The guildhall bustled with its usual energy, the scent of warm food, clanking of mugs, and chatter from adventurers mixing together in the air. Ryuto pushed the door open, stepping inside with a newfound sense of confidence. After completing his last quest, he was ready for more. He had earned his F-rank badge and proved himself capable. Now, his goal was to keep climbing the ranks.
As he approached the quest board, Elena, the guild's lively quest giver, waved him over from behind the counter.
"Looking for another job, Ryuto?" she asked with a grin.
Ryuto nodded, eager to keep up the momentum. "Yeah, what do you have for me?"
Elena sifted through the requests in front of her and pulled out a scroll. "This one should be right up your alley. It's from an older woman just outside of town. Her family's heirloom was stolen by bandits. She's offering a decent reward for anyone who can recover it."
Ryuto took the scroll, scanning over the details. It seemed simple enough—track down the bandits, retrieve the stolen locket, and return it. A straightforward job that would help him earn more experience points. Plus, if the reward was good, it would add to his growing coin pouch.
"Bandits, huh?" Ryuto mused. "Should be easy enough."
Elena raised an eyebrow, a playful glint in her eyes. "Don't get cocky now. Bandits might not be as tough as monsters, but they're still dangerous if you're not careful."
Ryuto smirked, tucking the scroll into his bag. "I'll be careful. Thanks, Elena."
"Good luck," she called as he made his way toward the exit.
Ryuto followed the trail of clues through the winding streets of the village, eventually finding himself on the outskirts of town. The old woman's home sat nestled between a grove of trees, her garden overgrown with wildflowers. She greeted Ryuto with a warm, weathered smile as he approached.
"Are you the adventurer sent to help me?" she asked, her voice soft but filled with hope.
Ryuto nodded. "That's right. I'm here to get back your heirloom."
The woman explained that the locket, a treasured family keepsake, had been stolen from her home a few nights ago. She had seen shadowy figures moving near her window but hadn't been able to stop them. All she had left were a few scattered clues: some torn fabric, muddy footprints, and the general direction the thieves had fled.
Ryuto inspected the clues, piecing together the trail. The bandits had headed into the forest, a short distance from the village. Judging by the tracks, they hadn't been careful, leaving an easy trail to follow.
"This won't take long," Ryuto assured her before setting off into the woods.
The forest was dense, the sunlight barely breaking through the thick canopy above. Ryuto moved quietly, his eyes scanning the ground for any signs of movement. The footprints led him deeper into the trees, where the air grew cooler and the sounds of birds grew distant.
Finally, after about an hour of walking, Ryuto spotted the bandit hideout—a small, makeshift camp hidden behind a rocky outcropping. A few bandits stood guard, lounging lazily around a campfire. From what Ryuto could see, there were about five bandits total, none of whom seemed particularly alert or skilled.
"Amateurs," Ryuto muttered to himself, crouching behind a nearby bush to observe the camp.
He could take them out without much effort, but he decided to be cautious at first. There was no need to go in guns blazing. His last quest had reminded him that going overboard with his magic wasn't always the best idea, especially if he wanted to avoid drawing attention.
Ryuto slowly circled around the camp, using the natural cover of the forest to remain hidden. He spotted a small wooden chest inside one of the tents, likely where the stolen goods were being kept. His goal was to get the locket without raising an alarm, if possible.
But as fate would have it, stealth wasn't on his side today.
Just as Ryuto was positioning himself to sneak into the camp, a twig snapped under his foot.
One of the bandits jerked his head up, squinting in Ryuto's direction. "Who's there?"
Ryuto cursed under his breath. So much for stealth.
The bandits grabbed their weapons—crudely made swords and clubs—and charged at him.
Ryuto straightened up, a confident smirk crossing his face as he summoned his magic. "Guess we're doing this the hard way."
As the bandits rushed him, Ryuto conjured a ball of wind magic, sending a powerful gust toward the nearest attacker. The bandit was flung backward into a tree with a sickening thud, immediately knocked unconscious.
The others hesitated for a moment, startled by the sudden display of power, but quickly recovered and charged again. Ryuto moved with fluidity, dodging their clumsy swings with ease. He didn't even need to use his more powerful spells—these guys weren't a threat.
One bandit lunged at him with a sword, and with a flick of his wrist, Ryuto sent a fireball crashing into the man's chest. The flames engulfed him for a brief moment before dissipating, leaving the bandit rolling on the ground in pain, though not seriously injured.
The last two bandits, realizing they were outmatched, tried to flee.
"Not so fast," Ryuto said, snapping his fingers.
A wall of flame erupted in front of them, blocking their path. The heat was intense, and the bandits stumbled back, terrified.
Ryuto approached them calmly, his eyes glowing faintly with the remnants of his magic. "I suggest you surrender and tell me where the stolen goods are."
