Liriel approached Nikos. "Sir, it's all done."
Nikos nodded and began placing all the usable monster parts into his inventory bag. "Pack up the tent. We'll move forward to nearby monster area," he instructed them.
The trio nodded and followed his orders.
After tidying up the camp, the group moved through the path, with Jarek leading in the front, clearing out any monsters in their way. Liriel and Marielle stayed in the middle, and Nikos took up the rear side, ensuring they stayed in formation and covered from behind.
They continued their journey toward the nearby monster area. The path was quite clear, with not many creatures around.
Liriel glanced back at Nikos. "Sir, may I ask you something?"
"Go ahead," Nikos replied.
She hesitated for a moment, choosing her words carefully. "During the fight, I noticed you used skills from different classes. Do you perhaps have more than one class, sir?"
Nikos gave a short nod. "You could say something like that."
Liriel found that to be weird. "But last time, when we checked with the magic ball—"
Jarek interrupted, excitement in his voice. "Masster, that'sh amazing! Not many people have more than one talent classs."
Marielle, more relaxed now than during their battle with the monster horde, turned to Nikos. "That's wonderful, Master. Are you from a noble family?"
Noble? Is it only nobles and those of higher status who can have multiple talents?
Nikos smiled at them. "Noble? Not quite. I come from a merchant family," he said, as a fleeting memory of his past life as the heir to a powerful business tycoon crossing his mind.
They nodded at his answer, understanding now how Nikos had a talent for making money.
The group continued their conversation until they reached the goblin dens. From atop a hill, they observed the monsters' activities. It wasn't just goblins; slimes, big ants, spiders, horned rabbits, and even some orcs were seen occasionally.
The monster behavior was strange. We can't go in; it's too dangerous.
Nikos turned to his group. "They're banding together as if preparing for something. What do you think?"
"I agree, sir," Liriel said. "These monsters are usually territorial and would fight each other under normal circumstances. But from our last encounter, they seem to be moving as a group. They're preparing for something."
Nikos looked back at the monsters. From my knowledge of stories and anime, monsters working together often signaling a monster waves will come.
"Master, I believe a monster wave is coming," Jarek said, his thoughts aligning with Nikos's.
"I think so too," Nikos agreed.
Given the number of monsters, it's too risky for our party to enter the dens. We're a new group, and there are more monsters than we can handle right now.
Nikos turned to his group, signaling for a retreat. "Let's head back. We've gathered enough information for the quest."
"Yes Master(Sir)," Jarek, Marielle, and Liriel responded at once.
As they began their retreat through the jungle, a sudden sound from above caught their attention. They looked up to see a fire hawk circling them.
The fire hawk, a large bird with a head radiating flames, had a vast wingspan that allowed it to soar effortlessly through the skies.
The creature screeched, alerting the ground monsters to their presence. Chaos erupted as the monsters below began searching for Nikos's group.
"Retreat!" Nikos commanded.
The group quickly ran back into the jungle, the fire hawk chasing them from above. The bird unleashed a barrage of fireballs at them.
Jarek blocked the fireballs with his greataxe, Liriel use her skill to evaded them, Marielle sought shelter behind the trees, and Nikos used the surrounding trees as shields while he was running.
They didn't stop running, the fire hawk relentlessly pursuing them. As Nikos dashed past trees, he noticed the fire hawk was focused on Marielle. Seizing the opportunity, through the creature blindspot, he stopped, turned, and drew his bow.
— Steady Aim [Passive] + Eagle Eye [Passive]
Nikos stood firm, his eyes locked on the monster's chest. With intense focus, he aimed for its heart.
Then. He fire.
Swish! Whoosh! Swish!
— Piercing Arrow
The arrow flew swiftly, striking the fire hawk right in the chest. "Jarek, now!" Nikos shouted.
Jarek understood the command. He leaped into the air, aligning with the monster, and spun in the air, using his tail to whip and strike the fire hawk's head hard.
Bam!
The fire hawk crashed to the ground, and Jarek descended rapidly with his greataxe.
