Dyren and Mira had already found an inn. Right after that, they went straight to the Adventurer's Guild to register as adventurers. The moment they stepped inside, dozens of eyes immediately turned toward them.
The guild hall was filled with the scent of alcohol, metal, and sweat that blended in the stifling air. Inside, adventurers sat or stood in small groups—some leaned against the walls, while others were either arguing or laughing loudly. Many of them looked intimidating—large, muscular bodies clad in thick patched leather clothing.
There was a tall bald man with a scar cutting across his face from temple to chin. Beside him sat a red-haired woman with hawk-like sharp eyes and a skull-shaped tattoo circling her neck. A burly dwarf with a massive hammer strapped to his back was glaring at them while chewing something that looked like dried meat.
"Don't do anything," Dyren warned.
Mira nodded. They ignored the stares directed at them and walked toward the registration desk. Behind the counter stood a very beautiful elf girl. She had green eyes, fair skin, straight white hair, and a bored expression that suggested she was tired of her job.
As Dyren and Mira approached the desk, she immediately pulled out a 'Status Orb.' It was a device that could detect a person's strength, such as level, class, and race.
"You want to become adventurers, don't you?" she asked in a lifeless tone.
Dyren nodded. "Yes, we'd like to register."
"Then place your hand on this orb. We need to assess your strength to determine your initial rank," the elf girl said.
Dyren nodded again. He lifted his hand and placed it on the orb. A second later, a bright light flooded the room. The elf girl turned her face away from the brightness. When the light faded, all eyes were once again on Dyren—curious.
The elf girl looked at the orb. She squinted her eyes. "Name: Dyren Valenhardt. Class: Necromancer. And…" She leaned closer. Dyren's level was blinking rapidly, making it hard to read. "Is this an error?"
She slapped the orb a few times with her palm, but nothing changed. Dyren's level continued flickering oddly. She brought the orb closer to her face to see more clearly.
"Level 99…"
Everyone's eyes instantly widened. Some even stood up—that number was unbelievably high. No human had ever reached that level. Legends said only Heroes and Demon Kings could attain level 99. For normal humans, it was deemed impossible—the world simply didn't allow it.
"Oh, my mistake. Level 9," the elf girl corrected herself.
Everyone looked relieved and returned to their seats. Some even laughed, mocking Dyren for having only level 9. That was equivalent to an F-rank adventurer—the lowest rank among humans. It was nearly impossible to defeat even an F-rank monster at that level.
"So weak. I don't understand how someone that weak is even alive," one of the adventurers sneered.
Dyren heard it but didn't respond. He simply stared at the elf girl, who was now preparing his identification card. After a moment, she placed a card on the table.
"Write your name and place your fingerprint here," she said, pointing at the bottom right corner of the card.
Dyren wrote his name and placed his thumb on the indicated spot. A second later, some of his identity details appeared on the card. Now he was officially a member of the Adventurer's Guild, though he would have to start from F-rank.
"The registration fee is 10 Tharv," said the elf girl.
Dyren pulled out 20 Tharv and placed it on the table. He still had quite a lot of money from the villagers earlier. Some valuable belongings from the village chief were still left behind. It wasn't much—just a chest filled with hundreds of Tharv, 10 Tharven gold coins, and a few other valuable items.
For the village chief, it wasn't considered highly valuable. But for Dyren, it was a huge asset. He wouldn't struggle to eat anymore. Not to mention the coins from other village homes—he was fairly wealthy now.
"Why are you giving me 10 extra Tharv?" she asked.
"I'm registering my friend as well," Dyren replied.
The elf girl squinted, looking at Mira. She rubbed her eyes repeatedly. She couldn't believe what she was seeing. Then she looked again—and what she saw earlier was no mistake. Her eyes widened.
"You… beastman?" she said loudly.
All the adventurers turned to Dyren and Mira once again. Two of them even stood up and began walking toward them. Realizing this was turning into a bad situation, Dyren clicked his tongue in frustration. He had tried to avoid this, but they were discovered anyway.
The bald man now stood in front of Mira. His gaze was sharp and condescending. He raised his hand and swiftly swiped it.
SRAAK!
Mira's hood flew off. Her rabbit features were now clearly visible—eyes, nose, and long ears. The adventurers all stood up in response. The bald man immediately grabbed Mira's head roughly.
"Lowly race like you dare to stand on equal ground with us?" the man spat.
He gripped Mira's head tightly and tried to push it down. At the same time, Mira's hands were clenched into fists. Her eyes sharpened, and a murderous aura nearly burst from her body. If it weren't for Dyren's command, that bald man would've been dead already.
"Kneel, filthy rabbit!" he growled.
Dyren exhaled. "Looks like I'll have to step in."
He stepped forward and grabbed the bald man's wrist. The man turned to Dyren, clearly irritated by the interruption.
"You trying to protect this slave?" he barked.
"She's my friend," Dyren replied.
"Friend? You're friends with a slave?" The bald man burst out laughing. "Everyone, look at this! A foolish boy who befriends a slave! Isn't that hilarious?" he mocked.
The other adventurers laughed. They clearly looked down on Dyren. The bald man tried to yank his arm back, but he couldn't. He pulled harder—but it was the same result.
"What the hell are you doing, boy?" he shouted.
The man's hand, gripped tightly by Dyren, wouldn't budge. Dyren was nearing the edge of his patience. He didn't want to start a fight—but the man before him had crossed the line.
CRACK!
"AAARRRGGGHHH!" the man screamed in agony.
His arm was broken. He was thrown back as Dyren released him. At the same time, the other adventurers drew their weapons—ready to fight. Dyren looked around and counted their numbers. He raised his hand, preparing to use his skill: Shadow Eruption.
"All of you… will die," Dyren said coldly.