The bandits, now thoroughly shaken, pointed to the chest in the tent.
"Please don't kill us!" one of them begged.
Ryuto rolled his eyes. "Relax, I'm not here to kill you. Just get out of here and stop stealing from old ladies."
The bandits didn't need to be told twice. They bolted into the forest, leaving Ryuto standing in front of the campfire.
With a satisfied nod, Ryuto walked over to the tent and opened the chest. Inside, among various trinkets and coins, was the locket. He picked it up and pocketed it, pleased that the mission had gone more or less according to plan.
"Easy," Ryuto said, turning to leave the camp.
Ryuto strolled back into the guildhall, feeling quite pleased with himself. The quest had gone smoothly—though the bandits had been a little more troublesome than he'd initially expected, his magic had been more than enough to take them down without too much destruction. He had the locket safely tucked in his pouch and a sense of satisfaction knowing he had helped someone in need.
As he approached the counter, Elena greeted him with a smile. "Back so soon, Ryuto? You didn't burn down a forest this time, did you?"
Ryuto chuckled, shaking his head. "No fires this time. Just a few bandits who didn't know what hit them."
He handed over the locket, and Elena inspected it, her smile widening. "Perfect! The old woman will be thrilled to get this back. Nice work. Looks like you've earned yourself a handsome reward."
She reached under the counter and handed him a pouch of coins, noticeably heavier than the last one. As she scribbled down some notes, Ryuto opened his smartphone and checked his experience points.
Experience: 1000/1000. Congratulations! You are now E-rank.
A small grin spread across his face. He was making real progress now. E-rank meant more challenging quests, better rewards, and a higher standing in the guild. Things were finally looking up.
As he tucked the phone away, a loud voice broke through the usual noise of the guildhall.
"Hey! Is anyone looking for a party member?!"
Ryuto glanced over, his brow furrowing as he watched a girl with a mop of messy brown hair bounce between tables, asking adventurers if she could join their parties. She seemed overly energetic, practically vibrating with enthusiasm, though no one appeared to be taking her seriously. Most of the adventurers waved her off, some even groaning in frustration as she approached.
"C'mon! I'm not that bad!" she shouted to a table of older adventurers, her hands planted on her hips. "You just don't know what you're missing out on!"
As she turned to look for someone else to ask, her eyes landed on Ryuto. The moment their gazes met, a wide grin spread across her face.
"Oh no," Ryuto muttered, trying to turn away before—
"Ryuto Velclair, right? The guy who took down the Forest Behemoth?" The girl practically sprinted toward him, her eyes sparkling with excitement.
Ryuto braced himself, preparing for whatever chaos was about to ensue. "Yeah, that's me."
Before she could introduce herself, she tripped over a chair leg, her arms flailing as she lost her balance. In a blur, she tumbled forward, crashing to the ground right in front of Ryuto—her skirt flipping up in the process, giving him an unintentional view of her bright red panties.
Ryuto's face went crimson, and he quickly looked away, his heart skipping a beat. "Wh-what the—?!"
The girl gasped, her face instantly turning bright red as she scrambled to cover herself. "Oh my god! I-I'm so sorry!"
She quickly pulled her skirt down, blushing furiously. But after a brief moment of embarrassment, she shook it off with surprising ease and jumped back to her feet, acting like nothing had happened. "Anyway! I'm Nina! Nice to meetcha!"
Ryuto blinked, still trying to recover from what just happened. "Uh... hi?"
Nina grinned, her energy completely undeterred by her earlier mishap. "I heard you're the guy who beat that huge Behemoth in the forest! That's amazing! You've gotta let me join your party!"
Ryuto's mind was still reeling from the earlier incident, but Nina's words snapped him back to reality. "Wait, what?"
She clasped her hands together, practically bouncing in place. "I know I might not look like much, but I've got serious skills with fire magic! I just need a team to let me show what I can do! Please, take me with you! I promise I won't blow anything up—this time."
Ryuto's eye twitched. Fire magic? Won't blow anything up this time? His mind raced as he processed the situation. He had heard whispers around the guild about a reckless adventurer with poor control over her magic, constantly causing accidents. It seemed he had just met her.
"Nina, right?" Ryuto said, trying to remain polite. "I, uh, don't usually take on new party members…"
"Oh, come on!" Nina pleaded, leaning in closer. "Everyone in the guild keeps turning me down, but you! You're a legend already! With your power and my fire magic, we'd be unstoppable!"
Ryuto felt a bead of sweat roll down his temple. He could feel the eyes of the other adventurers on him, most of them snickering or shaking their heads at his misfortune. Elena, who was watching the whole thing from behind the counter, had to stifle a giggle as Nina continued to pester him.
