The dirt road curved downhill, and with every step, the walls of Elton grew larger.
From afar, they'd looked old from up close, they were downright ancient. The stones were uneven, some cracked and patched over with layers of newer material. Moss clung between them like veins on aging skin.
At the city gate, a pair of guards leaned against their spears. Their armor wasn't polished a dull iron, scratched and dented but their eyes were sharp enough.
When they saw me approaching, one stepped forward.
"Traveler?"
"Yeah," I said, lifting my hands slightly. "Just passing through. Looking for work."
He studied me for a moment, eyes landing on the wooden sword at my waist and my plain cloak.
"Another wannabe adventurer, huh? You folks have been pouring in lately."
He waved me through without much fuss, though I could tell he'd memorized my face just in case.
That was how Elton was friendly enough to take your coin, cautious enough to count your teeth before letting you smile.
The air changed as soon as I crossed the gate.
It hit me all at once the smell of iron and smoke, the buzz of chatter, the
Cobblestone paths spread like veins through the town, crowded with stalls selling fruits, weapons, and trinkets. Some vendors shouted about potions, others about armor polished to "shine like mithril." The crowd moved like a tide — merchants, mercenaries, thieves, and dreamers.
I passed by a group of young adventurers bragging loudly about their last quest it's a goblin nest, judging from the bits of green blood on their boots.
They were laughing, drunk on adrenaline and youth.
This is what Elton was it's a good place to start in as it's full of low class monsters
Mostly 12th tier up to 9th tier. And even so the 9th tier mosters are so rare
That's why most experienced adventurers left this place to gain more in other places
A good place to train before i tackle that dungeon. It isn't particularly hard but requires an preparation and effort
Thankfully this place is full of monster settlements.
It's basically the territory of monsters. Anyway the most common monsters here are goblins, silver wolfs, wild boars and poisonous spiders.
They'll be good for my trait which thrives more in the small things
Not to brag but I'm actually the only person who could use the empty vessels skill absorption to it's fullest potential
Which became my trademark in the fandom
'The devourer Nam'
With my trait absorption I absorb various powers and used them to my benefit. But this traits has its downsides
Its costly and inefficient
There is also a risk of self damage special if I'm dealing with cursed energies like dark mana, corrupted soul and chaotic divine energy
But of course I found the solution to that
It's actually simple. The reason why I cannot store energy is because my vessel is broken so they seep out of my body.
So what if I use external methods. Which allows me to access mana and perform magic
Simple right
Not really
I actually got Three choices one was easier than the rest but it's just a mere temporary measure while the other may benefit me for a long run but is hard to acquire
And the only way to get them early on before the entrance exam is Adventurer
And the only way to become adventurer is to go the Guild
That's where I am going to the guild
I turned left, following the familiar route. My feet carried me automatically, guided by the muscle memory of a player who'd walked these streets thousands of times through a monitor.
On my right was the blacksmith's forge, its front open to the street. Sparks danced in the air as a burly man hammered a blade on the anvil. His forearms were thick as logs, his face blackened by soot.
He looks pissed somewhat
The market square was next — the heart of Elton. A fountain sat at the center, its water shimmering faintly with traces of mana. Children ran around it, tossing coins and laughing while vendors yelled about the "freshest griffin meat in the borderlands."
Despite the chaos, there was warmth in the air.
Everyone had their own story, their own struggle.
And for a fleeting moment, I felt like I belonged here.
I finally reached a familiar building at the end of the street — large wooden doors, a crest carved above them: a sword crossed with a quill.
The Adventurer's Guild.
Even from outside, I could hear the muffled noise laughter, shouting, the clinking of mugs.
It felt nostalgic.
I pushed the doors open.
The guild hall smelled faintly of ale, parchment, and iron.
It was noisy, but not chaotic a kind of rhythm that only existed in places where danger and business mixed freely.
No one batted an eye despite a young man had walk in the middle of them
But I know why. It's an hidden function of my trait the absence of my mana cores easily let other external source to to overwhelmed my presence
Making myself basically impervious of detection
But it's not like they can't physically see me either
Either way, I ignored them and approached the counter.
Behind it sat a woman with chestnut hair tied into a neat bun. Her uniform was clean but simple white shirt, brown vest, a small silver tag pinned on her chest.
