Finn and Darwin walked through the vast forest, aimless, hoping to find their way by chance. Their bodies were bruised from the constant fights and beatings they'd received over the past few days. Darwin had taken off his leather chestguard, feeling it was too heavy; he didn't know if it was due to fatigue or the loss of strength from his injuries. The two continued walking until they came to a rather familiar stream; it was the same stream they'd been in before encountering the goblins.
"Well, at least we've made it this far. If we continue in this direction, it might lead us to the exit of the forest," Darwin said confidently.
"At this point, I want to go back to the cliff and climb it!" Finn exclaimed.
"Calm down, Finn. If we follow the stream, we'll most likely find a village or something like that. Don't you know that where there's water, there's civilization?" Darwin said, trying to convince Finn, who just looked at him with a tired and resigned look.
The two walked along the stream for three days without stopping, being attacked several times by harpies, hobgoblins, and a bear. Finn and Darwin showed a much more tired and discouraged expression; their feet ached and their arms were covered in scratches, but they continued walking without pausing for a few more hours until they reached what looked like a fairly well-maintained dirt road.
Swish!
The sound of moving air informed Finn that something was approaching from the sky, causing him to sigh wearily and patiently draw his sword. Turning to the sky, he saw a harpy swooping down at high speed. Finn simply waited calmly, and when the harpy was about to reach them, he dodged it and, swinging his sword lightly, cut the harpy's throat, leaving it writhing on the ground as it choked on its blood.
"Sigh, I got the hang of this," Finn said, putting away his sword. After three days of being attacked by harpies, Finn had memorized their attack patterns. "I feel like I should feel sorry for them now that I know where they came from, but after three days of being attacked by these things, I can't feel anything for them anymore."
"I understand you…" Darwin said with a tired expression, but when he saw smoke in the distance, his expression quickly perked up. "Is that smoke?!"
"Smoke?..." Finn asked, turning to look at the smoke. "HAHAHA, a civilization!!!" Finn exclaimed, running towards the smoke.
The two ran as fast as they could toward the location of the smoke, and after a few meters through trees and bushes, they saw a small village in the distance. Neither of them hesitated and ran out of the forest under the watchful eyes of the guards who were guarding the village gates.
"Hey... There aren't any reports of adventurers entering the Forest of the Fallen, right?" asked a guard, still watching Finn and Darwin approaching.
"No... I don't think so. There's no one in this village skilled enough to want to explore the forest," replied the guard.
"Hey!" Darwin shouted, running up while waving his hand.
The two arrived in front of the guards, who looked at them curiously at their worn appearance.
"Sigh, you don't know what a relief it is to find a village after all this time!" said Darwin.
"You were in the Forest of the Fallen? Are you adventurers from another town or city?" The guard asked.
"Yes, we're from the capital of Firorn. We're from the Freewalker Guild!" Finn replied, thinking the guards would help them.
"Adventurers from the capital?!" The guard asked, surprised and at the same time relieved. "Come in, come in. The town chief would like to talk to you. He's at the tavern right in the center of town. It has a cat painted on the door."
The guard pointed in the direction of the tavern. Finn and Darwin thanked them and proceeded to the tavern without giving it much thought, as the chief would want to see them. The two quickly arrived at the tavern, as it was a relatively small town. Once they entered, they saw that the tavern was full. It seemed everyone in town had gathered there. The civilians looked dejected and sad, while the guards, or anyone else carrying a weapon, looked disappointed as they treated various wounds.
Everyone turned to look at them as soon as they entered. Their disheveled appearances drew a lot of attention. A short-haired old man sitting at the tavern bar turned slightly to look at them, his face showing curiosity for Finn and Darwin, since he had never seen them in the village.
"You're not from around here, are you?" the old man asked with a slight smile. "Did you end up here when you were attacked by forest monsters while on a quest from another town?" the old man guessed.
"Something like that... we're adventurers from the Freewalker guild in the capital. We fell off a cliff and wandered into the forest south of here for four days," Finn revealed, pointing in the direction of the forest.
Darwin simply nodded as he raised his hand, showing his guild card on his armband, impressing all the villagers in the tavern.
"Adventurers from the capital!!" a relieved woman exclaimed, a few tears beginning to form.
"The gods have heard our prayers!!" an old man exclaimed.
"We are saved!!" a young woman shouted.
The villagers began to cry with joy as they celebrated Finn and Darwin's arrival. The villagers pulled Finn and Darwin to sit next to the old man, who was the chief of the city, while one of the tavern workers went to prepare them some food.
