For a brief moment, Albrecht sensed a certain animosity coming from the man, but it was so faint that he figured he was just imagining it. Stealing a glance to the side, he noticed that the man had the same hair and eye color as Yulie.
He didn't need to confirm it. In an instant, he became aware that the man gripping his shoulder was none other than Yulie's father.
"Ah, pardon my late introduction. The name's Riurgus Rosethorn. I'm a big fan." He complimented, wiping his right hand on his pants before he extended his hand for a handshake.
"Albrecht, Albrecht Stein."
"So, are you down for a quick adventure? We'd only be hitting the outskirts of the Forest of Chythyllu right by the edge of the city. We'll be hunting Silverback Wolves."
Silverback Wolves are D-Rank Beasts that could easily be hunted down for their meat. Locals say that the meat of Silverback Wolves is tasty even on a simple skewer, that's why it had become one of the few common beasts that were hunted down by adventurers.
The reward for hunting Silverback Wolves is just a couple of silver coins, specifically ten silver coins per head. But once it was dismantled, it could be sold for fifty silver coins.
"Sure, if it's only Silverback Wolves." Albrecht knew how weak the Silverback Wolves were, but he also knew just how coordinated they could get when they were hunting in packs.
That's why the party was complete with a tank, two damage dealers, a healer, and a porter. He was an additional porter, probably because they'd be hunting a couple of Silverback Wolves before the sun sets.
"Forest of Chythyllu, huh... hopefully there are no Black Gem Wolves in here," Albrecht muttered to himself, dismissing the thought since it might really happen.
Compared to Silverback Wolves, Black Gem Wolves are C-Rank Beasts who look like Silverback Wolves except for the Black Gem on their forehead. This particular type of wolf has a passive skill called the 'Call of the Wild', which allows it to lead a group of Silverback Wolves.
These wolves are coordinated enough as it is, but with a Black Gem Wolf leading them, they become more coordinated, and it would take at least a Diamond Rank or a couple of Gold Rank Adventurers to defeat them.
"Well, let's not think about that. Riurgus and these guys look reliable enough... and I don't think we'd encounter such a rare beast." Albrecht said to himself.
"Before anything else, have you registered as an adventurer, already? We should make a quick stop by the guild and get you registered. We can't just take you with us if you're unregistered." Riurgus was well aware that members of the Heroes of Relics were registered separately, that's why he just had to ask.
"Ah, don't worry about that," Albrecht responded, flashing his Bronze Tag at everyone. This tag was fastened around his neck, ready to be shown at a moment's notice when the situation calls for it.
"Bronze, huh, I doubt you're a Bronze Rank Adventurer. In any case, I guess that saves us some time."
— — —
Forest of Chythyllu,
As the largest forest sandwiched between two kingdoms, the Forest of Chythyllu had become home to ferocious beasts. It also bordered a couple of cities due to its sheer size, and no one had been able to fully explore it.
Rumors had it that S-Rank beasts could be found in the middle of the forest, hence no one could go there. In fact, it was an unwritten rule in all guilds that any adventurers shouldn't risk going into the center of the forest.
"Everybody ready?" Riurgus called out as his party nodded in response.
As for Albrecht, he was positioned right by the rear, prepared to store every successful hunt before they dismantle it soon after. He had a huge backpack, sort of like a thick sack just to resemble a porter.
With his spatial storage skill, there was no need for a huge sack, he could just open a spatial portal that leads to his infinite storage space.
"If it's uncomfortable, you can just tell me. I can carry double the size of this bag by myself with ease." The porter who was with him spoke up, puffing his chest as if he was a reliable upperclassman.
In response, Albrecht nodded his head. "Then, I'll be in your care." He spoke with a forced smile on his face. As it turned out, Riurgus didn't tell anyone about his hidden status of being a retired member of the Heroes of Relics.
"There are five Silverback Wolves spotted near this spot. We're going to venture inside the forest and look for them. Since we don't have someone who could use a tracking skill in our party, we just have to leave our eyes peeled for the Silverback Wolves."
With the advice out of the way, Riurgus led the party into the Forest of Chythyllu. The moment they stepped inside the forest, a certain feeling of dread and anxiety overcame most of them. Temperatures have drastically dropped as well, and one of the damage dealers shuddered due to the cold.
"Don't let your guard down, everyone," Riurgus stated as he cut down a couple of overarching leaves that blocked their path. "Silverback Wolves aren't the only beasts in town, and we might find ourselves attacked out of nowhere."
The forest was more cramped than they had initially thought, or maybe it was their eyes playing tricks on them since sunset was almost upon them. Orange rays of light poured through the gap between the trees, lighting out a portion of the way and simultaneously giving the party a limited field of view.
Suddenly, Albrecht spoke up, just loud enough for everyone to hear.
"Silverback Wolves." He simply uttered.
In an instant, everyone stopped in their tracks, directing their gaze at Albrecht who was pointing somewhere.
And as expected, there were Silverback Wolves right behind a thick undergrowth where Albrecht pointed.
Inwardly, they celebrated. However, their celebration was truncated and sheer horror replaced their momentary lightened expression. Right behind the dozen Silverback Wolves stood two Black Gem Wolves.
And these two were staring directly at the party of six, causing them to gulp as their bodies instinctively froze in sheer terror.