As I stood Infront of her she seemed to not be able to notice me so I had no other choice but to let her know of my presence
"Uhmm"
Her eyes rose to meet mine unbothered by my sudden appearance
"State your business I'm busy"
Her tone is brash, If a fairly famous adventurer had first heard a mere clerk speaking like this they might throw a fuss
But I know more than that
Since she's not just a clerk she was the guild leader. It's not actually a secret it's just they are lacking for people so she had no choice but to help
It's unbecoming as a Guild leader right but that's just the way she is
I could guess because I know her
Elena she was a famous side character in the E.F.O. as the Steel faced clerk
Beneath that pretty face of hers is a nasty personality.
Especially when drunk
But even so everyone respects her specially the adventurers who had seen what she truly was
"I'd like to register as an adventurer," I said simply.
She blinked. Once.
Then sighed softly
Her lips twitched into a polite, practiced smile.
"Wait a moment"
"Of course you do," she muttered under her breath, pulling a form from the stack beside her.
Her tone remained professional, but I caught the faint trace of pity there. Or maybe amusement.
She handed me the paper. "Fill this out. Name, age, birthplace, and if you have any prior combat experience."
"Nam Gi Won," I replied, writing neatly. "No previous experience."
"Oh, I see…" she said, her eyes darting over the form. "So you're a beginner in every sense."
The smile on her face didn't change — but the subtle curve of her brow did.
Then, leaning slightly forward, she began her explanation in a tone that was almost motherly..
"Adventurer Registration 101"
"Before you sign anything," she said, "let me make sure you understand what you're getting into."
Her voice was calm, measured the way people talk when they're about to say something that matters.
"There are five ranks: Wooden, Copper, Silver, Gold, and Mythril.
Wooden is the lowest — mostly errands, deliveries, gathering herbs, and cleaning monster nests close to town."
I nodded. "So I start from the bottom."
"Exactly," she said, eyes narrowing slightly. "And the bottom is… harsh. Most wooden-plates don't last a month."
She began listing the rules while stamping a few papers:
"Rule one: Never accept a quest above your rank.
Rule two: Always report back before dusk.
Rule three: Never hunt alone in unknown territory.
Rule four: Return the guild's equipment if you die — assuming someone finds your body."
She looked up.
"Still interested?"
Her tone was flat, but I could feel the weight behind her words — like she'd said that same line too many times to too many corpses.
I just smiled. "Yeah. I'll take the risk."
Her brow twitched. "Of course you will."
She continued, clearly against her better judgment.
"Every adventurer also receives a tag as identification. Yours will be wooden — for now. The color reflects your rank, and it must be worn visibly. Lose it, and you're fined."
"Got it."
"And last but not least," she said, voice dropping slightly, "this isn't a playground. You get things by paying through real blood."
She leaned closer, eyes sharp now — professional mask cracking just a bit.
"Adventuring isn't about glory. It's about survival."
I met her gaze and chuckled softly.
'she must've have been worried of me specially since I looks like a kid'
"Sure" I said accompanied by a fresh smile
Then she looked away, clicking her tongue.
Behind her calm demeanor, I know her, that sharp tongue, the sarcastic remarks, the woman who used to scold every newbie until they either improved or quit.
I couldn't help but smile.
"You haven't changed."
Her eyes flicked to me, confused. "Have we met?"
"Not… exactly," I said. "Let's just say I've heard about you."
She raised a brow but didn't pry. "...Whatever that means."
Then she handed me a small wooden plate with my name carved into it.
"You are still an unofficial member so things you could do are limited "
"So to become an official member one must complete at least one mission with other experienced adventurers"
"Pretty simple right"
She took out a paper nearby and handed it on me
"Luckily there was an available spot right now. If you want you could join them as long as you won't be a dead weight."
I glanced at the paper containing the details of the raid goblin settlement Risk E. It was a raid that requires at least one silver rank and ten copper rank members since they lack one they probably needs just someone to fill in
"I'll take it on"
She nodded
"They will set off after three so be sure to be here"
I left the guild and stood in the street again.
The sun was setting, bathing Elton in amber light.
"Five months until the academy," I murmured. "Plenty of time to prepare."
I looked toward the distant hills — toward the forest where the Wolf Fang Dungeon lay, its entrance hidden beneath layers of fog and myth.
A small smirk crossed my lips.
"Let's start small."
For now, I'd gather herbs. Hunt goblins.
Test the limits of this frail, broken body.
Because before saving anyone else —
I had to make sure Nam Gi Won could stand again.
---
✦ End of Chapter.