In the Mercenary House (a place where mercenaries resides as though it was their house), a boy opened his eyes and found himself sitting in the lobby which was a huge and spacious – five-hundred meters – cavernous hall filled with people wearing distinct clothing that mostly belonged to travelers.
Some wore hoods, cloaks, some wore tank-tops, fighting bikinis, while most wore armors in different types.
Lock yawned ungracefully and looked around.
'The mercenary house is an establishment officially built by the Human Council (the ruler of the human race) in order to manage the volunteers who wanted to engage in battles but does not want to become a soldier. No matter where you go in the world, it is said that you could find a mercenary house. I did a good job finding it.'
"Yawn."
Lock had nowhere to sleep last night.
'I thought of sleeping under a bridge but being out there in the heavy rain made me think otherwise. Getting shelter as soon as possible is the biggest priority.'
"I'm lucky I didn't even get a cold," he said and summoned his system.
Name: Lock
Level: 2
Race: Human
Job Class: Fire Mage
Sub Class: None
Title(s): None
Skill (s): 1
Current Experience Points: 0/200
Health: 30/30
Mana: 10/10
Strength: 9
Agility: 12
Vitality: 5
Intelligence: 2
Dexterity: 8
He knew he already leveled up yesterday, but he was still horrible. He just ignored the pathetic stats, and talked to the system in his mind.
'Sorry system, I hadn't been treating you as soon as I came here. But from now on, you're going to be with me every time.'
Lock had made his decision last night.
'That's right, I already made my decision. Now that I am in this world and in a new body, it is best to forget everything that had happened so far and also the to discontinue the connections I have with them. Even though I am no Lock, all of them are mere strangers to the real me.'
'I will treat the rest of it like nothing even happened. Now this day is the real time it starts. For now I don't have any money or weapons with me. I even left the dagger on the street yesterday.'
Lock stood up for his seat, and approached a group of mercenaries searching for another member. There were other groups like them, but this group was the only one going to a favorable place for him.
He had not chosen to go to the adventurer guild not just because it was a place he could sleep under a roof, but with other purposes as well.
Here, he could get stronger and even earn money.
Last night, he spent almost the entire evening looking at the map of the area and he found out several places he could get stronger. With his current abilities, it was the Rajed Ruins.
Lock considered to go back to the royal palace, but he can't do that with his current power. He also had powerful enemies which led him here.
'I'm going to make those who did this to me pay a thousand fold!'
"Going to Rajed Ruins, we only need one more member. Your abilities doesn't matter, we just need someone to carry some things. Anyone will do!"
With calm footsteps, Lock stood in front of the guy's face and opened his mouth. The difference of a child and an adult was in full display.
"Will me do? I will gladly be your porter." Lock said.
The guy looked at Lock up and down. The boy was a lot younger than him. He was also quite skinny for his age and didn't have a lot of muscle on him and to be honest he looked incredibly weak to even carry anything.
The guy was sure he said anyone will do, but another person was better to have. Not this kid.
The party also looked hesitant.
Most of them were already in their twenties. Having a kid carry their supplies and things wasn't really a good look in society, right?
"How old are you, kid?" another man in the party asked Lock.
"15." Lock immediately answered. He was still 10 to be honest, but he was 15 now at least in his new body.
"15! 15…. eh? Are you sure about wanting to join a hunting party? You might not know but where we're going is a very dangerous place with monsters." The man was speaking as though he really cared for the safety of the reckless child in front of him.
Lock understood his intentions, and sighed in his heart. He grinned, and glared at the guy.
"Look here, older brother. I just found out yesterday that I killed someone. I'm not really a normal kid."
The man stepped back unconsciously on Lock's words.
Kill?
The party immediately tightened up, and they looked at Lock slowly. They evaluated him again, and suddenly laughed.
The man who had asked Lock was still stunned, but he started to join them as well, although only for a little.
"You clearly don't believe me, huh. Well there is nothing I could do about that, but I really have to go to the Rajed Ruins," Lock thought for a while, and looked at the party with a deep gaze, "What if I told you I'm a sorcerer? I just graduated a few days ago."
The party thought again.
"The magic academy indeed graduated just recently…If what you're saying is true, then, you must have some proof, right?"
"I don't have the documents or anything, but I think…I can cast a spell here."
Lock wasn't sure of using a spell here, but it can't be helped.
Lock opened the system.
Lock did not waste time and thrust his right hand to the floor and a fire ball suddenly went out of his palms.
"Churn!"
The slight ball of fire stayed in the floor for a few seconds, causing the tile to turn slightly blacker, before the fire disappeared.
The members of the party looked at each other.
The boy was actually telling the truth! He is a sorcerer!
Since that was the case, what right do they have to refuse?
Sorcerers were the greatest creatures in existence. Even among them, only a few of them has that power.
"Well, is that it?" One of the sorcerers in the party suddenly asked, "If that's the firepower of your spells, you can't really deal damage to monsters."
Lock replied, "Um, I don't need to. My job is only to be a porter, right?"
The man then smiled. If the academy let this kid graduate, their standards weren't very high. In fact, he was also a sorcerer who could use the same fireball but his was hundred times stronger. When he found out that Lock was a sorcerer, he was a little intrigued but all of the died down when he saw the fireball.
"Well that's the problem. We don't really feel good having a kid with us if you understand. With your muscles, I don't think you could actually carry things too."
Lock stared long and hard.
He wanted to carry the table and throw it at the sorcerer now, but he can't really do that, as he was too weak right now.
Thinking back, Lock never helped himself build some muscle or learn martial arts. Although now that he was the one in control of his body, and could unleash some martial arts moves, he still cannot change the current structure and abilities of his body.
"It appears that I bothered you guys, I'm sorry." Lock bowed, and began to leave, going back to his seat again, leaving the party to smile and go back in recruiting their last member.
"That was a naughty kid."
"Yes, if he became the porter, I would not be able to sleep out of guilt."
They were worried. But little did they know that Lock had decided to follow them to the Rajed Ruins.