The following day, Rin woke up to find his entire neighborhood buzzing with excitement. It seemed his "heroic" reputation was growing faster than he'd realized. Each time he passed someone on the street, he'd get a nod of respect or even a few whispered comments about his "legendary" fight with the goblins and the wolf.
"Good morning, Hero Rin!" a shopkeeper greeted as he walked by.
Rin gave a small wave, feeling his face flush. He still wasn't used to the title. "Morning…"
The title didn't quite sit right with him, but the perks were undeniable. Yesterday's pouch of coins, for instance, was more money than he usually earned in a month doing odd jobs. Though he was reluctant to admit it, the thought of making a decent living this way was starting to seem less terrible.
If I can keep doing these smaller missions, maybe this hero gig won't be so bad, he thought, eyeing the pouch in his pocket. No giant monsters. Just small jobs… quiet, under-the-radar jobs…
Of course, his "quiet life" plans were doomed from the start.
---
A Call from the Hero Guild
As Rin headed toward the local tavern for breakfast, he noticed a commotion by the Guild office. A large crowd had gathered, all of them murmuring with excitement.
"Did you hear? The Guild's called a special meeting for all heroes in the region!"
"Apparently, there's been a spike in monster activity around here. They're forming teams to investigate!"
Rin felt a chill run down his spine. The last thing he wanted was to get swept up in a team mission. He was about to turn and slip away when a voice called out behind him.
"Rin Park!"
He froze. Turning slowly, he saw the Guild official from before striding toward him, clipboard in hand and an expression that suggested she was not in the mood for excuses.
"Rin, we need to talk. Come with me," she said, gesturing for him to follow.
---
Meeting the Guild Team
Rin found himself being ushered into a meeting room inside the Guild office, where a small group of heroes was gathered around a map on the table. He recognized a few of them—young, fit, and clearly much more qualified than him to be taking on real missions. There was Jisoo, the hot-tempered warrior with a glowing red sword; Minho, a magic user known for his powerful fire spells; and Sunwoo, a healer who was infamous for charging outrageous fees.
The Guild official, who Rin was starting to think of as "Ms. Clipboard," gestured toward the map, her expression serious.
"As many of you know, monster sightings have been on the rise lately," she began. "The latest reports indicate a strange gathering of monsters at the old ruins outside the village. We believe they may be planning an attack."
The room fell silent, tension hanging thick in the air. Rin's mind was racing. This isn't happening. Please tell me they're not going to send me on this mission.
Ms. Clipboard continued, "Due to the threat level, the Guild has decided to send a team to investigate. And based on recent… accomplishments, we believe you're the right candidates for the job."
Rin's stomach dropped. He looked around the room, hoping to make eye contact with someone who might share his hesitation, but all he saw were excited, determined faces.
"Rin, you'll be part of this team as well," Ms. Clipboard said, meeting his gaze.
He opened his mouth to protest, but her expression made it clear that arguing would be pointless. She moved on quickly, assigning roles and strategies, leaving him standing there, his mind a whirl of panic.
---
An Unexpected Strategy Session
After the meeting, the team gathered outside to discuss their plan. Rin stood at the edge of the group, trying to figure out a way to get out of this without looking like a complete coward.
Jisoo, the warrior, smirked as she noticed him hanging back. "So, Slime Slayer, what's your strategy?"
Rin gulped, scratching the back of his head. "Uh… my strategy is… not to get in anyone's way?"
Sunwoo, the healer, chuckled. "Well, at least he's honest. But we're going to need every bit of help we can get. From what I've heard, these ruins have all sorts of dangerous creatures. Goblins, wolves, maybe even trolls."
"Trolls?" Rin's voice cracked. "I thought this was just a… a scouting mission?"
Minho, the mage, laughed, clapping Rin on the shoulder. "Relax, man. You're the hero of the village now! Everyone's counting on you!"
