Chapter 8: The Birth of a Party
The sky still carried the last gleam of dusk when Zeno, Gobu, and Bloo returned to the guild with light steps. The scent of damp earth lingered in the air, and the evening breeze felt calmer than usual.
Upon arriving at the guild, Elka greeted them with a curious smile.
"You're all still intact. I assume the mission went well?"
Zeno nodded and placed a pouch containing five wolf fangs on the reception desk.
"Five targets. All done."
Elka inspected the fangs and stamped their report.
"Good. The official record will be processed within the hour. Here's your reward—40 silver coins. Impressive for beginners."
Gobu grabbed the coins, his eyes sparkling.
"I've never held this much money before…!"
Bloo bounced lightly on the desk, letting out a joyful 'blop.'
Zeno gave a faint smile.
"This is just the beginning. We need to stay focused."
But before they could leave, a deep voice halted their steps.
"So, this is the new team causing a stir around town."
A tall man in a dark leather cloak with a scar running across his face approached them. Behind him stood two more fighters—one was a woman wielding a massive spear, the other an archer in a red cloak.
Elka tensed slightly.
"They're Rank B… veteran team 'Crimson Vow.'"
Zeno instinctively stood alert, but the man merely chuckled.
"Relax, kid. I'm just curious. A human, a goblin, and a slime? A team like yours has only two outcomes: a quick death… or legend."
Gobu glanced at Zeno, a bit nervous. But Zeno met the man's gaze calmly.
"We're not aiming for legend. We just want to live our way."
The man grinned.
"Good answer. I like teams with guts. Your names?"
"Zeno. This is Gobu, and that's Bloo."
The woman stepped forward.
"I'm Mira. The archer's Rael. And this is our captain—Dragan."
Dragan patted Zeno's shoulder—firmly.
"I'll be watching you. Don't bore us."
After they walked away, Elka exhaled in relief.
"You've caught their attention. That could be a blessing… or a curse."
Zeno stared at his C-rank badge.
"Whatever it is… we'll face it."
---
That Night, a Dream
As night fell, they returned to their modest inn at the town's edge. Their room was simple—a single straw mattress, a worn wooden table, and a small window facing the moon.
Bloo curled up like a sticky pillow. Gobu snored softly in a corner, hugging his coin pouch.
Zeno sat still, gazing at the sky.
But when his eyes began to close, a strange dream took hold.
He stood in a field soaked in blood. The sky above was crimson. Around him, corpses of monsters and humans littered the land. His own body was drenched in blood, and in the distance, a massive shadow approached, walking over the bodies like stepping stones.
Its voice was deep… thundering like a storm.
> "Awaken, wanderer of worlds. You belong neither to them… nor to us."
Zeno tried to speak, but no voice came out. He could only stare at the shadow—its eyes glowing like infernal fire.
> "Light and darkness will demand your allegiance. But only one can you grasp…"
Then, the voice vanished, and Zeno woke up gasping.
---
"Zeno?" Gobu's voice came softly.
"Something wrong?"
Zeno turned. Outside the window, dawn was breaking. But his eyes still held remnants of the dream.
"No. Just… a bad feeling."
Bloo gently climbed onto Zeno's foot, as if to comfort him.
Gobu yawned.
"Well… whatever it is, we'll face it together. That's what a team's for, right?"
Zeno gave a small smile, though his mind remained unsettled.
"…Yeah. Together."
And with that, a new day began—with faint laughter, small footsteps, and a mysterious shadow silently watching from afar.
---
After completing their first mission, Zeno and his team returned to the guild casually. It was still early, and though their bodies were sore, their spirits were high.
At the guild entrance, several adventurers waved or nodded at them.
"Look at that, even rookies dared venture into the forest," someone muttered.
"Heard that slime flung a wolf like a ball," another added.
Gobu grinned proudly.
"We're kinda famous now, huh?"
Zeno responded with a slight nod.
"Getting famous too fast usually means trouble…"
Bloo gently bounced, shifting into a flickering heart shape.
They made their way to the reception desk, where Elka was waiting with a warm cup of tea.
"Elka," Zeno said, handing over the five collected wolf fangs. "Mission report."
Elka accepted the fangs, counted them quickly, and scribbled something in a large book.
"Five kills. Mission complete. The coins will be sent to your accounts later this afternoon," she said. Then she glanced at Zeno. "But there's one thing."
"What is it?"
"You guys are unique. Formation, chemistry, reputation—you stand out. But you're not officially registered as a party yet."
Zeno raised an eyebrow.
"Do we have to?"
"Technically, no," Elka replied casually. "But without registering as a party, you can't take B-rank or higher group missions, and you won't get administrative protection if… something bad happens."
Gobu looked confused.
"A party is like… an official gang?"
"Something like that," Elka chuckled. "You need a team name, a leader, and member data. It's easy."
Zeno thought for a moment.
"Alright. What do we fill in?"
Elka handed over a blank form.
"Party name, representative (usually the leader), and a signature or stamp from the slime—uh, Bloo. Can he sign?"
Bloo formed a tiny tentacle and scribbled a weird symbol in the corner.
Elka held back laughter.
"Okay, that's official enough."
Zeno took a pen and wrote clearly:
Party Name: Mantle Spark
Leader: Zeno Arclight
Members: Gobu, Bloo
Gobu nodded in satisfaction.
"Mantle Spark. Sounds cool."
Elka sealed the form with the guild's stamp.
"From now on, you're officially registered. Congrats."
With that, she handed them a small triangular badge—the party symbol to wear on armor or clothes.
"And if you want a cooler emblem, go visit the blacksmith. Most parties design their own," Elka added with a wink.
Zeno accepted the badge and stared at it for a moment.
"A humble beginning…"
Bloo hopped onto his shoulder. Gobu clenched his fist.
Their adventure had only just begun. And though they didn't know what awaited, today they became more than a team.
They became a party.
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