"You are really adventurers from the capital, aren't you?" the old man asked hopefully. Finn and Darwin nodded, not understanding what was happening.
"That's right. You know which direction the capital is, right?" Darwin asked.
"Yes, it's just across the forest east of the town, about a three-day walk from here," the old man said.
Finn and Darwin smiled broadly, as that meant they weren't far from the capital.
"Then we must be in one of the towns neighboring the capital. The forest you're talking about must be the border forest that surrounds the capital," Darwin said, relieved, to which the old man nodded.
"You don't know how hard we've been trying to get to the capital. We've been trying for almost a month, but all our efforts are in vain," the old man said sadly.
"You can't get there? What do you mean? The forest should have a direct path to the capital for quick access," Darwin said, confused. "Is there something blocking the path?"
"Yes! You see, a month ago we received reports from the capital about strange goblin behavior near the bridge over the cliff, but we didn't pay much attention since the goblins here were still exactly the same. But just two days after receiving the message, the goblins started acting strange. They even attacked the town directly," said the old man, covering his face with his hands. "If only we had listened, we wouldn't have lost so many guards! We don't know what to do anymore. The goblins built a base right in the middle of the road, and their numbers seem to grow every day. We have no way to get past them, and their attacks on the town are becoming more frequent."
'That's why we haven't received any reports or missions from any of the neighboring villages. The damn goblins are blocking the roads, and adventurers never enter the woods unless they have a mission,' Darwin thought worriedly.
'There are still more goblins!? We killed like a thousand in that fucking cave!' Finn thought angrily.
'Please help us. I don't think we can hold out any longer. Our guards are all hurt, and our people can't fight. We're a peasant village,' the old man begged.
Finn and Darwin remained silent for a while, knowing that the goblin base in the forest was most likely as strong as the one in the cave. If the forest goblins were also acting strange, it means they probably also have a goblin witch organizing them and teaching them how to attack.
Finn looked at the glass of water in front of him and, taking a big gulp, looked at the old man with a smile.
"Don't worry, we'll just take care of a goblin base in the southern forest. Just give us a room, two swords, and let us rest for a night. Tomorrow morning, we'll leave for the base," Finn said.
"That's right, old man. We still have to go through there to get to our guild. You guys stay safe in the village for about two more weeks. After two weeks, someone will come and let you know everything's okay," Darwin said confidently.
"Damn! We're in trouble before we get out of trouble again," Finn thought angrily, still smiling.
"I want to go monkey-like again!" Why the hell did I become an adventurer!?... Oh yeah, for the half-beasts,' Darwin thought, also angrily, but firmly accepting his fate, 'I'll endure anything for them.'
—
At the Freewalker guild, it was a day like any other. Adventurers were coming and going from their missions. Many, or rather, most of them were carried out on the north side of the capital. Very few adventurers wanted to go to the south side, since that's where the half-beast zone and the forests full of monsters were located. Despite the fact that the monsters weren't very strong, it was quite annoying for the adventurers to face them.
Cristel, now dressed in a long black dress leaving her legs and arms uncovered, walked towards the reception room without any hurry. Her height made her stand out even among some men, as she was 1.80 meters tall, not counting the thick 10 cm heels she usually wore. Cristel arrived at the reception desk, seeing the receptionist, who was the only one currently serving. The receptionist nervously looked at Cristel's imposing and elegant appearance in front of him, not knowing what to do or say.
"And the other receptionists?" Cristel asked.
"They're cleaning the back room. There aren't many requests today, so we decided to take advantage of the opportunity to organize everything, Miss Cristel," the receptionist said nervously, but still politely.
"I see. It's good that you take advantage of your time… Tell me, darling, do you know anything about the status of Darwin and Finn's mission? They're two Class D adventurers," Cristel asked.
"No, miss, but I can search the guild database to see who's in charge of this mission."
"You'd be doing me a big favor," Cristel replied.
"Give me a second… it seems the mission was registered by one of my companions, but the next day it was transferred to another companion, young Amelia… apparently she's been handling the missions for the adventurers Finn and Darwin… Wow, Finn has never failed a mission in his entire adventuring career," the receptionist said.
"So Amelia, huh?" 'Ha, who would have thought that 'the walking ass' would be in charge of managing Finn and Darwin's missions?' Crystal thought with some amusement. 'Although I'm more impressed that Finn has never failed a mission, that still makes him an even better adventurer. It's clear he's dedicated to his job... maybe I should show them the pink alley as a reward. There's no adventurer who doesn't like the pink alley... even me.'
Cristel quickly looked around, trying to locate Amelia nearby, but when she couldn't find her in plain sight, she decided to ask.
