Morning arrived slowly over Marsh Town. A thin layer of mist drifted above the narrow streets as the first rays of sunlight touched the wooden rooftops. Shopkeepers began opening their shutters one by one. Bakers lit their ovens, filling the air with the warm scent of bread, while merchants dragged carts loaded with vegetables and supplies toward the market square.
Farmers walked toward the outer fields.
Blacksmiths opened their forges.
And near the center of town, the tall stone building of the Shores Adventure Guild slowly came to life as adventurers gathered for the day's quests.
For Marsh Town, it was simply another normal morning. But inside a small rented room above a modest inn, Aragon was just waking up. He lay still on the bed, staring quietly at the wooden ceiling. For a few seconds, he wondered if everything that happened in the dungeon had been nothing more than a strange dream.
The Majestic Five…..
Noir....
The shadow powers.....
It all sounded too unbelievable to be real. Aragon slowly lifted his hand.
A faint shadow curled around his fingers like dark smoke. His eyes sharpened immediately
"…Not a dream "
The power was still there
Quiet....
Patient.....
Waiting...…
Aragon sat up and stretched his shoulders. His body felt far stronger than before. Every movement felt smooth and controlled, like a trained warrior who had spent years refining his strength.
Yet he still looked like the same ordinary F-rank adventurer. That was good. The less people noticed his real strength, the better.Aragon reached toward the shadow vault ring on his finger. Inside that ring were the weapons he had obtained in the dungeon. Weapons far too dangerous to reveal in public. He stood up, washed his face with cold water, and put on his simple adventurer cloak.
Then he headed downstairs.
When Aragon stepped into the guild hall, the noise inside suddenly dropped. Several adventurers turned toward him.
Some stared...
Some whispered...
Others looked shocked....
"…Isn't that Aragon?"
"I thought he disappeared"
"Wasn't he missing for three weeks?"
Behind the front counter, the young receptionist froze the moment she saw him.
Her eyes widened
"Aragon?!"
Before he could say anything, she marched straight toward him with an angry expression.
"Where have you been?!"
Several adventurers looked amused as she continued scolding him.
"Do you know how many reports we had to file because of you? The town guards were searching the forests for days!"
Aragon scratched the back of his head awkwardly.
"I… got lost in a dungeon…"
The receptionist blinked
"…What?"
"I took an exploration request," Aragon explained calmly. "But the dungeon was bigger than I expected. I couldn't find the exit for days"
A few adventurers nearby exchanged looks
"Sounds like a death trap"
"You're lucky you survived"
The receptionist crossed her arms
"You should have left a notice before going"
"…I'll remember next time"
She sighed
"Just don't take reckless jobs again. Marsh Town already loses enough adventurers every year."
Aragon nodded
"I understand…."
With that, the matter seemed settled.
Most people accepted his explanation without question. After all, getting lost in dangerous dungeons was not uncommon for inexperienced adventurers. Aragon quietly walked toward the large wooden quest board mounted on the wall.
Various requests were pinned across it,
F-rank jobs…..
E-rank tasks...
Even a few D-rank hunts…..
Aragon studied the board carefully.
As a F-rank adventurer, he was technically allowed to accept quests up to D-rank difficulty. His eyes stopped on one particular request.
D-Rank Request.....
Hunt 10 Fox Wolves in Marsh Forest.
Reward: 10 Silver Paro
Aragon read the paper twice,
Fox Wolves were known for their speed and sharp teeth. They were not extremely dangerous, but they were definitely stronger than normal beasts.
For most F-rank adventurers, hunting even one Fox Wolf would be risky.
But Aragon's thoughts were different.
This will be perfect a simple hunt.
And a good chance to test his power.
He pulled the request paper from the board and walked back to the counter.
The receptionist looked at the paper.
Then at Aragorn
Then back at the paper again
"…You just returned from nearly dying in a dungeon"
"Yes"
"And now you want to hunt ten Fox Wolves?"
"Yes"
She stared at him
"You're still F-rank"
"I know"
The receptionist rubbed her forehead.
"Aragon… sometimes I feel like adventurers enjoy risking their lives…."
Aragorn simply smiled
"I'll be careful…"
After a long pause, she sighed and stamped the request.
"Fine, Just don't come back half dead again…"
The forest outside Marsh Town was quiet. Tall trees covered the area, their branches forming a natural green roof above the ground. Fox Wolves lived in small packs here,
Fast...
Sharp.....
Deadly...…
Aragon stepped between the trees calmly. His senses expanded.
Shadow Sense...….
Almost immediately, he felt movement.
Ten presences....
Moving through the forest brush. His lips curved slightly.
"So that's where you are "
The Fox Wolves appeared from the shadows of the trees.
Lean bodies...
Red fur.....
Eyes glowing with hunger. The pack leader growled. To them, Aragon looked like easy prey. They attacked together.
But Aragon had already moved.
Shadow Step...
His body vanished, he appeared behind the first wolf and struck with a swift blade,
One....
Two...….
Three...…
The fight ended far faster than any normal hunt should have.
Within minutes, the forest returned to silence. Ten Fox Wolves lay defeated.
Aragon stood quietly among them.
"…Too easy…."
Still, it confirmed something important.
His strength had increased dramatically. Without revealing any of his hidden weapons, he had already reached a level close to B-rank combat ability. But no one needed to know that yet. He carefully collected the Fox Wolf skins. Then returned to town.
Evening at the Guild, When Aragon entered the guild again at sunset, the receptionist looked up lazily. Then she saw the bundle he was carrying.
Her eyes widened
"You're back already?"
Aragon placed the skins on the counter.
"All ten"
The nearby adventurers went silent
"Ten… Fox Wolves?"
"Already?"
Someone muttered under their breath
"…He's only F-rank."
The receptionist inspected the skins carefully. After a moment she looked up, clearly surprised.
"They're real"
She counted the reward coins
"Here, 10 Silver Paro….!"
Aragon accepted the money quietly. Some adventurers nodded with respect.
Others looked annoyed. One older adventurer scoffed loudly.
"Lucky hunt"
Another muttered,
"Beginner's luck"
Aragon ignored them. He simply turned and walked out of the guild.
Night had settled over Marsh Town.
Lanterns lit the streets. Aragon entered a small tavern near the guild. The warm smell of roasted meat filled the air.
He sat at a corner table and ordered food. For the first time in days, he allowed himself to relax. But across the room, several adventurers were watching him. One of them laughed.
"So that's the guy who killed ten Fox Wolves?"
Another leaned back in his chair
"…A F-rank?"
The first adventurer smirked
"Maybe he cheated"
Their leader stood up slowly
"Well… let's ask him ourselves"
They began walking toward Aragon's table. Aragon noticed their approach.
But he didn't move. He simply continued eating quietly.
The man stopped beside him
"So… you're the famous Fox Wolf hunter?"
Aragon looked up slowly. His eyes were calm.
"…Something like that…."
The man cracked his knuckles
"Then how about proving it?"
The tavern grew quiet. And the tension in the room slowly began to rise....