Rin tried to force a smile, but his mind was racing with ways to get out of this mission. How did I end up here? I just wanted to make a little money, not get thrown into a death trap!
But as the team finalized their plan, he realized there was no escaping it. He was going to the ruins with them, whether he liked it or not.
---
The Journey to the Ruins
The next morning, the team set off at dawn, armed with supplies and a determination that Rin didn't quite share. The path to the ruins led them through dense forest, winding trails, and eerie silence that seemed to stretch on forever.
As they walked, Rin tried to stick to the back of the group, letting the others take the lead. Jisoo and Minho led the way, chatting excitedly about tactics and monster weaknesses, while Sunwoo kept a watchful eye on their surroundings.
"Rin," Minho called back to him, "you're keeping an eye out for monsters back there, right?"
"Uh, yeah. Sure thing," Rin replied, though he was mostly just focusing on not tripping over roots.
As they ventured deeper into the forest, the atmosphere grew more ominous. Strange shadows flickered in the trees, and every now and then, a distant howl would send chills down Rin's spine. He couldn't shake the feeling that something—or someone—was watching them.
Eventually, they reached the entrance to the ruins, a crumbling stone archway covered in moss and vines. The team gathered in a small circle, their faces tense.
"Alright, everyone," Jisoo said, drawing her sword. "Stay sharp. We don't know what we're dealing with yet, but whatever it is, we can handle it."
Rin tried to take a steadying breath. His heart was pounding, and his palms were slick with sweat. He gripped his sword tightly, hoping he wouldn't have to use it.
---
A Close Encounter
They moved cautiously through the ruins, their footsteps echoing in the empty corridors. The air was thick with the scent of damp stone and mold, and the dim light cast eerie shadows on the walls.
Suddenly, a growl echoed from somewhere up ahead. The group froze, each of them instinctively reaching for their weapons. Rin's heart felt like it was about to jump out of his chest.
"What… what was that?" he whispered, clutching his sword so tightly his knuckles turned white.
"It sounded big," Sunwoo murmured, his eyes scanning the darkness.
Jisoo motioned for everyone to stay quiet as they slowly advanced, their eyes trained on the shadows. The growling grew louder, and soon enough, they spotted the source—a massive troll, twice as tall as any of them, with gray, leathery skin and a pair of beady, red eyes that glowed in the dim light.
The troll spotted them and let out a deafening roar, charging forward with surprising speed for something so big.
"Scatter!" Jisoo shouted.
The group split up, each of them diving to the side as the troll barreled past, smashing into a wall with a force that shook the entire corridor. Rin found himself pressed against the cold stone, his heart racing as he tried to come up with a plan.
Minho unleashed a torrent of fireballs at the troll, but the creature barely flinched, its thick skin absorbing most of the impact. Jisoo charged in with her sword, striking at its legs, while Sunwoo cast a protective spell over the group.
Rin, meanwhile, stood frozen, his mind racing. What am I supposed to do? He could barely handle a wolf—this was a whole other level of danger.
But as he watched his teammates struggling against the troll, something inside him stirred. He couldn't just stand there and do nothing. Taking a deep breath, he gripped his sword and charged toward the troll, his mind blank with fear.
As he got closer, he noticed a weak spot on the troll's leg—a small wound from one of Jisoo's strikes. Without thinking, he aimed his sword at the wound and struck as hard as he could.
The troll let out a roar of pain, stumbling backward. Seizing the opportunity, Jisoo and Minho launched a combined attack, their weapons flashing in the dim light. Finally, after a few tense moments, the troll collapsed to the ground, defeated.
The group stood in silence, panting and staring at the fallen creature. Rin's heart was still racing, but a strange sense of satisfaction washed over him. He had actually helped.
"Nice work, everyone," Jisoo said, clapping him on the back. "Especially you, Rin. Maybe you really are a hero after all."
Rin chuckled weakly, trying to catch his breath. Maybe, he thought, a small smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. But I'd still prefer to stay out of situations like this.