Victor strode into the adventurer's guild, the lively hub of activity bustling with energy. The scent of aged wood and faint traces of ale wafted through the air, accompanied by the murmur of voices. Adventurers of varying ranks clustered around quest boards, discussing plans or boasting about recent exploits. Victor's sharp eyes scanned the area as he made his way to the large board marked "City Quests."
His focus was on the more mundane jobs. "Let's see," he muttered, running a finger along the parchment sheets. "Big rat extermination... perfect."
Before he could grab the slip, a voice interrupted him. "Hey! That's ours!" a sharp, arrogant tone cut through the noise.
Victor turned, raising an eyebrow at the speaker—a tall, lithe elf with platinum-blond hair tied in an elaborate braid. Dressed in light leather armor adorned with intricate embroidery, she held herself with the haughty air of someone who believed they were destined for greatness. Her longbow, polished to a shine, rested slung across her back.
Beside her stood a small group: a nervous cat girl clutching a worn shortsword and shield, and a young mage adjusting his oversized robes. The cat girl's ears twitched at Victor's gaze, her tail curling slightly in unease. The mage, a lanky boy with round glasses, seemed to be struggling under the weight of his staff.
Victor crossed his arms. "Oh? I don't see your name on it."
The elf bristled. "We were about to take it. So, hand it over."
Victor smirked, tilting his head. "Were about to doesn't count."
The mage stepped forward, raising his hands. "Wait, wait! Please, sir, let us have this one. We're new to the city and just starting out as an adventuring party. It's hard to find quests at our level."
Victor's gaze softened slightly. He looked over the group again, noting their mismatched equipment and hesitant demeanor. They were amateurs, through and through. "Big rats aren't as easy as you think," he said flatly. "They're called novice killers for a reason."
The elf scoffed. "They're just rats. How hard could it be?"
Victor sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Fine," he said after a moment. "You can take the quest, but on one condition."
The group exchanged glances before the mage asked, "What condition?"
"I'll come along and observe. No cut of the reward, and I'll only intervene if things go south. Deal?"
The cat girl looked hesitant, her tail flicking nervously, but the mage nodded. "That's fair. Thank you, sir."
The elf, however, crossed her arms. "Why would we need you to babysit us?"
"Because," Victor replied evenly, "I'd rather not see the city morgue get three new tenants today."
Her face flushed with indignation, but the mage quickly stepped in. "We accept your condition."
"Good," Victor said, handing the quest slip to the mage. "Now, what are your names?"
The mage adjusted his glasses. "I'm Theo. Rank Copper."
The cat girl's voice was barely audible. "Mina. Copper, too."
The elf huffed. "Erynn. Copper." Her tone implied the rank was beneath her.
Victor smiled faintly. "Victor. Silver."
Their eyes widened in unison. Theo stammered, "S-Silver rank?"
Erynn's haughtiness faltered. "Why would a Silver-ranked adventurer bother with rats?"
"Sometimes," Victor replied, "even a Silver rank likes to keep an eye on promising rookies. Let's get moving."
As Viktor stepped into the sewers behind the novice party, the overwhelming stench hit him hard. He wrinkled his nose but refrained from commenting.
The group consisted of Mina, a timid cat-girl warrior clutching her short sword; Theo, an excitable young mage whose robes looked a little too clean for someone venturing into a sewer; and Erynn, a haughty elf archer with flowing silver hair and an air of superiority.
"Stay alert," Viktor advised in his usual calm tone. "Big rats are nastier than they sound."
Erynn glanced back at him with a smirk. "They're still just rats. This should be easy for us."
Viktor didn't reply, leaning casually against the damp wall. His eyes stayed sharp, ready to see how they handled their first real challenge.
The group stumbled upon their first set of adversaries: three oversized rats scuttling out of the shadows, their yellow teeth glinting in the dim torchlight. The creatures hissed and lunged forward.
Theo immediately began casting, his hands glowing with a faint blue light. "Ice Spear!" he shouted, but the spell fizzled out mid-air.
"Damn it!" Theo cursed, panic flashing in his eyes.
Mina hesitated, clutching her short sword, her ears flattening against her head. The rats were closing in.
Erynn took charge, drawing her bow. "Stand aside! I'll handle this." She loosed an arrow that struck one rat in the leg, causing it to screech but not stop.
Viktor shook his head, muttering to himself. "Poor aim under pressure. And she didn't aim for the head. Typical novice mistake."
The second rat lunged at Mina, who managed to parry with her sword but stumbled backward, nearly losing her balance.
