The next day came, and Raven woke up as the first rays of sunlight streamed through the window. He sat up on the bed, stretched his body, and cracked his neck slightly.
"Time for another mission," he said to himself, his voice calm and cold as always.
Without further delay, Raven disappeared from his room in a flurry of black feathers, dissolving into a flock of ravens.
A few minutes later, he reappeared outside the Adventurers Guild. He stepped through the doors, and as they creaked open, all eyes turned toward him. The guild hall was alive with the usual hustle and bustle—adventurers laughing, drinking, and chatting over breakfast—but the sudden appearance of Raven brought a hush to the room.
Adventurers murmured quietly, their voices barely audible.
"It's him again…"
"That kid… how does he move so fast?"
"Isn't he the one who took out that mission in record time?"
Raven ignored their whispers, his cold crimson gaze sweeping over the hall. He moved with an air of indifference, his steps quiet but deliberate as he walked toward the mission board.
The receptionist, catching sight of him, waved and called out, "Hey, Raven! Good morning!"
Raven glanced briefly at her, his expression unchanging. He gave a faint nod in response before returning his attention to the board. The receptionist tilted her head and smiled faintly to herself, watching him curiously before returning to her duties.
Raven stood in front of the mission board, his sharp eyes scanning the list of available F-Rank missions. Lines of text detailed the various tasks:
Mission 1: Deliver medicinal herbs to the village healer
Mission 2: Clear out small critters (Slime Nest) near the farmstead
Mission 3: Escort a traveling merchant to the neighboring village
Mission 4: Investigate strange noises in the forest
He read each mission carefully under his breath, considering his options as his gaze lingered on the details. Without hesitation, he reached up and took Mission 1, Mission 2, and Mission 4 from the board.
With the mission papers in hand, Raven turned on his heel and strode toward the receptionist's desk. The receptionist, busy organizing paperwork, noticed him approaching and looked up with a cheerful smile.
"Oh, Raven! What do you have there?" she asked curiously, her voice bright.
Raven silently placed the three mission papers in front of her. The receptionist picked them up, her smile fading slightly as her eyes widened in surprise.
"W-wait… you want to take all three missions?" she stuttered, looking at Raven as if to confirm.
Raven nodded once, his cold stare unwavering.
The receptionist blinked a few times, clearly taken aback. "That's… quite a lot for one adventurer to handle, even for F-Rank missions," she said cautiously. "Are you sure you can manage it?"
Raven's response was a silent, confident gaze. His crimson eyes told her all she needed to know.
Sighing softly, the receptionist gave a small, resigned smile. "Alright, Raven. I'll explain the details of each mission." She set the papers down and began to summarize them carefully:
"Mission 1 is a delivery job. You'll need to deliver a bundle of medicinal herbs to the healer in the nearby village of Greystone. The package is already prepared, and you just need to get it there safely."
"Mission 2 involves clearing out a slime nest near the farms just outside the city. The farmers reported an infestation, and it's starting to damage their crops. Slimes are weak, but they can swarm quickly if left unchecked."
"Mission 4 requires you to investigate strange noises reported deep in the Blackpine Forest. Villagers have been hearing growls and movement at night, but no one knows what's causing it. Be careful—there might be monsters."
Raven listened quietly, absorbing every detail. When she finished, the receptionist looked at him again, a note of concern softening her tone. "Please be careful out there, Raven. Taking on three missions at once is no small task."
Raven gave her a brief nod in acknowledgment. "Understood."
She smiled faintly. "Good luck, Raven."
Raven turned and walked toward the guild's exit without another word, the mission papers securely in his hand. The adventurers nearby whispered among themselves as he passed.
"He's taking three missions at once? Is he crazy?"
"Does he think he's some kind of prodigy?"
"I don't know… but something about him gives me chills."
Raven ignored their voices, his focus already on the missions ahead. He pushed open the guild doors, stepping back out into the cool morning air.
Raven stood in the middle of the street, the mission papers in his hand. He glanced at Mission 1 and Mission 2, his expression unchanged.
"Combo Skill: Mana Control + Sonic Step."
