James exhaled, rolling his shoulders after the exhausting battle. His body ached, but the thrill of success lingered. Still, the day had been long, and with the fading light, he knew it was time to call it a night.
Amelia stretched, shaking the tension from her limbs. "We'll continue training tomorrow," she said. "Tonight, you get a break."
Claire nodded in agreement. "Though someone has to handle dinner," she added, smirking slightly. "Think you're up for it?"
James chuckled, reaching for his hunting knife. "I'll see what I can find."
With that, he headed toward the forest just beyond the orphanage grounds, moving quietly and efficiently through the underbrush. The night air was cool, and his steps were nearly silent thanks to his enhanced Silent Step ability.
Not long after, James spotted movement among the shrubs—a few hares, grazing cautiously. He readied his bow, adjusting his stance.
A quick inscription—a minor precision rune—and then he fired, the arrow striking true before the hare could react.
Another well-placed shot, and he had two hares for the night's meal.
Satisfied, James returned to the orphanage, tossing the hares near the fire pit where Claire was already preparing the cooking gear.
Amelia smirked. "Efficient as ever."
James sat down, finally allowing himself to relax. The fire flickered to life, the scent of roasting meat filling the air. After a long day of training, the warmth and quiet were a welcome change.
As they ate, the tension from the day eased, and for the first time in hours, James allowed himself to enjoy the simple comfort of rest.
Tomorrow, they would push forward—toward harder battles, deeper mastery, and greater challenges.
But tonight? Tonight was just about survival, warmth, and shared victories.
After an uneventful night, he woke up in the morning had a light breakfast , then picking up his gear headed off to the mission hall.
James stepped into the Mission Hall, the scent of aged parchment and ink filling the air. Hunters, mercenaries, and adventurers alike crowded the space, scanning the available assignments posted on the grand mission board.
He moved toward the listings, eyes flickering across the different requests. Given the town's lack of elite hunters, high-level missions weren't available—instead, the board featured mostly small-scale monster hunts, bandit patrol cleanups, and minor magical disturbances.
His gaze settled on a manageable mission, one suited for refining his skills while still providing a challenge.
Mission: Hunt and eliminate corrupted beasts
Location: Blackthorn Forest
Difficulty: Low to Moderate
Reward: 1,500 credits
It was a solid choice—the creatures weren't exceptionally strong, but their rune-resistant nature meant he'd need to refine his layering techniques in real combat.
James tore the request from the board, bringing it to the desk where the mission handler, an older man with sharp eyes, processed his selection.
The handler took James's crystal card, pressing it into the registry terminal. A soft glow signified the credits transfer.
Transaction Complete
Earnings from Previous Mission: 250 credits
New Balance: 1,750 credits
James took his card back, slipping it into his pouch.
Amelia and Claire had already finished their preparations outside. As he stepped into the morning light, Amelia smirked. "Finally picking missions on your own," she noted.
James grinned. "Well, someone has to keep busy."
Claire adjusted her gloves. "Blackthorn Forest isn't kind to reckless hunters. You'll need everything you've learned so far."
James nodded, gripping his bow tighter. This was it—his first real field test, where mistakes wouldn't just result in failed training. They would have consequences.
James adjusted his grip on his bow, stepping into Blackthorn Forest with quiet precision. The morning light barely pierced the dense canopy, casting eerie shadows over the uneven terrain.
He wouldn't rush into battle blindly.
Amelia and Claire trailed behind him, staying at a reasonable distance—not interfering, but watching carefully. This was his first field mission, and they needed to see firsthand how he applied his training in a real combat situation.
James kept his movements deliberate as he scouted the area, eyes scanning for signs of movement. He crouched near a patch of broken twigs, running his fingers over the splintered wood—fresh tracks.
The corrupted beasts had moved through here recently.
His perception heightened, detecting faint disturbances in the underbrush. The forest was too quiet—a sign that something was lurking nearby.
Amelia murmured, just loud enough for Claire to hear, "He's taking his time—good. Rushing in would get him killed."
James reached for his quiver, inscribing a detection rune onto an arrow before launching it high into the trees.
The rune activated mid-flight, sending faint ripples of arcane energy, mapping out movements in a limited radius.
A response.
From the shadows, three sets of glowing eyes flickered—hidden among the trees, waiting.
Claire leaned slightly forward. "They've seen him," she noted. "But he sees them too. What's he going to do?"
James exhaled slowly. He didn't hesitate—he attacked first.
A velocity and impact rune etched onto his arrow, fired before the beasts even realized he had spotted them.
The first creature collapsed instantly, disintegrating into mist.
The remaining two lunged.
James rolled aside, narrowly avoiding a swipe, inscribing a piercing rune mid-motion before firing again. Another direct hit—the second beast vanished.
Only one left.
Claire's gaze flickered with approval. "His adaptability is sharp."
Amelia smirked. "But that last one is more unstable than the others. If he doesn't adjust".
James was already moving.
The corrupted beast charged, its chaotic energy threatening to detonate mid-battle. He had seconds to react.
Instead of overwhelming force, he inscribed a stability rune—neutralizing its instability just as he fired the final arrow.
The rune activated. The arrow hit its mark.
The beast collapsed, dissolving into mist.
Silence.
Amelia stepped forward, arms crossed. "Not bad."
Claire gave a small nod. "You acted quickly—no hesitation."
James exhaled, lowering his bow, listening to their assessment.
He had completed the mission—but this was just the beginning.
James stepped over the fading mist, reaching down to carefully extract the cores from the defeated corrupted beasts. Each core pulsed faintly with lingering energy.
He worked efficiently, using a precise cutting technique to remove the unstable essence without triggering unwanted magical reactions. By the time he had secured the cores into his pouch, Amelia and Claire had already started moving.
"We'll handle food," Amelia called over her shoulder. "You finish up here, then report back to the Mission Hall."
Claire adjusted her pack, nodding. "No point in lingering too long—we have enough to work with."
James watched them disappear into the trees, then turned his focus back to the hunt.
The forest wasn't cleared yet—a few more corrupted beasts still roamed, and if he wanted to refine his techniques further, this was the perfect opportunity.
Taking a steady breath, he activated his detection rune, scanning the area for additional movement.
Three more targets.
He moved into position, etching his runes swiftly—precision, velocity, impact—and engaged the creatures. Each battle tested his stamina, his adaptability, his understanding of layered inscriptions in unpredictable combat scenarios.
By the time the last beast disintegrated, James felt the weight of the mission fully settle in his bones. This was more than training—this was the reality of the world beyond structured lessons.
Satisfied with his progress, he retrieved the remaining cores and headed back toward town**.
The Mission Hall loomed ahead, filled with hunters checking in their tasks. James approached the registry desk, handing over the mission confirmation and collected cores for evaluation.
The handler processed his crystal card, transferring the credits.
Transaction Complete
Previous Balance: 1,750 credits
New Earnings: 1,500 credits
Updated Balance: 3,250 credits
James slipped the card back into his pouch, rolling his shoulders as he stepped outside.
Amelia and Claire were already on their way back to the orphanage, food secured, preparing for the evening.
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