Viktor frowned. "She's not confident in her footing. A warrior needs to hold their ground, not retreat."
The third rat darted toward Theo, who panicked and swung his staff wildly. The creature dodged and bit into Theo's boot, causing him to yelp.
With a sigh, Viktor stepped forward slightly. "You have to work as a team, not as three individuals," he called out. "Mina, guard Theo. Erynn, focus on finishing your target."
Taking his advice, Mina gritted her teeth and stepped in front of Theo, swiping at the rat. She landed a solid blow, killing it.
Erynn, emboldened, aimed a second arrow and managed to hit the first rat in the head.
"Finally," Viktor muttered.
Theo, now free, cast another Ice Spear, this time successfully piercing the last rat.
The group stood panting, their victory hard-earned.
"Sloppy," Viktor said bluntly, stepping into the light. "But you didn't die, so there's that."
Erynn scowled. "We handled it, didn't we?"
"For now," Viktor replied. "But the sewer gets worse the deeper you go."
Further into the sewers, the group encountered a pack of five rats. These were bigger and faster than the last.
Theo started the fight, firing an Ice Spear that hit one rat squarely, freezing it. Mina charged forward, attempting to intercept two of them. She managed to land a hit on one but left herself open to the other, which bit her shoulder. She cried out but didn't back down.
Viktor nodded approvingly. "She's tougher than I thought. That's good, but her stance is still too wide. She'll tire quickly."
Erynn tried to cover her, shooting an arrow that grazed one rat but missed the other.
"She's quick to fire, but she doesn't adjust for movement. No patience." Viktor sighed.
Theo, meanwhile, attempted a new spell: a fireball. The spell hit one rat but exploded too close, sending a shockwave that knocked Mina off her feet.
"Theo!" Mina shouted, glaring at him.
"Sorry!" Theo stammered.
Viktor groaned. "Friendly fire. Great. They'll get themselves killed at this rate."
The fight dragged on, with the novices slowly managing to take down the rats, though not without earning scratches and bruises.
As they ventured deeper, a low, guttural growl echoed through the tunnels, freezing them in their tracks.
"What... was that?" Mina whispered, her ears twitching.
Out of the shadows emerged a sewer lizard—massive, slimy, and far more menacing than any rat they had faced.
Theo's voice wavered. "That's... not on the quest list."
"Not something you can handle, either," Viktor added nonchalantly.
Erynn bristled. "We can take it. Right, guys?"
Mina and Theo exchanged uncertain glances but nodded reluctantly.
The lizard roared and lunged. Mina tried to block its charge but was sent flying into the wall. Erynn fired an arrow, but it glanced off the creature's thick hide.
Theo panicked, casting Ice Spear again. The spell hit, but the lizard shrugged it off, its scales barely frosted.
"That's enough," Viktor said, stepping forward.
In one swift motion, Viktor drew his sword and charged. His blade flashed as he severed one of the lizard's legs, causing it to collapse. Before it could recover, he drove his sword into its neck, ending the fight in a matter of seconds.
The novices stared in stunned silence.
"That," Viktor said, wiping his blade clean, "is how you deal with a real threat."
Mina's eyes sparkled with admiration. "You're... incredible."
Erynn crossed her arms, muttering under her breath, clearly irritated by being shown up.
Theo looked at Viktor as though he were a god. "How did you do that so easily?"
"It's called experience," Viktor replied, sheathing his sword. "And knowing not to bite off more than you can chew."
Back at the guild, the group turned in the quest slip, their reward split among them. Victor declined his share, as promised."You've got potential," he said, addressing the trio. "Stick together, keep practicing, and you'll go far."
Theo nodded earnestly. "We will. Thank you again."
Erynn muttered something under her breath, but even she couldn't deny Victor's help had been invaluable.
Mina offered a small smile. "Goodbye, Mr. Victor."
Victor waved them off before heading home. The city was quieter now, the inns bustling with life as the streets emptied. The faint hum of laughter and music followed him as he walked, the cool night air a welcome relief.
Pushing open his door, Victor stepped inside. "I'm home," he called out. Silence greeted him. He pushed the door shut with a sigh, setting his sword down by the wall.
Victor moved to the bed, his body heavy with fatigue. "Lonely here, as usual," he muttered under his breath. Kicking off his boots, he lay back, staring at the ceiling.
His thoughts drifted to the novice party. Despite their clumsiness and inexperience, they reminded him of something he hadn't felt in a long time—having fun adventuring with other people.
"At least they'll survive another day," he murmured before sleep claimed him.