her, I thought.
"Hey, guys!" Alex called out brightly. "I found someone who'd like to join us!"
Both girls looked up at once, their attention settling on me as the noise of the guild continued to roar around us.
Here's an enhanced version with clearer character voices, stronger atmosphere, and smoother dialogue:
"Hello, I'm Cain. Please take care of me."
I gave a polite bow as I introduced myself.
"H-Hello… m-my name is Maris. Nice to meet y-you…"
The blue-haired girl replied shyly, her voice barely above a whisper as she clasped her hands together nervously.
Before I could say anything else, the blonde girl stepped forward.
Her sharp eyes swept over me from head to toe, cold and calculating like a merchant inspecting flawed merchandise.
For a moment, she said nothing.
Then—
"Failed."
I blinked. "What do you mean?"
She crossed her arms, unimpressed.
"The only thing you've got going for you is that pretty face." Her gaze lingered on my thin frame. "With a body like that, I doubt you'll even survive a proper fight."
Silence fell over the group.
And I… said nothing.
Because deep down, I knew what she said wasn't entirely wrong.
"D-Don't be so harsh on him, Elara…"
Alex stepped forward quickly, trying to ease the tension.
"You might not see it, but I feel like he'll be a great companion!" Alex said, smiling awkwardly as he defended me.
The air remained tense, hanging between doubt and reluctant acceptance as the first moments of our meeting unfolded.
She fixed me with a stern stare.
If looks could wound, my body would've been riddled with holes already. The intensity of her gaze felt sharp enough to pierce steel.
For a moment, it almost seemed like her eyes were glowing red
Wait… doesn't that contradict her green eye color? I thought.
"I'll accept you into our party… for now," she said at last, her voice cold and measured. "But understand this—I'll be watching you. The moment you become a burden…"
She paused, letting the words sink in.
"…we'll abandon you without hesitation."
The silence that followed was heavy.
"I understand," I replied simply.
"Great! Now that everything's settled, let's head ou—"
Alex turned around mid-sentence and immediately bumped into something solid.
Or rather… someone.
A massive, bulky man stood in front of him, built like a walking wall of muscle.
"Hey. Watch it," the man growled. "Can't you see where you're going?"
"I'm really sorry, senior. It won't happen again," Alex apologized quickly, bowing his head politely.
The man stared at us for a moment, his eyes narrowing as if measuring our worth.
Then his gaze drifted past us.
To the two girls standing behind.
A crooked smile slowly spread across his face.
"Well now…" he muttered. "Tell you what. I'll forget the little accident if you lend us those two girls behind you."
He jerked a thumb toward himself.
"My gang and I will treat them much better than you can."
The smile on his face twisted into something vile.
It never fails to surprise me that people like him exist.
Honestly…
It almost feels like I've stepped straight into some cliché scene from a novel.
I turned slightly.
Behind me, Maris looked visibly uncomfortable, clutching her staff tightly.
Elara, on the other hand, stared back with undisguised disgust.
"I'm really sorry, senior," Alex said again, standing his ground this time. "But I have to politely decline."
The man's expression darkened.
"Hey…"
His voice dropped, low and threatening.
"That wasn't a request." He cracked his knuckles slowly. "That was an order."
His eyes glinted with hostility.
"Hand the girls over… and maybe we won't beat you into a pulp."
Footsteps approached from behind him.
"Hey big bro, what's going on? These kids troubling you?"
Another man stepped beside the bulky one, almost as large but with a dull, brutish look in his eyes.
"Something wrong, big bro?" a third man said as he walked up, slinging an arm over the bulky man's shoulder. "Should we teach them a lesson?"
Then a fourth figure appeared.
This one had a skull tattoo stretching across half his face. His tongue slid across his lips as he eyed Maris and Elara.
"Hey big bro… those two girls are pretty nice," he said with a lecherous grin. "How about we recruit them to our party?"
His eyes gleamed with something far worse than simple greed.
"Yeah…" he added slowly. "I think they'd fit in real well with us."
The air around us grew heavy.
"Seniors," I said with a polite smile, carefully masking the irritation creeping up my spine.
"How about we resolve this properly? If we cause trouble here, the guild will pro—"
"Blah blah blah, shut up!"
The crooked man cut me off loudly, his voice echoing across the room.
"Just do what big bro said and we won't hurt you," he sneered. "Do you even know who we are?"
Murmurs began spreading through the guild hall as the surrounding adventurers turned their attention toward us.
"Hey… isn't that the Black Skull Brotherhood?" someone whispered.
"Oh, those guys? These rookies are in big trouble," another muttered. "They're famous for preying on newcomers."
I couldn't help it.
A chuckle slipped out.
I know I don't exactly have the best naming sense myself… but come on.
Black Skull Brotherhood.
I glanced at them again.
The bulky leader.
The crooked thug.
The man with a skull tattoo across his face.
And a man with a muscular build.
I mean… look at them.
They looked like they'd stepped right out of the most cliché villain group imaginable.
How could I not laugh?
"Huh?!"
The man with the skull tattoo stepped forward, his face twisting with rage as he leaned closer to mine.
"Did I just hear you laugh?" he snarled.
"Do you want a beating?"
He raised his right arm, fist tightening.
"Answer me, you little piece of shit!" he shouted as his fist came crashing down toward my face.
"Hey Cain, watch out!" Alex shouted.
My mind snapped back into focus.
I shifted slightly to my right—
Just enough.
His fist sliced through the air where my face had been a second earlier.
The man froze for a moment, clearly stunned that I had dodged.
"You lucky little bitch!"
He raised his fist again, preparing to throw another punch.
But before he could—
Mana surged into my right leg.
STOMP!
My heel slammed down onto his foot.
"ARRGHH!" he screamed, his body jolting from the sudden pain.
"Y-You dare—"
He never finished the sentence.
My arm had already moved.
The scabbard of my sword cut through the air.
BAM!
A loud crack echoed through the hall as the sheath smashed into his face, sending him crashing to the floor.
But I didn't stop.
Mana gathered around my foot again.
THUD!
My foot slammed into his face.
STOMP!
The guild hall fell silent as I drove his face into the floor again and again.
CRUNCH!
SMACK!
WHAM!
The sounds echoed sharply across the room.
Finally, I lifted my bloodied foot, looking down at the battered man lying motionless beneath it.
"I tried reasoning with you," I said calmly.
"But it seems you chose another option."
A low growl came from the bulky leader.
"Oh… now you've done it."
His eyes burned with fury as he stepped forward.
"Don't expect to leave here unscathed."
The men behind him tightened their fists.
And just like that—
The brawl had begun.
Yo author here
Yes I was inactive for months and I'm sorry
Why?
Because I'm busy with my irl life
Though expect that I may or may not come back again
Author out!