Huff... huff... huff...
I gasped for air, my lungs tight and burning.
I had been running nonstop for what felt like an hour an endless maze of twists and turns, corners without end.
Then, I heard it.
A voice.
Getting closer. Closer.
I kept running, left, right, anywhere my feet moving without direction or sense. Panic drove me forward.
Until....
Dead end.
I slammed my fist against the wall. Nothing. Not a single crack.
"YOU CANNOT RUN."
The voice thundered, not in the air, but in my mind, like a scream from within.
I turned around.
And saw it.
A towering humanoid figure loomed before me. Its body was lined with jagged, razor-sharp edges. Dark wings unfurled from its back, flapping slowly, sending a heavy gust through the narrow space. A grim, suffocating aura radiated from it, and in the dark, its glowing red eyes pierced through me like blades.
It raised its right hand.
And then.
Hundreds. No, thousands of floating structures formed in the sky above us. They shimmered with strange symbols, each one a different shape, color, and pattern.
Then the voice came again.
"VANISH."
All at once, the structures fired.
Rays of light, deadly and precise,rained down on me.
I threw up my arms on instinct, trying to shield myself, even knowing it was useless.
But then, out of nowhere, someone appeared in front of me.
In an instant, the figure deflected all the deadly rays. The sky erupted in a cascade of explosions as the blasts scattered in every direction.
"YOU!"
The monstrous being's voice thundered with rage.
The figure who saved me stood firm, unfazed. Slowly, the figure turned to face me.
But through the dust and light—I could only see a silhouette.
---
Cock-a-doodle-doo.
The sound of a rooster echoed in my ears.
A beam of sunlight slipped through the window and struck my eyes. I squinted, groaning softly.
I sat up and wiped the sleep from my eyes.
That dream again… But this time, it felt different. Someone saved me. Who was that silhouette?
I tried hard to recall any face or body that matched, but nothing came to mind.
Was it Bob?
No way. The figure was slim and muscular. Definitely not him.
I stood up and stretched, trying to shake off the lingering weight of the dream.
"Thinking about it won't solve anything," I muttered to myself as I pushed the thought aside.
I pushed the window to open it wider.
The sun was still climbing toward its peak, casting a warm golden light across the landscape. The sky was a clear blue, dotted with drifting clouds.
Yesterday, we had arrived at sunset, too late to appreciate much of anything. But now, in the full light of day…
My word.
With the backdrop of vast farmland stretching toward the horizon, the town looked breathtaking.
Quiet. Peaceful. Almost unreal.
I could see rows of tidy houses with slanted rooftops, each one made from warm-colored wood and stone. Some had little chimneys that puffed thin trails of smoke into the sky. A couple of kids were chasing each other near the well in the center of the square, their laughter echoing faintly even from up here.
Vendors were already setting up stalls along the cobbled streets, laying out vegetables, dried herbs, and bread that made my stomach grumble just from looking. A woman walked by with a basket full of eggs, nodding politely to a man pulling a cart full of hay.
And beyond all that, fields. Endless fields. In the distance, a windmill spun lazily, and a few scarecrows stood like sleepy sentries watching over the crops.
For the first time since arriving in this world, I felt... calm.
I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, such fresh air. I smiled.
Then I walked over to wake up Bob. To my surprise, when I pulled back the blanket, he was nowhere to be seen. Only a pillow remained.
Had he woken up already?
"Bob? You here?" I called out, peeking into the small bathroom. Empty.
I checked under the bed, behind the door, nothing. The guy was really gone.
"That's... weird." I muttered. That was rare. Usually, I was the one dragging him out of bed like a sack of potatoes after he stayed up all night binge-watching anime.
Maybe he went downstairs already.
I then took a shower and, you guessed it, did my business.
After several minutes, I put on the other set of clothes prepared by Tania.
It was a simple green outfit made of soft, breathable cloth. The shirt had loose sleeves that reached my elbows. The pants were slightly large. It looked plain, but it was surprisingly comfortable, perfect for travel or blending in.
I headed down the stairs and was greeted by Tania.
"Good morning, sir. How was your night?" she asked with a warm smile.
