One week passed.
Seven mornings of training, sweat, and sore muscles. Of slimes bouncing through drills. Of Lio trying to exist while being a magnet for green slimes. And yet, none of them gave up.
Selena's strikes were crisp and fluid now. Rika developed terrifying accuracy in both stance and speed. Hina, though gentler, kept pace through sheer quiet discipline. Yuzu had stopped tripping over her own feet and now moved with deliberate focus. Even Lio, despite slime distractions and endless teasing, had improved his endurance and drive.
Red watched it all in silence. He rarely praised. He never coddled. But they could feel it.
Today, something was different.
Red stood in the backyard with arms folded.
"Get cleaned up," he said. "Today, you take your first real step."
The group stared.
"What do you mean?" Selena asked.
Red turned toward the house. "You're ready. To be adventurers. Officially."
Gasps. Yuzu nearly dropped her training staff. Hina's eyes widened. Even Rika straightened up a bit more.
Lio pumped a fist. The Greenie on his head did a tiny celebratory hop.
An hour later, they stood outside a forge at the edge of Silverhaven's craftsman quarter. Smoke drifted upward, the rhythmic clang of hammer on steel echoing through the open windows.
The sign above read: Bron & Sons: Arms for All.
Inside, a towering dwarf with soot-covered arms and a braided beard looked up from his anvil.
"Red, you bastard. Been years," he grunted, wiping his brow. "Didn't think I'd see you dragging kids in here."
Red nodded. "They need equipment. Starter sets. Durable. Balanced."
The dwarf chuckled, then looked the group over.
"Skinny. Scrawny. Nervous. Perfect. Let's fix that."
He set to work.
Each recruit was fitted with rookie gear.
Selena, after a brief but thoughtful pause, chose a sturdy small round shield instead of twin blades. "I want to protect others," she said. "Not just fight." She was given a short sword as backup, but her stance with the shield was solid and instinctive. Red noted it silently, the path of a Guardian suited her.
Rika was given a bow with three practice strings and light mail under a reinforced tunic.
Yuzu was handed a carved staff with a faint enchantment for stability and a robe lined with hidden padding.
Hina received a healer's satchel, a light shield, and reinforced traveling boots.
Lio, beaming, was outfitted with a short sword, leather vest, and iron bracers, all while the Greenie supervised proudly from atop his head.
Even the twins were given wooden practice daggers and matching cloaks, which they wore like royalty.
By the time they left the blacksmith, they looked… still a little awkward. Still thin. But there was a change. They stood straighter. Walked with purpose.
Red led them toward the Adventurer's Guild Hall.
The massive stone building loomed ahead, banners flapping in the breeze, the entrance busy with seasoned fighters, armored veterans, and confident rookies.
As the group entered, heads turned.
Whispers rose.
"Is that Red?"
"Wait, he brought a bunch of kids?"
"They look like they'd break swinging a sword."
"Is that guy wearing a slime as a hat?!"
Lio wilted slightly. "I knew I should've left him at home."
The Greenie squeaked and made the cutest little face in existence.
Everyone within ten meters paused.
A female rogue dropped her mug. "Okay, it is too cute. I can't."
Yuzu giggled. "See? He's like your spirit pet now."
Lio groaned, but the Greenie gently nuzzled his forehead.
Red brought them to the front desk, where Sophia blinked at the sight of the full crew.
Sophia: "You finally bringing in a party, Red? Thought you'd sworn off teams forever."
Red: "They're ready. Register them."
Sophia pulled out forms and dipped her pen in ink.
Sophia: "Names. Ages. Role preferences. We need to document their chosen focus: melee, ranged, support, or caster. Guild record starts today."
The rookies stepped up one by one, filled out their info, and added their signatures.
Lia and Lana clapped from the bench.
Lia: "Big Brother is a real adventurer now!"
Lana: "Yuzu too! And Selena! And everyone!"
From the side, a group of smug Bronze-ranked adventurers snickered.
"They look like they couldn't lift a chicken."
"Did that one trip signing her own name?"
"What a joke."
Yuzu's hands trembled. Lio clenched his fists. Even Rika scowled.
Red didn't turn to the hecklers.
He simply said, loud enough for them all to hear:
Red: "Everyone starts small. Even the strongest. Laugh all you want now. Just remember their faces. You might end up answering to them someday."
The room went quiet.
The mocking adventurers looked away.
Selena whispered, smiling. "He really is terrifying when he talks."
Sophia handed them their official rookie badges.
Simple bronze tags engraved with their initials and a small spark rune.
Sophia: "Welcome to the Adventurer's Guild," she said with a smirk. "You're official now."
Lio looked down at his badge.
Yuzu clutched hers close to her chest.
Even Rika looked... satisfied.
Red turned to them.
Red: "Tomorrow, your first quest."
Everyone nodded.
And the Greenie on Lio's head did a proud wiggle.
Later that day, the group gathered in a circle outside the guild hall, their new badges gleaming faintly in the afternoon sun.
Rika spun hers around her finger. "So... what now? We just grab a bounty and hope we don't get eaten?"
"There are a lot of papers inside," Yuzu added nervously. "I saw dozens on the quest board."
"Some had skulls," Lio muttered. "That's probably bad."
Lia nodded solemnly. "No skulls for Big Brother."
They all turned to Red, who stood leaning against a post with arms folded, expression unreadable as always.
Selena stepped forward. "So, what quest should we take first?"
Red looked at them all for a long moment. Then he pushed off the post.
Red: "You'll start small. Observation, discipline, teamwork. The first quest isn't about glory. It's about proving you can function as a unit."
He gestured toward the board.
Red: "Tomorrow morning, you'll take a good look at the quest board before choosing, or otherwise..."
Yuzu paled a little. "Monsters..."
Selena nodded. "We'll be ready."
Lio looked nervous, then the Greenie made a happy bounce on his head. "Okay... maybe we'll be ready."
Red smirked ever so slightly. "Don't be late."