"And where is Amelia now?" Cristel asked.
"Today is Tuesday, so Amelia should be working as a waitress on the first floor," the receptionist replied.
"I see. It wouldn't hurt to get something to eat. I haven't eaten anything since morning," Cristel thought, then nodded to herself. "Thank you very much, honey. I'll go visit you right now," Cristel said, saying goodbye.
"Sigh, how nervous… Kya, Miss Cristal called me, honey. She's just like everyone else says she is: strict but loving at the same time," the receptionist thought, excited, watching Cristel leave.
...
Cristel walked into a huge room filled with tables. Once there, she sat down at a table a little far from the others, and a girl dressed in a Roman dress arrived to take her order.
"Would you like to order now, Miss Cristel?" the waitress asked nervously.
"No… actually, could you call Amelia? I'd like her to be the one to serve me, since I have some things to discuss with her, sweetheart," Cristel asked politely.
"Of course, I'll do it right away!" the waitress said, leaving quickly.
Cristel sighed as she took a gold card from between her breasts and placed it in a gold bracelet. Her status then appeared in front of her.
Name: Cristel Stronghold
Race: Human/Succubus
Class: B+
Gifts: None
Blessings: None
Strength: A
Agility: B
Durability: B
Magic: B
UP: 15
Abilities: Body Enhancement (high), Transfiguration (low), Illusion (low), Conjurations (medium), Charms (low)
Natural Magic: Fire (high), Earth (low), Water (none), Air (none), Sound (none).
Carrier Magic: Sun
'It's been two years and I still haven't been able to raise my class... What am I doing wrong? I already have a UP from someone in Class A, but I still can't raise my class,' Cristel thought, but the figure of a young woman approaching pulled her out of her thoughts.
A dark-skinned young woman approached Cristel. She had short, wavy white hair, golden eyes, curled sheep horns protruding from her head, and very large hips and rear ends, a very characteristic feature of the girl's race. The young woman was wearing an ancient Roman dress, the uniform of a waitress.
"Amelia, it's good to see you again," Cristel greeted, patting the seat next to her.
Amelia understood what Cristel meant and, rolling her eyes, sat down next to her, the chair creaking as she sat down.
"Damn old chairs! I told the guild master we should get new ones," Amelia complained, showing a bored face while pouting slightly.
'I think you're the only one with that problem,' Cristel thought, seeing how Amelia's butt was bigger than the seat of the chair.
"My colleague told me you wanted to talk to me. What is it you want to tell me?" Amelia asked. "And hurry up, I have to get back to work. If my boss sees me sitting down, he'll most likely send me to serve the people on the 4th floor."
"You really don't like the people on the fourth floor, huh?" Cristel asked, although she knew exactly why.
"Tch, those idiots think they can touch my ass just because I'm a waitress. I mean, just because the other waitresses don't have a problem with it doesn't mean I agree," Amelia said.
"Funny, since you never complain when I do," Cristel said.
"That's different. Any adventurer above Class B who has contributed greatly to their guild or achieved great things has the right to demand anything..." Amelia said with a serious look this time. "...However, a measly Class C who doesn't even go out on quests doesn't even have the right to beg."
"Weren't you Class C before the incident?" Cristel asked with a mocking smile.
"Sigh, that's right, but unlike them, I knew my place and aimed higher, not like those lazy bastards," Amelia declared.
"That's true..." Cristel agreed, nodding her head.
Amelia had been a Class C adventurer before the incident that led to her losing her anima. She had even been Cristel's partner for a time due to her great talent. And if Cristel agreed with Amelia on one thing, it was that she knew her position in the guild well and had always tried to do her best, even now that she wasn't an adventurer.
'A true adventurer must be strong, determined, and dominant, but above all, they must have a long history of service to the kingdom and guild to back them up. If they don't have that, then they're just another adventurer' Cristel thought firmly.
"So, what was it you wanted to ask me?" Amelia asked, returning to her bored look.
"Oh, right. You see, a few weeks ago, when I was returning from a mission accompanying a group, I ran into two D-class adventurers, and I wanted to see how they had completed their mission," Cristel said. It had been three weeks since she saw them, and she still hadn't heard from them. "Their names are Finn and Darwin."
"Finn and Darwin!? Why so much interest in them?" Amelia asked, she knew the two very well... or at least Darwin since Finn didn't speak, but she couldn't find a reason for Cristel to be interested in them.
"Well, I just thought it would be nice to congratulate you for your bravery. Being D-class, you were trying to tame a Horse-woman. And from what I understand, you succeeded. The centaurs sent a letter thanking the guild master two weeks ago," Cristel said. "And I was wondering if you might have come back and taken on another mission without me noticing."
