[Illustration: The MC stands before a large floor-to-ceiling mirror inside a luxury boutique. He wears a tailored, dark red suit made of spider silk. His face is deadpan, his gaze sharp yet empty. In the mirror's reflection, his image appears slightly distorted, as if a grinning monster lurks beneath the pristine attire.]
The boutique was silent, save for the soft rustle of fine fabric.
I stood before the floor-to-ceiling mirror.
The reflection staring back at me was immaculate. The cave spider silk wrapped around my frame, hiding the unnatural muscle and impossibly tough skin. Dark red. Elegant. Expensive.
But when I looked into the eyes in the mirror, I saw no one.
These clothes didn't protect me from the world. They protected the world from me. They were a seal. A false promise that the creature standing here was a civilized human, not just walking instinct searching for an excuse to kill.
"Perfect... sir," the clerk whispered, his voice trembling. He didn't meet my eyes. He stared at the expensive fabric, the only thing that made him feel safe in my presence.
I buttoned the jacket. It felt like sealing a coffin.
"Hold on to the rest of the order. I'll pick them up in batches."
I didn't need to pay. The transaction was settled upfront. I simply left a silver coin on the counter as a tip—a human gesture I'd learned from books, meant to mask the fact that I felt absolutely nothing.
I stepped outside.
The door chime rang.
The world out there was noisy, but inside my head, it was dead silent.
The Adventurer's Guild.
The clinking of mugs and raucous laughter abruptly died the moment I pushed open the double doors.
Hundreds of eyes locked onto me.
Before, they had glared with disgust and fear, put off by the stench of blood and desert dust. Now, they looked on with wary respect. The clothes were working. Humans are visual creatures; they revere the outer shell before ever trying to understand what lies beneath.
I walked toward the quest board. My footsteps were muffled by expensive soles.
"Mister Scorpion..." The female receptionist smiled, but her eyes were guarded. "Your appearance... is quite different."
"I need work."
"Of course. Here is the list of available Rank A Quests."
She slid a few sheets of paper across the counter.
I scanned them quickly.
Quest 1: Land Clearing (Trivial).
Quest 2: Honey Gathering (Boring).
Quest 3: Mail Delivery (A waste of time).
My eyes stopped on three specific missions.
Quest 7: 'Bovine Wrath' Dungeon (Minotaurs). Target: 5 Crystals.
Quest 6: Deep Sea Monster (Giant Crab). Target: Meat & Shell.
Quest 4: Weeping Forest Trail (Escort).
I pulled the three papers toward me.
"I'll take all three."
The receptionist's eyes widened. "Sir... Minotaurs travel in herds. And the Giant Crab... requires a specialized team just to haul it ashore. You're going alone?"
"I have a Dimensional Bag and spider thread. That's enough."
"But... the time limits..."
"Not an issue."
I turned away.
I didn't need the money. I still had several gold coins left in my bag.
I needed the sensation.
I needed the snap of broken bones, the crushing pressure of the deep, and the screams of monsters to remind me that I was still breathing.