"Look, I'm sure you're... capable," Ryuto started, trying to find a way to let her down gently. "But I already have—"
"Please, please, PLEASE!" Nina interrupted, practically begging as she grabbed his arm. "Just give me one chance! You won't regret it! I swear I'll behave!"
The entire guildhall had gone quiet now, watching the scene unfold. Ryuto's face burned with embarrassment. He wasn't used to being the center of attention like this, and Nina's relentless enthusiasm was starting to wear him down.
"Alright, fine!" Ryuto blurted out, throwing his hands up in defeat. "You can join my party."
Nina's face lit up with excitement. "Really?! You mean it?!"
"Yeah, yeah," Ryuto muttered, rubbing the back of his neck. "Just… try not to blow anything up, okay?"
Nina bounced up and down, clearly overjoyed. "I won't! I promise! You won't regret this, Ryuto! We're gonna be the best team ever!" She gave him a playful wink before skipping off to get her gear.
As soon as she was out of earshot, Ryuto let out a heavy sigh, feeling utterly defeated. He could hear the quiet laughter of the other adventurers behind him, some shaking their heads as if to say, good luck with that.
Roland, who had been watching from a table nearby, walked over, his arms crossed and a smug smile on his face. "Well, that went about as well as expected."
"Don't," Ryuto warned, giving his friend a look of exasperation.
Roland just chuckled. "Hey, you're the one who agreed to take her on. This should be fun to watch."
Ryuto groaned, already regretting his decision.
After Nina's whirlwind introduction and her relentless pleas, Ryuto slumped into a chair at the guild, trying to gather his thoughts. He hadn't planned on expanding his party, especially not with someone as unpredictable as her, but he couldn't exactly back out now without causing more embarrassment. The memory of her falling, showing off her red panties in the middle of the guildhall, still burned in his mind, and the way everyone had been watching them… Yeah, there was no easy way out of this.
Roland sat down across from him, arms still crossed and that annoying smirk plastered on his face. "I've heard stories about Nina, you know," he said, leaning back in his chair. "She's blown up more quests than I can count. But hey, at least your party won't be boring."
Ryuto groaned, burying his face in his hands. "This is a mistake. I just know it."
"Probably," Roland agreed, grinning. "But at least it'll be entertaining."
Before Ryuto could respond, Nina returned, practically skipping toward their table, her gear clinking with every step. She had a large, overly stuffed pack slung over her shoulder, and the handle of a staff poked out from the top.
"All set!" she chirped, plopping down next to Ryuto with a big grin. "So, what's our next move? I'm ready for anything! Monsters? Bandits? A dragon maybe? I've got fire magic for days!"
Ryuto gave her a weary look. "We're not fighting dragons."
"Not yet," Roland added with a smirk.
Nina's eyes sparkled with excitement. "Oh, but we will, won't we? I just know it! With your magic and my firepower, we'll be unstoppable!"
Ryuto wasn't so sure about that, but there was no point in arguing with her. "Yeah, sure. Just... try not to set anything on fire unless we really need it, okay?"
Nina gave him an exaggerated salute. "You got it, boss!"
Ryuto couldn't help but cringe. Boss? He wasn't sure if he liked that title, especially considering how quickly things could go wrong with someone like Nina in his party.
Exhausted from the day's chaos, Ryuto returned to the Velclair estate later that evening. The house was quiet, his mother and siblings occupied with their own matters, and for once, Ryuto welcomed the peace. After dealing with Nina's hyperactive energy all day, he desperately needed some downtime.
As he settled into bed, Ryuto pulled out his smartphone, scrolling through the apps to unwind. After a long, chaotic day, he just wanted to check on his stats and maybe see if there were any updates. But as he opened the system, his eyes widened at the sight of a new app he hadn't seen before.
New App Unlocked: Party Management
Ryuto tapped on it, curious about what the system had installed for him this time. The app opened to reveal his party roster, a grid showing his face, followed by Roland, Celeste, and now… Nina, smiling brightly in her picture, as if she hadn't a care in the world.
"Great," Ryuto muttered. "She's officially part of the team."
The app provided detailed stats for each party member, listing their strengths, weaknesses, and overall performance in combat. He quickly skimmed through Roland and Celeste's sections—both solid and dependable. But when he reached Nina's, a special note appeared at the bottom of the screen:
"Warning: Prone to excessive use of fire magic. Handle with caution."
Ryuto stared at the warning, groaning in frustration. "Of course. Why did I think this was a good idea?"
He leaned back in bed, staring at the ceiling as doubt crept in. Sure, he had already built a strong team with Roland and Celeste, but adding Nina into the mix? That was asking for trouble. He could already picture the disasters waiting to happen—the fireballs gone wrong, the explosions, the accidental burns. And yet, there was something about her reckless energy that made him hesitate. Maybe, just maybe, she could be an asset… if she could learn to control herself.
