The embarrassing "Guard" team was enveloped in the pungent smell of burnt flesh.
The seemingly dangerous Orc that had cornered the "Guard" team was easily defeated by a single Fire Arrow.
Silence followed.
Even Captain Dalron, whose ankle had been crushed and who had been screaming in pain just moments ago, fell quiet.
『Third-tier magic 'Fire Arrow' detected. Requires Basic Magic class, level requirement '15–21,' current condition not met...』
Artghht! Saelran screamed internally.
The information window from his attribute panel popped up before him.
According to the rules this world Saelran had discovered, by learning Fire Mage–class magic, he should have been able to obtain that class.
But he had forgotten that learning magic in Oblivion Gate came with level requirements.
He could switch to the Basic Magic Caster class thanks to "Genius," but he clearly did not meet the level requirement.
Realizing the heavy silence around him, Saelran could guess the complex emotions swirling among the "Guard" team.
The Orcs they had fought so desperately were taken down effortlessly by their client.
It was hard not to be shaken.
Moreover, being able to use third-tier magic put someone at the equivalent of rank B or even A among adventurers.
The Guard team struggled even to reach rank D, so there was no way they could compare themselves to high-tier adventurers.
After a moment of silence, Saelran broke it by quickly approaching Captain Dalron.
Seeing the captain lying on the ground with his face twisted in agony, Saelran crouched down.
He noticed the Orc's hand still gripping Dalron's ankle tightly. "Captain Dalron, let me remove this hand first."
Captain Dalron nodded instinctively, his face flushing red.
It was unclear whether this was from pain as Saelran forcefully pried the Orc's hand off or from something else.
Saelran casually tossed aside the thick, yellowish Orc hand after snapping it off, then focused on Dalron's lower leg.
The entire lower limb was flattened, lying limp on the ground in a twisted shape. It went without saying that every bone inside was shattered.
In his previous life, an injury like this would leave a person crippled for life.
But in this world, while serious, it was not an unsolvable issue thanks to healing magic.
"Minor Healing."
Saelran whispered and reached toward the ruined leg.
A soft white glow wrapped around Captain Dalron's lower leg. Under the influence of healing magic, the crushed limb slowly plumped up as if being inflated, and the twisted shape gradually straightened.
As the numb leg regained sensation, a fresh wave of burning pain hit Dalron, making him gasp, though he managed to hold back tears.
When the light faded, the previously unrecognizable leg now looked somewhat normal again.
Seeing this, Saelran cast another Minor Healing.
By the end of the second healing spell, Captain Dalron's lower leg visibly returned to its original form.
"On the surface, it looks fine, but the bones inside are cracked and crushed.
Two spells can only provide basic repairs. Full recovery may require several more. I will finish healing you once my mana recovers."
Saelran sighed softly.
The "Guard" team had treated him well so far, and there was no reason for him to hold back.
Captain Dalron was drenched in sweat, lips pale, clearly having endured severe pain during the treatment. "Thank you, Sael."
"No need to be formal, Captain Dalron," Saelran replied.
Right then, the archer Belnar, who had been helping the injured twins Rann and Leron, arrived.
Seeing the captain's condition, he exhaled in relief and looked at Saelran with gratitude in his eyes.
"Are you two alright?" Saelran asked as he stood and looked at the supported brothers.
"Don't worry, we're not dead." Leron grinned. Aside from his pale face, he had no visible injuries.
However, since he needed Belnar's support, he likely had internal injuries.
Saelran remembered that Basque had taken a kick from the other Orc earlier.
"Some ribs broke," Rann said with a small trace of blood at the corner of his mouth. "But we're alive."
"I'll heal you once my mana returns," Saelran nodded.
Rann laughed lightly. "Alright."
"Huh?" Belnar's ears twitched suddenly. He glanced at the Orc whose arm had been struck by lightning and who lay motionless on the ground.
"Is it not fully dead?"
Hearing that, the expressions of the "Guard" members turned cold.
Saelran's eyes lit up, and before they could act, he was already walking toward the fallen Orc.
His sword flashed.
Having already blinded the Orc with an arrow, Saelran stabbed directly into its brain and twisted hard.
The Orc, already on the brink of death, died instantly.
The clean, decisive action caught the "Guard" team off guard.
Even Saelran might not have realized just how ruthless his instincts had become.
『Gained 300 Experience Points!』
Saelran saw the notification flash in his attribute panel, and surprise flickered in his eyes.
A huge amount of experience.
It instantly pushed his level up by one. Combined with the small amounts he had collected earlier, he had now reached level 5.
"You're all alright!" Eidar jumped off the carriage and ran over with a worried expression.
Instinctively, the "Guard" members exchanged looks, their eyes filled with respect as they looked at Eidar approaching.
"Don't worry, we won't delay the rest of the journey," Captain Dalron said quickly, balancing on one leg.
"That's not what I meant."
Eidar's cheeks flushed slightly. He waved his hand, about to say more, when he noticed the "Guard" members looking past him with awe.
"You all should rest a moment."
Grandpa Maray approached with his hands clasped behind his back, expressionless.
"Yes, sir."
Captain Dalron responded seriously, although the fact he was standing on one leg made him look a bit ridiculous.
A tier-three magic caster was not someone they could afford to offend, especially not after just being saved by him.
The three other "Guard" members lowered their heads, faces flushed. As adventurers, being saved by their client was embarrassing.
They still could not believe someone that powerful would hire their group for escort duty. No, maybe from the beginning, the client had only wanted to hire laborers.
Ignoring them, Grandpa Maray looked toward the direction the goblins and Orcs had appeared from.
That place was the Great Arkenwald Forest, south of the Valenca Mountains. Not only was the forest vast, it was extremely dangerous, and the town of Antara bordered its edge.
"Seems like it is time for another monster purge," Grandpa Maray muttered.
Goblins reproduced extremely fast, and when combined with the other beasts and monsters in the forest, they attacked humans nearly every year.
Thus, the Adventurers' Guild in Antara had to constantly issue monster eradication missions.