Morning arrived slowly over Marsh Town. The streets were already busy. Merchants were arranging their goods, and farmers with carts full of vegetables moved toward the market square. A few early adventurers walked toward the guild building, their armor clinking softly with each step.
Inside a small room above a modest inn, Aragon opened his eyes.
The faint light of morning slipped through the wooden window. For a moment he simply lay still, listening to the quiet sounds of the town outside.
Another normal day or at least that was how it appeared. Aragon slowly sat up and stretched his arms. His body felt light and steady. The soreness from yesterday's hunt had already disappeared. He glanced toward the shadow vault ring on his finger. Inside that small ring rested the weapons he had obtained from the dungeon.
Powerful weapons...
Too powerful to reveal...
Aragon stood up and washed his face with cold water from the basin near the wall. The shock of the cold helped clear his thoughts. Yesterday's tavern fight replayed briefly in his mind.
Three adventurers...
All defeated without much effort. It had confirmed something he already suspected.
His strength had grown far beyond that of a normal F-rank.
But he needed to be careful.
Too much attention would bring unnecessary trouble.
After getting dressed, Aragon left the inn and walked toward the guild.
The hall of the Shores Adventurers Guild was already lively when he arrived. Several adventurers were gathered near the quest board, discussing which requests to take.
Others were sitting at tables eating breakfast while planning their hunts.
The moment Aragon stepped inside, a few people glanced toward him.
Some recognized him immediately.
"That's the Fox Wolf guy"
"Yeah… the F-rank who brought back ten skins"
Aragon ignored the whispers and walked toward the counter. The same receptionist from yesterday looked up.
"You again…"
Her tone was half annoyed, half amused Aragon gave a small nod.
"Morning…."
She crossed her arms
"Please tell me you're not planning to hunt something dangerous again today….?"
Aragon thought for a moment
"…I haven't decided yet…."
The receptionist sighed
"You adventurers are all the same"
Aragon smiled slightly and walked toward the quest board. Most of the requests pinned there were simple tasks.
Collect herbs…..
Guard merchant caravans...
Hunt small monsters...
But one request caught his attention,
C-Rank Request
Eliminate Marsh Boars near the southern wetlands,
Reward: 20 Silver Paro
Aragon studied the paper.
Marsh Boars were far more dangerous than Fox Wolves.
Large....
Aggressive...…
And extremely tough...
Even experienced D-rank adventurers usually formed groups to hunt them.
Aragon considered the request quietly.
Perfect…..
A stronger opponent…..
But still common enough to avoid drawing too much attention. He removed the request from the board and returned to the counter.
The receptionist read the paper
Then slowly looked up at him
"…You're serious?"
Aragorn nodded
"Yes…"
She rubbed her temples
"Yesterday you hunted Fox Wolves"
"Yes"
"And today you want to hunt Marsh Boars?"
"Yup"
She stared at him for several seconds
"You're still F-rank"
"I know"
The receptionist sighed deeply before stamping the paper.
"Fine, but if you come back half dead, I'm not listening to excuses…."
Aragon accepted the request
"I'll try not to"
The southern wetlands were quiet.
Tall grass covered the ground, and shallow pools of muddy water reflected the cloudy sky. Marsh Boars were known to roam this area.
Aragon walked slowly through the tall grass. His senses expanded.
The shadows around him shifted slightly,
Shadow Sense….
Almost instantly, he felt movement. Heavy footsteps, large bodies pushing through the grass.
Three…..
Aragon stopped walking. A loud snort echoed nearby. Then the first Marsh Boar burst from the grass. The creature was massive. Nearly twice the size of a normal boar.
Thick black hide covered its body, and two long tusks curved from its jaw.
Behind it, two more emerged. Aragon remained calm.
"Three at once…"
The first boar charged
The ground shook beneath its weight.
Aragon moved at the last moment. A simple sidestep. The beast crashed past him, sliding through the mud.
The second one attacked immediately.
Aragon drew his sword. One clean strike across the creature's neck.
The boar collapsed. The first beast turned around, enraged.
This time Aragon stepped forward instead of dodging. His blade flashed once.
Then again, the massive creature fell with a heavy thud. The final boar hesitated. But only for a moment.
It charged wildly and Aragon activated Shadow Step for just an instant. His body disappeared and reappeared behind the beast. One precise strike ended the fight. Silence returned to the wetlands. Three Marsh Boars lay motionless in the grass.
Aragon exhaled slowly,
"…Still manageable…"
He wiped his blade and began preparing the proof required for the quest. The task took some time.
But by the time the sun began lowering in the sky, Aragon was already heading back toward Marsh Town.
When he entered the guild that evening, several adventurers were still gathered inside.
The receptionist looked up
"You're back early again"
Aragon placed the quest proof on the counter.
"Three Marsh Boars"
She inspected the items carefully.
After a moment she looked at him with disbelief.
"You actually did it"
Nearby adventurers began whispering again.
"Marsh Boars?"
"Alone?"
"That's a C-rank request…"
The receptionist counted the reward coins.
"Here, 20 Silver Paro."
Aragon accepted the payment quietly.
Some adventurers nodded respectfully.
Others looked annoyed. One older man shook his head.
"Something strange about that kid…"
Aragon simply turned and left the guild.
Outside, the evening air felt cool.
Lanterns were already lighting the streets of Marsh Town.
Aragon walked slowly toward the inn.
Today's hunt confirmed something important. His strength was still growing. But he needed to continue testing his limits carefully.
If he moved too fast, people would start asking questions.
For now, he would remain what everyone believed him to be.
An ordinary F-rank adventurer.
But deep within the quiet streets of Marsh Town, The shadows followed him silently...…