Or maybe he'd just made the biggest mistake of his adventuring career.
Ryuto let out a long sigh, pulling the blanket over his head. "This party is going to be the death of me."
The next morning, Ryuto found himself back at the guild, once again dealing with Nina's boundless enthusiasm. She had arrived at the guild before he did, practically bouncing with excitement, her staff slung over her shoulder as she ran up to him.
"So, what's our first quest as a team?" she asked, eyes wide with anticipation. "I'm ready for anything!"
Ryuto rubbed his temples, trying to ward off the headache that was already forming. "We'll take something small for now. Let's not blow anything up on our first day, okay?"
Nina grinned, clearly not fazed by his concern. "I'm telling you, you won't regret this! I'll be the best party member you've ever had! Just wait and see!"
As she bounded off toward the quest board to scout for options, Ryuto let out another long sigh. He glanced at Roland, who had been quietly observing the chaos unfold.
"You sure about this?" Roland asked, his expression a mix of amusement and genuine concern.
"No," Ryuto admitted. "But it's too late to back out now."
Ryuto dragged a hand over his face, still feeling the sting of embarrassment after his encounter with Nina. He couldn't believe he had agreed to let her join the party. And now, with the entire guild watching, there was no turning back.
As he tried to shake off the awkwardness, Nina came bouncing back, her gear hastily thrown together—half of it mismatched and hanging loosely off her body. She carried a staff, its tip glowing faintly with traces of fire magic, and she had a wide grin plastered on her face.
"Alright! I'm all set!" she announced proudly, slinging her pack over her shoulder.
Ryuto glanced at the bag, noticing how precariously it was balanced and how likely it was to fall apart at any moment. He sighed inwardly. This was going to be a disaster.
"Yeah, okay... Let's not do anything too crazy right away," Ryuto said, still trying to wrap his head around the situation. "We'll start with something simple."
"Oh, I know just the quest we should take!" Nina said excitedly, already making a beeline toward the quest board. "It's perfect!"
Ryuto groaned, sensing trouble. "Wait, Nina, let's just—"
But it was too late. Nina had already reached the board and yanked a scroll from it, waving it excitedly in front of him. "Look at this! It's exactly what we need!"
Ryuto took the scroll, his eyes scanning over the details. As he read, his heart sank.
Quest: Eliminate the Dire Wolves of Blackrock Mountain
Description: A pack of highly dangerous Dire Wolves has been terrorizing travelers near Blackrock Mountain. The wolves are extremely fast, aggressive, and have been known to attack adventurers on sight. Only experienced adventurers are recommended for this quest.
Reward: 1500 gold
Danger Level: Extremely High
Recommended Rank: C-rank and above
Ryuto's eyes widened, and he nearly dropped the scroll. "Nina, this is a C-rank quest! We're not ready for something like this!"
Nina blinked, tilting her head with an innocent smile. "What do you mean? You took down a Behemoth, didn't you? How bad can a few wolves be?"
"Dire Wolves," Ryuto corrected, his voice rising with urgency. "These things are deadly! And there's no way an E-rank party should be taking this on."
But Nina just waved him off, completely undeterred. "Come on, Ryuto! Where's your sense of adventure? We'll be fine! You've got that crazy magic, and I've got firepower to back you up. Plus, we'll have Roland and Celeste, right?"
Ryuto felt his frustration bubbling over. "This isn't about adventure! This is about not dying! Look at the danger level—Extremely High!"
But Nina didn't seem to care. She grabbed his arm, pulling him toward the counter where Elena stood, raising an eyebrow at the pair of them. "Elena, we'll take this quest!" Nina declared confidently.
Elena's eyes widened in disbelief as she glanced at the scroll. "Uh... Nina, are you sure? This isn't exactly the kind of thing E-rank adventurers should be dealing with. You know, people have... died on this one."
Ryuto was about to agree when Nina cut him off. "We can handle it! Ryuto's super powerful, and I've got some tricks up my sleeve. Right, Ryuto?" She gave him a look, her wide eyes pleading.
Ryuto wanted to argue, but with everyone in the guild watching, including Roland—who looked like he was thoroughly enjoying the spectacle—he knew he was stuck. If he backed down now, it would only make things worse.
"Fine," Ryuto muttered through gritted teeth. "But if we die, it's on you."
Nina's grin returned in full force. "You won't regret this!"
Elena, looking equally concerned and impressed by Ryuto's bravery—or stupidity—nodded slowly. "Alright... I'll register you for the quest, but don't say I didn't warn you."
Ryuto slumped, his earlier feeling of triumph from reaching E-rank completely dashed. He had a bad, bad feeling about this.
As he sat there, exhausted and frustrated, one thought kept repeating in his mind: I've definitely made another huge mistake.