After parting ways with the adventurers near the outer parts of town, Erik continued toward the adventurers' guild.
The streets were crowded. Clouds stretched across the sky, thick and heavy, carrying the scent of the first rain of the year. But inside the town, the only thing Erik could smell was sweat.
With a thunderstorm approaching, people hurried between market stalls, stocking up on supplies for the coming days.
The adventurers' guild stood in the center of town, bustling with activity. Rookies and low-ranked adventurers lined up to claim their rewards.
Bounty hunters haggled over their payouts, and dungeon raiders boasted about their victories over mugs of ale. The evening was always the busiest time.
Erik stopped in front of the crowded building, exhaling in frustration.
"This sucks," he muttered to himself. "I don't wanna stand in line just to get my bounty. I'll grab it later."
With that, he stepped inside.
The noise inside was almost deafening. Every table was packed, and the scent of ale, sweat, and roasted meat hung in the air. He barely took a few steps before a loud voice rang out over the crowd.
"For clearing our third dungeon—cheers!"
The White Wolf guild, celebrating again. They were one of the best, most of their members ranked level four or higher.
Their leader, Rowan Vykie, was among the strongest adventurers in the kingdom of Runa. Erik didn't care. He pushed through the crowd, ignoring the noise, and headed straight for his room.
Once inside, he tossed the bear's head into the corner, stripped off his gear, and peeled away his bloodstained clothes. The fight had left him covered in gore.
He stepped into the bath, letting the water wash away the dried blood, watching it swirl down the drain. After scrubbing himself clean, he rinsed his clothes and set them aside to dry.
Dressed in fresh clothes, he sat down to clean his gear. The rhythmic motions of wiping his blade and checking his armor gave him something to focus on. By the time he finished, rain was pouring outside.
As he made his way downstairs, he spotted Shasa, one of the guild's receptionists. She smiled when she saw him.
"It's good to see you alive and well, Erik. Looks like you got what you went out for."
"Yeah," Erik said, leaning against the counter. "Wasn't much of a hassle since I had some help. That aside, the reports were right—those bears were mutated. They weren't supposed to be in the outer areas."
Shasa's expression darkened.
"A lot of unusual things are happening these days. Feels like a big change is coming."
Then, with a curious tilt of her head, she added,
"Speaking of unusual things… what was this help you mentioned?"
"Ran into some rookies while tracking them. One almost got himself killed," Erik said.
"They gave me a hand in the fight. If they come looking for me, give them half the bounty."
He dropped the bear's head onto the counter. Shasa nodded, then handed him fifty gold coins. Erik pocketed the money without a word and turned toward the stairs.
"Good night!" Shasa called after him, her usual warmth in her voice.
"Yeah, yeah. Good night," Erik mumbled, already halfway up the steps.
Back in his room, he shut the door behind him, letting out a slow breath. Another job done. Another day over. He didn't bother thinking too much about the mutated bears—or the uneasy feeling gnawing at the back of his mind.
Tomorrow would bring its own problems.