The marketplace buzzed with life that morning — merchants shouting prices, carts rolling over cobblestone, and the faint scent of baked bread mixing with the sharper tang of tanned hides. Ren stood quietly amid the crowd, his eyes sweeping across the rows of stalls.
He'd already sold the Forest Tusker fur at Taren's Workshop, and the silver coins clinked faintly in his pouch. Now it was time to spend them wisely.
He stopped at a stall that sold various travel goods — ropes, leather belts, and bags of all sizes. A stout woman behind the counter looked up as he approached."Looking for something specific, boy?"
Ren nodded, pointing to a thick leather bag on the rack. "That one. Sturdy enough to hold tools and food?"
"Made of beast hide. It'll last you years," she said proudly. "Twenty bronze coins."
He counted the coins and placed them on the counter. The woman gave him a quick smile as she handed it over. The bag was rough but durable, large enough to carry both hunting gear and provisions.
Next, Ren made his way to a blacksmith's corner — the rhythmic clanging of metal echoing through the street. He purchased a small set of basic repair tools: a short hammer, nails, a small hand-saw, and a utility knife. Together, they cost fifteen bronze coins.
Then came a stop at a modest food stall, where an elderly couple sold salt, grain, and dried vegetables. Ren picked up a pouch of salt, a small sack of flour, and a handful of dried fruits for the children — spending another five bronze.
Finally, at a corner stall, he found a woman selling used but clean clothing. Simple tunics, belts, and sandals—nothing fancy, but far better than the torn rags his siblings had. He picked one set for each of them and one for himself, costing two silvers.
When he finished his shopping, his coin pouch felt lighter, but his heart felt lighter too. These small comforts—food, warmth, proper clothes—were what his family needed most right now.
He adjusted the new bag on his shoulder, now filled with goods, and turned toward the western road, where the Adventurer's Guild stood.
The building wasn't grand like in stories. It was sturdy, built of stone and thick beams, with a metal sign bearing the guild's insignia: a crossed sword and quill beneath a rising sun. A few armed men and women came and went through the doors, some laughing, others looking tired from recent quests.
Ren stepped inside quietly.
The air smelled faintly of parchment, iron, and ale. A large board near the entrance displayed quest papers pinned in neat rows—each marked by a colored seal. Behind the counter sat a tall woman with chestnut hair tied in a braid, wearing leather armor and a scar across her cheek. Her eyes were sharp but not unkind.
She looked up as Ren approached. "You look a bit young to be here, kid. This isn't a place for idle curiosity."
Ren straightened slightly. "I'm here to register as an adventurer."
That earned him a small raised brow. "That so?" She leaned forward. "Name?"
"Ren."
She scribbled something down. "Alright, Ren. I'm Kara, Guild Supervisor for this branch. Before I hand you a card, we've got a standard procedure. Basic test—nothing fancy. We just need to know you can defend yourself and won't die on your first job."
She gestured toward the courtyard behind the counter. "Follow me."
The training yard was small—just a flat dirt patch with a few wooden dummies and straw targets. Kara handed Ren a wooden sword. "Hit that target five times. Keep your stance balanced."
Ren nodded, taking a deep breath. His old world training instincts kicked in, and he struck smoothly—controlled, efficient. Each blow landed cleanly, the dummy shaking with every hit.
Kara watched quietly, arms crossed. "Not bad. You've had practice."
"I've… learned to adapt," Ren replied simply.
"Good answer." She handed him a parchment with a faint seal. "That's your registration approval. You're officially a Bronze Rank adventurer now—lowest rank, but it's where everyone starts."
Ren accepted the Adventurer's Card, a thin metal tag engraved with his name and rank.
Kara continued, "Ranks go Bronze, Iron, Silver, Gold, and Mythril. You can climb up by completing missions, earning points, and surviving. As for quests, they're divided by rank too—E through S, with E being errands and basic hunts, S being the kind that kills you."
Ren nodded quietly, memorizing everything.
"Your first few missions should be E or D rank. Herb gathering, small monster culling, delivery runs. The guild takes a small fee, but you'll earn coin and credibility."
He thanked her politely, slipping the tag into his pocket. But as he stepped aside, his mind was already made up.
"No ranking up. Not yet."
He thought of the broken hut, the patched roof, and the seven small faces waiting for him. The world could wait; his siblings couldn't.
For now, he'd stay low. Take only small quests. Gather money, strengthen himself, and repair the home. Fame or power didn't matter—not when he finally had a family worth protecting.
The BROTHER system flickered faintly, a soft blue light pulsing in the corner of his vision.
[System Log: Adventurer registration complete.]
[New Function Unlocked: Mission Tracking (Dormant)]
Ren smirked slightly. "You're always watching, huh?"
Kara called after him as he turned to leave. "Hey, kid! You planning to take a quest today?"
Ren shook his head. "Not yet. Got a house to fix first."