— Quick Chop
With precision, Jarek chopped the monster's body before it could recover. The creature lay motionless on the ground, its feathers, imbued with magical elements that neutralized fire, now scattered.
Nikos quickly collected the feathers, placing them in his inventory. They were vital ingredients for fire resistance potions.
As more monster sounds approached, even louder than their morning encounter, Nikos quickly finished gathering the feathers.
He handed each member four speed potions. "Drink these. We need to get out of this jungle as fast as possible," he instructed, while drinking his own potion.
The trio drank the potions.
"Let's go."
They nodded and followed Nikos, sprinting out of the jungle without looking back. Although some monsters pursued them, the speed from the potions gave them a significant advantage. Gradually, the monsters fell behind as they reached the edge of the jungle.
Outside the forest, they slowed their pace to a normal walk, heading back to the small town of Oakheart. The sun was already setting by the time they arrived at the town gates. They immediately made their way to the Adventurers' Guild to report their findings.
Entering the guild, Nikos approached Nori's desk and handed over the quest parchment. "Miss Nori, I'm here to report on our investigation," Nikos said.
"Sir Nikos, I'm glad to see you back. Was the quest difficult?" Nori asked with relief as she took the parchment and reviewed it.
"We faced some challenges, but we're safe now," Nikos replied with a smile.
"For this quest, please follow me," Nori said, standing and waiting for Nikos.
Nikos turned to his team. "Wait here. I'll be back soon," he instructed, then followed Nori to the second floor.
"Yes Master(Sir)," they replied.
As he reach the second floor, it was a stark contrast to the bustling activity below. The atmosphere was calmer, the noise reduced to a soft murmur of conversations.
Walls lined with maps—some ancient and tattered, others freshly inked and vibrant—spoke of distant lands and hidden treasures. The adventurers here were a select few, unlike the crowd downstairs.
In the far corner, a notice board displayed specialized quests and bounties, some written in elaborate script, others hastily scrawled but no less important. This floor was reserved for higher-ranking parties in the town.
Nori led Nikos to a room marked with a sign: 'Guild Master'. She knocked, and a deep, heavy voice from within responded, "Come in."
"Guild Master Mesa, I've brought the adventurer from the investigation quest," Nori announced.
Inside, the room was spacious with a high ceiling. In the center stood a massive man with a formidable frame, holding a large book. This man, towering around 3 meters or (9.8 feet) tall, had fierce eyes that stare at Nikos. He belonged to the race of giants.
The Guild Master seated himself slowly, a gentle smile forming on his face. "Your report, adventurer," he said, his voice deep and resonant yet gentle.
Nikos returned the smile politely. "It's an honor to meet you, Guild Master Mesa," he began, then detailed the information they had gathered and the possibility of a monster wave threatening Oakheart town.
Guild Master Mesa nodded thoughtfully. "Thank you for your diligent work, adventurer," he said, bowing his head slightly. He then turned to Nori. "Nori, give this adventurer 20 extra gold as a reward and raise his party's rank by one level."
Nori nodded in acknowledgment and led Nikos back. "Follow me, Sir Nikos. I'll give you your rewards."
"I hope you'll join us in defending against this monster wave," the Guild Master added.
Nikos nodded respectfully. "I'll consider it," he replied, then exited the room with Nori.
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!Rewards
- Quest Rewards: 31 Gold 5 Silver
- System Rewards: 25SC – 700 Exp
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This rewards didn't quite match the danger we had faced. However Nikos accepted them with smile, the rewards and new rank on they adventurer's card.
"Thank you, Miss Nori. I'll excuse my self, the Adventurers' Guild is bound to be busy after this report," he said.
"Thank you for your efforts, Sir Nikos. The guild could certainly use your help if you decide to join the fight against the monster waves," Nori responded.
"Thanks for the offer. I'll think about it," Nikos said, leaving the building with his teammates following.
Outside the building, Liriel turned to Nikos and asked, "Sir, are you thinking of joining the defense of the city?"
Jarek and Marielle also look at him.
Nikos turned to them.