"...Sigh, no, they haven't returned yet," Amelia said, leaning on her palm. "The master and I believe they're still exploring the woods since their mission was to gather information about the strange behavior of the goblins. Since they haven't sent a distress signal from their cards, we believe they're fine."
"I see. That sounds logical," Cristel nodded approvingly. 'The mission was simply to gather information about the Goblins, but they still decided to help the centaurs capture the horse-woman without expecting anything in return. They are undoubtedly great adventurers. I have no doubt about it now. Once they arrive, I'll show them the pink alley. They act like true adventurers. They should also enjoy themselves like true adventurers,' she thought.
"Do you need me to inform you when they're here?" Amelia asked.
"Yes, you would be doing me a big favor. I'm leaving this afternoon on a mission and won't be back for two days, so I won't be able to keep an eye on them," Cristel nodded gratefully.
"Well, if that's all, then I'll be leaving. I have to work," Amelia said, standing up and making the chair creak again.
"Oh, by the way, bring me today's special along with a beer. I'm really hungry," Cristel ordered.
"Right away…" Amelia replied, walking past Cristel. Upon seeing Amelia's butt, she couldn't resist spanking it. Amelia ignored it and continued walking.
'Oh, Athena, how the hell is it so big?' Cristel thought, watching Amelia walk away.
—
A day passed since Amelia and Cristel's conversation. Cristel had already left for her mission the day before, and today seemed to be a very quiet day. Several members hadn't attended the guild today due to the storm that had suddenly arrived, and only a few receptionists were working.
Amelia was cleaning the tables at the entrance of the guild, accompanied by another receptionist. These tables are usually used by groups of adventurers who want to discuss a quest while eating or simply don't want to go all the way to the dining room.
Then the guild doors opened, revealing two completely soaked and battered young men. Their clothes were torn and worn, showing bruises all over, and a few cuts on their arms and chests. These were Finn and Darwin, who had finally arrived at the guild.
"We've arrived," Darwin said, relieved.
Finn didn't delay, walking to a table where a glass of water was lying red. He downed it in one gulp, then lay down on the table, tired. Darwin followed suit, throwing his card on the table and lying down on one of the benches.
Snap, Snap, Snap
Darwin snapped his fingers and then pointed at the card, indicating that they should take it. One of the receptionists took the card curiously, while Amelia hurried to check Finn's condition.
"Idiot! Just because Finn isn't talking doesn't mean you should take advantage of his situation," Amelia said, thinking that they had gotten into trouble because of Darwin.
"Calm down, Miss Big Ass, I'm fine. I just need to rest for a few minutes…" Finn said, falling asleep on the table.
"Just… check the fucking photos… I'm going to get some rest…" Darwin said, also falling asleep.
"These idiots disappear for three weeks and then come back all messed up…!!!" Amelia said, but she soon realized something that surprised not only her but all the receptionists nearby: Finn had spoken. Grabbing his face, Amelia patted him lightly, trying to wake him up to check if he wasn't hallucinating. "Hey, Finn, wake up, damn it!!" Amelia said, seeing that Finn was completely unconscious from exhaustion. "You heard him too, didn't you? I didn't imagine him talking, did I?!" Amelia asked, looking at the other receptionists, who nodded.
Amelia left Finn lying on the table while she took the card from the receptionist's hands and placed it on her silver bracelet, checking that it was what Darwin wanted them to see. Darwin's status window popped up in front of her, along with another window.
Name: Darwin
Race: Human
Class: D
Gifts: Light
Blessings: None
Strength: E+ > D
Agility: D+
Durability: D > D+
Magic: D+ > C
UP: None
Abilities: Body Enhancement (Low)
Natural Magic: Fire (Low), Earth (None), Water (None), Air (None), Sound (None)
'Three of their statuses increased in just three weeks... what the hell did they do?' Amelia thought, turning to the other window, leaving them shocked by what they saw.
"That's a lot of porn" said a receptionist, incredulous at what he was seeing.
"Um... let's keep looking" said Amelia, slightly blushing, as there was a photo of her when she had modeled for a magazine.
Everyone continued looking at the photos with a slight blush until they got to the photos of dead monsters and what looked like bases. But the most important thing was the photos of a mural, which were the highest quality photos they could see. Darwin had gone to great lengths to take these photos. Once they discovered what was on the mural, everyone's mouths dropped open.
"I'm going to call the master!" said a receptionist as she ran off to the guild master's office.