In an instant, Raven vanished in a blur of motion, his body dissolving into streaks of shadow and mana.
Two hours later, Raven had completed Mission 1 and Mission 2 with clinical precision. He delivered the medicinal herbs to the village healer, obtained proof of completion, and swiftly cleared the slime nest outside the farms. The farmers, shocked by his speed, handed him the confirmation papers for the second mission, still too stunned to say much.
With the two missions done, Raven reappeared at the Adventurers Guild.
BOOM!
The sound of his sudden arrival shook the guild hall, causing papers to scatter and adventurers to jump in alarm. Several mugs of ale spilled onto the tables as everyone turned to look toward the entrance in shock.
"W-what the hell was that?!" one adventurer shouted.
The receptionist, startled, looked up to see Raven standing there, as calm and collected as ever.
"R-Raven?!" she stuttered, trying to catch her breath. "What are you doing here?"
Raven walked silently to the desk, his cold crimson stare fixed on her as he reached into his coat and pulled out the two Proofs of Completion. He placed them on the counter.
"Two missions done," he said flatly, his voice as emotionless as ever.
The receptionist blinked in surprise, picking up the proof documents and scanning them. "Y-you already finished both missions?" she stammered, clearly shocked.
Raven nodded once, standing still like a statue as he waited.
"I-I see…" the receptionist muttered, a smile of disbelief forming on her face. "That's incredible, Raven! You cleared two missions in record time again. Here are your rewards."
She handed him two pouches of gold, one for each completed task. Raven took them calmly, his cold crimson gaze still fixed on her.
"Thanks," he said flatly.
The receptionist smiled faintly, a slight blush creeping onto her cheeks. "No problem… Raven."
Raven tucked the rewards away and turned back toward the guild exit. "I'll be back in a couple of hours. I'll do Mission 4."
Before anyone could react, Raven vanished in a swirl of black feathers, leaving a faint gust of wind in his wake.
The adventurers around the hall stood in stunned silence.
"H-he's going for the third mission already?"
"How does he move that fast?"
"That guy… isn't human."
The receptionist smiled softly to herself, her face still flushed. "He really is something else," she whispered under her breath.
The receptionist smiled as she placed two pouches of gold coins on the counter.
"Here are your rewards for completing the missions, Raven," she said warmly.
Raven nodded once, his cold crimson eyes fixed on her as he collected the rewards and tucked them away. "Thanks," he said flatly, his voice calm and emotionless as ever.
The receptionist blinked but kept her smile, her cheeks faintly flushed. "No problem," she said, her voice softer this time.
Raven turned toward the door, pausing only briefly to look back at her. "I'll be back in a couple of hours. I'll do Mission 4."
Before she could respond, Raven's body dissolved into a swirl of black feathers and shadows, vanishing from sight. A faint gust of wind swept through the guild hall, ruffling papers and sending a hushed silence across the room.
"W-what just happened?" an adventurer stammered, his eyes wide with disbelief.
"Did he just say he's taking another mission already?" another muttered, shaking his head.
"How does he move that fast?" a third adventurer whispered, his voice barely audible.
The whispers grew louder, adventurers voicing their opinions with a mixture of awe, jealousy, and fear.
The receptionist, still watching where Raven had vanished, let out a small sigh, her smile lingering. "He really is something else," she said softly, a faint blush still coloring her cheeks. "I wonder how far he can go..."
Meanwhile, Raven reappeared near the outskirts of the village where Mission 4 was set. A faint ripple of shadows faded as he stood still on the dirt road, the nearby trees rustling in the evening wind. The sun was starting to set, casting a faint orange glow across the horizon.
Raven gazed ahead, his sharp eyes narrowing as he surveyed the area.
"Strange noises in the forest," he muttered quietly to himself, recalling the details of the mission. His cold expression didn't waver as he began walking toward the forest, his black coat flowing behind him like a shadow.
The nearby village was just a few minutes away, its small houses and lanterns coming into view as he moved silently through the path. A few villagers spotted him from afar, their voices quiet as they watched the lone figure approach.
Let it be continued...