Dave took a steadying breath and approached the registration counter. A woman stood behind it—probably in her late twenties, with short chestnut hair tied into a practical bun and a pair of reading glasses.
She looked up briefly, eyes scanning him from head to toe. Her expression was neutral, professional—but there was a slight flicker of disinterest when she realized he wasn't one of the usual well-equipped adventurers.
"Next," she said.
"Um… I'd like to register," Dave said.
She nodded and pulled out a form from under the counter. "Name?"
"Dave Snyder."
She wrote it down neatly, her quill gliding across the paper.
"Age?"
"Sixteen."
Her brow raised slightly. "You're a little young to be registering on your own. Parents not with you?"
Dave hesitated. "No. They… I'm alone."
She didn't pry further. "Fine"
Then she looked up. "Do you possess an ability?
Dave's lips tightened. "No. I don't have an ability."
There was a pause.
She blinked.
Then blinked again.
"…None?" she asked, this time lowering her quill and giving him a full stare.
Dave shook his head. "None."
"Not even a passive skill? Physical enhancement?
"Nothing," he said again, quietly.
She sighed. "Alright. No ability." She scribbled something beside his name, then reached under the counter and pulled out a plain Yellow-colored Card.
"This is your Adventurer ID," she said. "You're Rank F—starting level. That means you're only allowed to take Rank F quests, the lowest difficulty. Basic monster hunts, item collection, simple deliveries. Do not attempt anything higher or your license will be revoked."
And you can you it for payment as well any money you make from quest you will be paid directly to the card
She slid the Card across the counter. "Take it."
Dave picked it up. It was cold and surprisingly light. His name was engraved on the front along with a small "F" symbol at the corner.
"Just out of curiosity," she said flatly, "do you at least have a weapon?"
Dave nodded. "Yes. Two blades."
"Well, that's something," she muttered, mostly to herself. "Not many survive in this line of work without an ability these days. Don't expect people to take you seriously out there."
"I don't need them to," Dave replied, his voice quiet but firm. "I just need to survive."
She glanced at him again, this time a little longer. Still neutral… but maybe slightly less dismissive.
"Hmph," she said finally. "There's a board to your left. All available Rank F quests are posted on the bottom half. Choose one, tear off the slip, and return to me to confirm. After that, you're on your own."
Dave nodded. "Thank you."
She waved her hand and returned to writing in her ledger, clearly already forgetting him.
But Dave wasn't bothered.
He stared at the Card in his hand again."it's just like the one they gave us in that damn academy" He said
It wasn't fancy. It wasn't powerful.
But it was his.
And it was a start.
Dave approached the quest board, his eyes scanning the lower half where the Rank F requests were neatly posted. The board was cluttered with parchment slips, each detailing small, mundane tasks:
— Gather 10 wildroot herbs from the forest outskirts.
— Deliver a package to the blacksmith in Northwick Village.
— Collect fresh water from the Westspring and return before dusk.
They were simple. Safe. Boring.
And yet, Dave's gaze didn't settle on any of them.
Instead, something else caught his eye. A slip, slightly curled at the edges, pinned to the far right of the board.
Quest Title: Clear Beast Infestation – Rank F
Details: A group of low-level beasts has made a nest near the southern cliffs. Clear them out. Estimated threat level: manageable.
Reward: 100 points and You may keep all beast crystals obtained.
Dave read the words again.100 points +
You may keep all beast crystals obtained.
And 100 points is worth and E rank crystal,1000 for D rank 10000 for c rank and so on
That line alone was enough to make his pulse quicken.
"Hey, kid."
Dave turned to see the middle-aged man from earlier leaning against a post nearby, arms crossed, watching him. "You thinking of taking that one?"
Dave nodded slowly. "Yeah."
The man raised an eyebrow. "That's not the easiest pick for a beginner. You sure you want to go with a combat quest right off the bat?"
Dave met his eyes. "I need food. A place to sleep. Beast crystals can pay for both."
The man scratched his beard. "Fair enough… but don't expect it to be a walk in the woods. Even Rank F beasts can tear you up if they gang up on you."
"I can handle it," Dave said.
The man studied him for a moment, then gave a small shrug. "Alright then. Your life, your call. Just be careful. F-rank or not, dying out there makes no difference."
Dave turned back to the board, tore the slip off the pin, and gripped it tightly in his hand.
He walked back toward the registration counter, ready to turn it in and make the quest official.
It was a gamble.
But it was a chance to earn points and crystals to sleep under a roof… and eat.
He didn't need comfort.
He needed survival.
And if that meant fighting beasts again, so be it.
Dave walked back toward the counter, the Rank F quest slip clutched in his hand. The same lady from before, with her neatly tied bun and tired eyes, was still behind the desk, sorting through a stack of parchment.
She looked up as he approached.
"You again?" she said with a half-curious tone. "Already found something?"
Dave nodded and placed the quest slip on the counter. "I want to take this one."
She picked it up and scanned it. Her expression immediately shifted from neutral to surprised.
"A beast clearing quest?" she said, raising an eyebrow. "You just registered. No team, no prior experience, and…" she glanced at the corner of the form, "no ability?"
"I'm going solo," Dave replied calmly.
She stared at him for a few seconds longer than necessary, then gave a small sigh. "That's… bold."
Another adventurer nearby overheard and leaned in. "Wait, he's doing a solo beast-clearing quest? At Rank F? That's suicide."
"Poor kid probably doesn't know what he's doing," muttered someone else behind him.
"I've seen people twice his size come back from those kinds of quests with broken arms," said a tall man near the board. "Or not come back at all."
Dave didn't respond. He just stood silently, waiting.
The woman behind the counter softened her tone. "Look, I have to ask—are you sure? I mean, I can't stop you from accepting it, but… once it's registered, it's official. If you die out there, the guild won't take responsibility."
"I'm sure," Dave said firmly.
She paused, then slowly nodded. "Alright. I'll mark it down."
She stamped the quest slip with the guild seal, then reached under the counter and pulled out a small, rolled parchment.
"This is a map to the quest location. It'll lead you to the southern cliffs. That's where the beasts were last reported nesting." She handed it over, hesitating just a little. "There are a few paths there, but be careful. The main route is safer, but slower. Don't take unnecessary risks."
Dave took the map and nodded silently.
The woman gave a faint sigh again, shaking her head. "You're either brave or stupid, kid. Maybe both."
"I've been called worse," Dave muttered under his breath as he turned and walked away.
Behind him, the murmurs continued. Some shook their heads in pity. Others looked amused.
But none of them knew the truth.
He wasn't just fighting for a reward.
He was fighting to get stronger.