Chapter 1:
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Kill 5 Goblins for a reward of 10 silver coins.
I read the guest given on the E-Ranked board and without a second thought, decided to take the mission. Five minutes later, I found myself walking towards the outskirts of the town, heading towards the part of the forest where Goblins are found according to the map.
The vast expanse of the forest sprawled out before me, an endless sea of vibrant green foliage enveloping the landscape in a comforting embrace. The towering trees stood like guardians, their branches reaching towards the sky, creating a verdant canopy overhead.
I heard a growl behind me and saw three goblins preparing to attack me. Three seconds later, I was cutting off the ears of the three goblins as proof. I still needed to find two additional goblins to fully accommodate all of the guests.
Without wanting to squander any more precious minutes, I ventured outside in search of the remaining goblin.
As I continued my quest to track down the goblin, I stumbled upon a series of, surely, goblin footprints that seemed to weave their way deeper into the heart of the dense forest. Intrigued by this discovery, I resolved to follow the trail and see if I could find anything that could lead me to the goblins.
As I traced the tracks left by the goblins, I stumbled upon a bustling village nestled in the depths of the forest. To my surprise, the village was inhabited by a sizable population of goblins, numbering close to a hundred of the curious creatures.
With gratitude to my good fortune for stumbling upon this remarkable finding, I drew my sword from its scabbard and readied myself to engage in combat with the horde of goblins.
As I advanced through the village, I swiftly sliced through the goblins with my blade, followed by a flurry of kicks and punches. Their resistance was feeble, and soon the village of goblins lay in ruins at my feet. Gathering the defeated creatures in one spot, I planned to collect evidence, to prove that I was the one who killed the goblins.
I carefully gathered the severed ears of the goblins, making sure to collect every last one of them, and placed them in a large, sturdy sack. With the weight of the sack firmly in my grip, I made my way back to the guild.
The receptionist's expression was one of complete shock and amazement. Her eyes were wide and her mouth hung open in disbelief. It was evident that she had never witnessed a low E-Ranked hunter like myself single-handedly clear out an entire Goblin village before.
The reward for the quest was originally 10 silver coins, but because I successfully cleared out an entire village, I ended up receiving 50 gold coins instead. It was quite the fortune, and I was understandably pleased with the unexpected windfall.
It appears that I won't have to remain in this town for much longer. As the sun was still high in the sky, I gathered my belongings from the cosy inn where I had been staying. With my satchel slung over my shoulder and my trusty map in hand, I set out on foot toward the town gates, ready for my next adventure.
"I almost forgot! I gotta pick up a Magic Beginner's Guide."
I decided to make a quick detour to the old bookstore nestled on the corner of the main square. The smell of aged parchment filled the air as I browsed through the rows of dusty shelves, my eyes scanning for the perfect guide to magic. After a few moments of searching, I found the book I was looking for, its weathered cover hinting at the knowledge hidden within. I handed over five precious silver coins, knowing that the spells contained within its pages would far outweigh the cost.
I stepped out into the cool, crisp air, a sense of adventure and possibility tingling in my veins. With the magic guide securely tucked in my bag, I felt ready and eager to embark on the new journey that lay ahead.
As I journeyed for several hours, I couldn't shake the feeling that an unusual presence was trailing behind me. I continued towards an expansive open field, all the while aware of the mysterious entity lingering in the shadows.
"You can come out now," I called out with a firm voice, challenging the entity to show itself to me. The being I anticipated as a powerful, brooding fugue turned out to be anything but that. Instead, it felt like a fledgling, small enough to be overlooked.
'It's a baby Direwolf.' I squatted down to its level and gestured for it to come closer, and it did. I gently stroked its head for a few seconds. All of a sudden, I felt a small spark ignite between my palm and its head. I gazed down at the Direwolf and furrowed my brow, contemplating whether I had just formed a bond with it.
The smartest word I could think of at the moment was "Damn..." I gazed down at the Direwolf, and my heart swelled with love as it wagged its tail. I gently lifted it and pressed our cheeks together, feeling an overwhelming sense of warmth and affection.
"Your name will be Magnus." I named him with a smile. Magnus seemed to really like his name, as he began to wag his tail even harder and started barking happily.
With Magnus faithfully trotting alongside me, we pressed on with our journey together.