Kara chuckled. "That's a new one. Most adventurers can't wait to fight monsters. You might actually live longer than they do."
Ren smiled faintly as he pushed open the door. The sunlight hit his face, warm and reassuring. With his new bag on his back and supplies ready, he began the walk home, ready to rebuild—not just the walls of their home, but the foundation of their lives.
By the time Ren returned to the village, the sky had begun to glow with soft hues of gold and crimson. The warmth of the sun brushed against the cracked walls of the old hut — their home.
The children were already outside, waiting. Mira, the eldest after him, noticed the large bag slung across his back and ran forward.
"Ren! You're back!" she said, relief bright in her tone. "You were gone all day!"
Ren smiled faintly. "I know. But it was worth it."
He knelt down, opening the bag. One by one, he pulled out what he'd bought — the small hammer, the saw, a pouch of salt, folded clothes, and a few packets of food. The siblings' eyes widened with each item revealed.
"Clothes!" Nia squealed softly, clutching the simple cotton dress to her chest.
Rye, the quiet one, stared at the hammer. "You're going to fix the roof, aren't you?"
Ren ruffled his hair. "Not just the roof. We're rebuilding this whole place."
He stood, his tone shifting into one of calm command. "Alright, everyone. From today onward, we'll work together. No more just waiting around for luck to save us. We'll make our own future."
The children gathered close, attentive.
"Mira," Ren said, looking at his second-in-command, "you'll handle meals and water. I've got salt and flour, so start learning how to make something simple. I'll teach you later."
She nodded immediately.
"Toma, Elri — I need you two to gather dry wood from the east side of the forest. Nothing too deep, stay near the river trail."
The twins grinned, eager to move. "Got it!"
"Nia, Rye, you'll help me with cleaning the inside of the hut. Clear the dust and broken debris."
Finn and Lani, the youngest, stood side by side, eyes wide as if waiting for their share of responsibility.
Ren crouched to their level. "You two will help Mira later by sorting the new clothes and folding them. Can you handle that?"
Both nodded quickly, tiny smiles appearing on their faces.
Ren smiled softly — a rare thing for him. "Good. Let's get to work."
Hours passed with quiet focus. The rhythm of small hammers striking nails echoed faintly through the clearing. Dust swirled as the old boards came loose, and new ones were fitted in their place.
Ren worked tirelessly, measuring, cutting, replacing the rotten sections with care. His hands moved with practiced precision — the muscle memory of a man who'd rebuilt far more than homes in his old life.
Every time he looked up, one of his siblings was doing something useful — Mira was boiling water over the fire pit, Toma and Elri were stacking dry branches neatly, and Nia swept the floor until it gleamed. Even Finn and Lani were giggling while folding the small pile of clothes.
For the first time since he'd awakened in this world, the house didn't feel like a graveyard of despair — it felt alive.
As the last plank was nailed into place, the sun finally dipped below the horizon. The repaired hut stood sturdier now — patched walls, sealed gaps, and a reinforced roof. It wasn't perfect, but it was theirs.
Ren stepped back, wiping sweat from his brow. The firelight from the hearth cast a warm orange glow across the room.
"Alright," he said quietly, "this'll do for today."
The children clapped softly, pride filling their tired faces.
Then—
A faint hum echoed in his vision. The BROTHER System interface flickered back to life, brighter than before.
[System Notification]
Function: Mission Tracking – Fully Activated
Description: Once a quest is accepted through an external source, the BROTHER System will synchronize progress and track completion automatically.
Bonus Reward Protocol: Upon quest completion, additional system rewards will be granted based on contribution and efficiency.
Note: Rewards from this system are independent of sibling support protocols.
Ren blinked, reading the text carefully.
"So it was dormant until I actually became an adventurer…"
He thought back to Kara's words — about how quests were tracked by rank and report. Now, the BROTHER system would not only mirror that but enhance it.
"Extra rewards," he muttered under his breath. "This world just became a little more forgiving."
[Mission Sync: Ready]
[Awaiting External Quest Data…]
Ren smiled faintly, the fire reflecting in his eyes. "Good. That means tomorrow, we start for real."
Later that night, after everyone had eaten — a meal of warm broth and roasted roots — the children slept peacefully for the first time in weeks. Their quiet breathing filled the small hut.
Ren sat outside under the moonlight, sharpening a small knife on a stone. The night wind brushed against his face.
He looked toward the dark forest beyond. Tomorrow, he would take his first official quest. Something simple — E-rank, maybe gathering herbs or hunting small beasts.
But it would be the first step toward something bigger.
Not just survival.Not just rebuilding.But creating a home — strong enough to weather anything this world threw at them.
As the BROTHER interface dimmed back into standby mode, Ren whispered softly:
"Let's begin our real journey… together."
The wind rustled through the leaves, almost as if the world itself had heard his vow.