She was wearing a deep red dress made of linen, with long sleeves and a square neckline making her appear both elegant and sturdy, like someone used to managing a busy inn.
"Good morning. I had a good sleep," I said, clearly lying.
In truth, I spent most of the night tossing and turning, constantly shifting positions just to avoid feeling like I was about to develop a prolapsed intervertebral disc.
"May I ask, have you seen my friend Bob?" I asked.
"Oh, Sir Bob is chatting with a group of adventurers, over there." She pointed to a table near the windows. From where I stood, I could see the back of a man who was unmistakably Bob.
"Thank you, Tania."
"You're welcome! Oh, would you like some breakfast?"
"Yes, sure. What do you recommend?" I asked, not familiar with what kind of breakfast this world offered.
"Most people order bread, sausage with baked beans, and tea water. Would that be alright for you?"
So breakfast here wasn't too different from my world.
"Sure, that sounds good. Thanks."
I then made my way toward Bob and his new group of friends.
The inn was about half full, bustling with the hum of morning chatter. Most of the patrons wore simple, rugged farmer attire, likely either just returning from the fields or preparing to head out for the day.
After weaving through a few occupied tables, I finally reached Bob's table.
"Ah, you must be Alan!" said the woman sitting across from Bob, smiling brightly. Her hair was a striking shade of yellow, pulled back neatly into a ponytail. She wore a practical yet beautifully crafted archer's garb, and a finely made bow rested beside her along with a bag of arrows.
Next to the lady sat a man clad in silver armor covering his upper body, worn over a dark shirt. His short brown hair was neatly trimmed, and he greeted me with a warm smile. Leaning against his chair was a large battle axe, its blade gleaming slightly in the morning light.
The last of the trio was a girl with striking purple hair, gently curled at the front, cascading into long, wavy strands down her back. She wore a dark violet wizard's robe giving a "I am a mage, fear me" vibe. A pointed hat tilted slightly over her sharp eyes. She gripped her ornate staff with both hands, clutching it tightly as if guarding a precious treasure. Her piercing gaze locked onto me, unreadable.
I stood frozen for a moment until Bob broke the silence.
"Good morning, Alan. You snored really loud last night, must've had a great sleep, huh? Come, sit here, sit here," he said cheerfully, patting the empty round wooden chair beside him.
I sat down on the chair before Bob introduced me to the group.
"Alan, meet Evelyn, the archer; William, the warrior; and Maya, the mage."
"Do you have to introduce our classes too?" Maya said with a sigh. She sounded irritated, as if she couldn't wait to leave the table.
Bob ignored her. "They're adventurers from the capital, Rose City. They came here to take on a quest."
"Hello, everyone. Nice to meet you," I said, giving a slight bow.
Evelyn and William returned the gesture with small nods of their own. Maya, however, didn't move.
What's her problem? I frowned slightly.
"What quest are you guys taking? Is it about exterminating monsters around here?" I asked, recalling what Liam had said last night.
"Goblins, actually," William replied. "Their numbers have been growing lately. Based on recent reports, we suspect there's an elite variant among them."
Elite? So there are special types of monsters—like VIPs.
Just then, Tania arrived with my breakfast and gently placed the tray in front of me. I thanked her and began eating.
"Is it much stronger than a regular goblin?" Bob asked as he sneakily reached for my sausage.
I quickly blocked him by stabbing my sausage with my fork. Evelyn giggled at the little exchange.
"Yes. It's much more intelligent and stronger than normal goblins," William explained. "An elite one always leads a group. If there's a sudden increase in goblin numbers, it usually means an elite is nearby."
"With the current conflict with the Empire, things have only gotten worse," he continued, his tone more serious. "Many towns near the border are suffering from sudden surges in monster activity."
"So you guys are adventurers taking a quest from the mayor?" I asked while eating my beans.
"Yup. We always come to this town for goblin hunting," Evelyn replied, casually playing with her ponytail over her shoulder.
"I thought the rewards here were lower. Aren't there other towns with better-paying quests?" Bob said nonchalantly.
