In a small adventurer's tavern…
The creaking sound of wooden floorboards filled the air with every step, mixing with the constant murmur of voices.
Thick wooden tables were placed close to one another.
Some adventurers sipped their drinks while speaking loudly,
while others spent the early hours of the day staring at quest posters, searching for work.
The air was heavy with the mixed scent of alcohol, sweat, and old wood.
Amidst the crowded tavern stood a man.
He was tall, heavily built, with exceptionally broad shoulders.
The expression on his face was that of someone who had survived years in the wild.
In his right hand, he held a quest paper.
Printed on thick parchment, it was one of the many requests commonly seen in adventurer guilds.
Recently, a savage bear had appeared, attacking traveling merchants along the nearby roads.
Reward: 2 Silver
The man stared at the paper for a while longer.
Then he let out a sharp breath through his nose.
As if he had made his decision.
Lightly crumpling the parchment in his hand, he began walking toward the tavern door.
Creak…
With every step—
Creak…
—the wooden floor groaned beneath his weight.
The sound could be heard even through the noise of the tavern.
As he approached the door,
he paused for a brief moment.
He reached for the door handle.
And was about to step outside.
At that moment—
"Aaaaahh!"
A sharp, thin scream pierced through the tavern.
All the adventurers frowned.
Their gazes shifted toward the large man who had shouted.
Those drinking froze mid-sip.
Those eating stopped with their hands still in the air.
Those reading quest papers dropped the parchments onto the tables.
Every single gaze locked onto the door.
At the entrance…
A young figure stood there.
He looked around nineteen years old, not particularly tall.
His light brown hair was messy.
He wore a torn, cheap-looking cloak.
Around his waist were belts, a small pouch attached to them,
and a short, thin sword hanging from his gear.
But…
His mana… was terrifying.
A massive aura spread around him—completely unrestrained.
Ignoring the large man standing before him, who was nearly three times his size, the young figure stepped forward.
Step…
Another step.
Step…
Another step.
Step…
With each step he took, the people in front of him hurriedly moved aside.
The crowd split apart, people pressing themselves against the walls.
No one dared to even look into his eyes.
The young man walked straight toward the tavern bartender.
As he approached, the bartender's hands began to tremble.
The young figure slowly parted his lips.
"Lior Ashen… I want to take an E-rank quest."
In adventurer guilds, people without any official registration
were only allowed to take E-rank quests.
The bartender spoke in a trembling voice filled with respect.
His eyes were lowered, his head bowed even further.
"Th-there… there is only one quest available, sir…"
Holding the parchment as if it were the most precious jewel of his life, he carefully placed it onto the table.
"A few goblins have been making strange noises in the forest at night… disturbing the villagers…"
The bartender swallowed nervously.
"The villagers… are offering… 4 bronze coins… to stop them…"