The guild hall smelled like burnt bread and spilled ale 🍺 when Aren returned.
Not the pleasant kind of noise greeted him this time.
Whispers followed his steps.
Not loud.Not mocking.
Careful.
Heads tilted. Conversations died halfway through sentences. A few adventurers pretended not to stare while staring anyway. No one stepped into his path. No one challenged him.
Aren ignored all of it.
Attention was meaningless. Results were not.
He walked straight to the counter.
Mira was already there, leaning forward slightly, eyes bright as if she had been waiting for this exact moment 😌.
"Congratulations, Aren," she said, sliding a thin wooden slip across the counter."You passed."
He glanced at it.
"Ready for your first job?"
Aren nodded once.
She placed her finger on the slip and read aloud, almost cheerfully.
Mission: Collect Goblin Cap mushroomsReward: 30 copperLocation: Southern Forest (Outer Area Only)Notes: Mushrooms grow randomly on goblin heads. Harvest carefully.
Aren read it again. Slowly.
Then raised an eyebrow.
"…On goblin heads?"
Mira shrugged, palms up."We don't choose nature," she said."Nature chooses chaos."
Aren folded the slip and tucked it away.
Thirty copper wasn't much.
But it was enough.
He turned and left without another word 🚪.
The Forest Hunt
The southern forest wasn't dangerous.
It was annoying.
Goblins screamed at shadows.Birds screeched like they were laughing at anyone who walked below 🐦.The ground was damp, soft, and smelled like rot.
Even the trees looked tired of existing.
Aren moved quietly, eyes scanning, steps measured.
He spotted the first goblin within minutes.
The creature wandered in circles, scratching its nose, muttering nonsense.
On top of its filthy green head sat the mushroom.
A pale cap. Faint glow.
Goblin Cap.
Aren didn't hesitate.
He rushed forward, grabbed the goblin by the head, slammed it into a tree, and knocked it unconscious in one clean motion.
No screaming.No struggle.
He plucked the mushroom and tossed the goblin aside like discarded trash.
"One," he muttered.
He climbed a small ridge and scanned again.
Another goblin.
This one sat on a tree branch, legs dangling, humming off-key.
Aren pulled out an arrow.
The tip was coated in mild poison. Not lethal. Just enough to shut a body down.
He drew the bow.
Fwish.
The arrow flew.
THWIP.
It struck the goblin's neck.
The creature twitched once and fell, hitting the ground with a dull thud.
Aren stepped forward—
Pain exploded through his back 🔥.
An arrow struck him cleanly.
Not a graze.Not a warning.
A full hit.
His body reacted before his mind did. He staggered forward, rolled, and slammed into cover behind a thick tree trunk.
Another arrow slammed into the bark where his head had been a moment earlier.
A calm voice followed.
Cold. Sharp.
"Don't get between me and my target."
Aren peeked out.
An elf girl stood on a branch above.
Green cloak.Bow already drawn.Silver hair catching the light ✨.
Her eyes were narrow, possessive. The look of someone who believed the world belonged to her by default.
Aren felt no fear.
No anger.
Just irritation 😒.
He snapped the arrow shaft, pressed his hand to the bleeding wound, and stood up.
Then he walked away.
No threats.No insults.No warning.
He didn't even look back.
Behind him, the elf froze.
She stared at the boy she had just shot calmly leaving the forest as if she were invisible.
Back to the Guild
Aren returned to the guild bleeding, steady, and silent.
Mira nearly vaulted over the counter 😳.
"H–HEY! What happened?! Goblin stab? Wolf bite? Did you fall on something sharp—"
"Elf," Aren said.
She stopped.
"…Elf?"
"One shot me."
"WHY?!"
"She wanted the mushroom."
Mira stared at him.
"You got shot… over a mushroom?"
Aren placed two Goblin Caps on the counter.
"Reward."
Her hands trembled slightly as she counted out thirty copper coins.
Then she leaned closer, eyes sparkling with dangerous curiosity 😏.
"So… Aren," she whispered,"…was she cute?"
Aren looked at her.
Flat. Empty.
"I'm going to kill her."
The guild hall went silent.
An older adventurer with a broken nose leaned over."You mean that elf girl? Silver hair? Looks like she'd stab you for breathing wrong?"
"Yes."
The man winced."Ah… you don't know, do you?"
Aren waited.
"She's from World Tree Branch Five. Rank Five guild. Big one."
Another adventurer added quickly,"Guild Master's daughter. Spoiled. Strong. Injured a lot of people."
Mira swallowed and called toward the back.
An old man stepped out.
Gray hair. Calm eyes. Heavy presence 🧓.
The entire hall straightened.
"What happened?" he asked.
Aren explained.
The shot.The warning.The walk away.
Then, without emotion:
"I will kill her."
The air vanished.
People stared at the boy who spoke about killing a Rank Five Guild Master's daughter the same way one would discuss tomorrow's weather.
The old man studied Aren.
Not angry.Not amused.
Thoughtful.
Because Aren's eyes weren't reckless.
They were decided.
The guild hall held its breath.
Aren had just declared war on someone far above his level.
And he said it like someone saying:
"I need to buy bread." 🍞🔥