Evelyn glanced at her party members before speaking.
"Well, actually, this is the only quest available," she said with a bitter smile.
"As adventurers, there's a hierarchy. The higher your rank, the more privilege you have to choose better-paying quests. We're just average-ranked, so we get stuck with the ones no one else wants."
"But don't get us wrong. Even though this is the only quest available to us, we still take it seriously."
"Of course," Maya interrupted. "We're proper adventurers, unlike those at the top who only care about fame and rewards."
Her eyes were still as sharp as ever, like she was ready to cast an offensive spell on us at any moment.
"Are you guys also adventurers?" William asked.
"Soon. We're not registered yet. We need to register first to become adventurers, right?" Bob asked, still trying his luck to steal food from my plate.
"Yes, you need to register with the Adventurer Guild. But the guild is only located in major cities. The nearest one from here is in the capital," William explained.
"I see. As expected," Bob nodded.
"Hmm?" Evelyn tilted her head slightly, looking confused.
"Nothing. So, you said adventurers need to have a class before registering, how do we know which class we belong to?" Bob continued. He was acting like some kind of interviewer now.
"Why do you guys not even know the basics? Did you just crawl out of a cave or something?" Maya said sharply.
"The guild needs to test your mana first using an Orb. It will indicate the color that corresponds to your class type—physical, magical, or spiritual. After that, you can choose which specific class you want to master. Once you've chosen a class, you can't change it later." Maya explained.
"Class system, cool!" Bob whispered into my ear, clearly excited. I just focused on finishing the remaining food on my plate.
"You know what, I don't mean to boast or anything, but I've already slain a handful of goblins by myself," Bob said as he examined his nails nonchalantly. This guy was really boasting.
"Is that so?!" Evelyn exclaimed, clearly interested. "You don't even have a class yet, but you were able to slay goblins? How did you do it?"
"Well, there's always a way for the capable," Bob continued boasting. I could practically feel his arrogance meter maxing out.
"Don't just believe him outright, Evelyn. There's no way he could fight, look at his body. How could someone like that take down goblins?" Maya said, eyeing Bob with clear doubt.
"Hey, don't judge people by their size! If you don't believe me, then let me and Alan join your quest!" Bob snapped, clearly offended.
"That's a good idea!" Evelyn's eyes lit up with excitement.
"There is no way they're joining our party!" Maya shot back. "I'm not teaming up with a liar and a guy who looks like a pervert!"
That "liar and pervert" bit was directed at Bob… right? I tried to calm myself and not take it personally. And wait… why did Bob have to drag me into his girl fight?
I just wanted to enjoy my breakfast in peace, not get pulled into an argument between a boastful idiot and an irritated mage who looked like she was one insult away from casting Fireball.
"Wait a minute, hold on, hold on," William said, trying to defuse the tension.
"But we haven't had any new members join our quest in a long time," Evelyn insisted, pouting like a spoiled younger sister.
"If they're going to join, then count me out," Maya said, turning away with a huff. She was really a difficult one.
"Please, everyone calm down," William said. "Evelyn, Maya, let's talk. Sorry, Alan, Bob." He stood and led the girls to another table.
From where I sat, I could see them arguing, especially Maya and Evelyn. It seemed like a heated discussion.
"Bob, are you sure it's a good idea to join their party? I don't want us to be the reason their team falls apart," I said, taking a sip of tea. It was cool and surprisingly refreshing.
"We need to understand how adventurers work here. We'll be like them soon anyway," Bob replied. "I just wanted to ask properly, but that annoying girl really got on my nerves."
Bob crossed his arms, clearly still fuming. "We're not weaklings. I can handle goblins by my own.
It's not like we're forcing them to accept us. If they say no, we walk away."
I glanced at the other table. Evelyn was still arguing with Maya while William rubbed his forehead like this wasn't the first time this kind of thing had happened.
After about 10 minutes of heated discussion, the group finally finished and returned to their seats. Maya still looked angry and turned away, refusing to make eye contact. Evelyn was smiling, clearly satisfied. William was the last to sit down before he spoke.
"We've made a decision. You two can join, but only for this quest."