Bryan made his way through the forest for a few days until he came across a slime in the middle of the path.
Crouching down, he poked at it with his finger while it bobbed up and down harmlessly.
“If you plan on starting a country… I want no part.”
Standing back up, he eyed it once more before walking away.
He travelled for a few more days until he came to the gates of a large city.
The people stood in line to pay the guards to enter.
Best to just pay and see the situation inside…
Bryan reached the front of the line.
“Reason for visit?” the guard stated, looking up from a paper in his hands.
“Adventurer, to register at the guild”
The guard looked him up and down.
“Twenty silver fee for entry.”
“You charged another adventurer ten?” Bryan said with a head tilt.
The guard’s expression became stern.
“We are not arguing. Pay or leave”
Price is based on perceived wealth…
Without speaking, Bryan rummaged and handed over the coins.
He was ushered past the gates into what looked like a market district.
Bryan walked past the stalls and busy merchants, noting the prices and items.
Passing a healing clinic, he saw adventurers being turned away at the door.
I need a bath and bed. Will find a inn.
He walked for a while, passing two shabby-looking inn’s until reaching the first in moderate condition.
Upon entering, Bryan was hit by the strong smell of garlic. He walked past the patrons to the bar.
A large lady, moving at impressive speed, served drinks before turning to him.
“Hello, I’m Tessa. Welcome to the Rest and Ruin. Would you like a food, drink or a bed?” She said warmly.
Efficient but bubbly woman.
“I need a room, do you have a bath?”
“If you choose one of the upstairs rooms, you can use the bath for a fee; it will be drawn within an hour of request” She smiled, resting an arm on the bar.
“Fifty silver a week for the room, five silver per bath”
Bryan handed her the coins, telling her to draw a bath when ready.
In his room, Bryan took out several Potions, scavenged clothes and put his armour on the stand in the corner.
I will register at the guild and hand in the bounties I collected.
Walking back down, he took a seat by the bar and ordered an ale.
Bryan sat drinking while Reorn entered the inn with a serious look on his face.
Spotting Bryan, he walked up and took the seat next to him while gesturing to Tessa.
“So, me and some others scouted the demon lands…” Reorn stopped to swig the ale, just handed to him.
“That place looks like it faced divine punishment, and the demons had fled further north”
Tapping on his cup, Reorn eyed him.
It was an effective measure…
“Can’t say I believe you did it, but will need to keep an eye on you”
Bryan turned to him with a blank look on his face.
“Well, I’m going to register at the guild. I have some questions.”
Reorn chuckled, then replied, “No reaction to what I said?”
“Didn’t seem to need a response”, Bryan had another drink.
Reorn sighed, looking less serious. “You are an odd guy. What do you want to know?”
Bryan ordered a bowl of stew before continuing.
“Is the whole city as poor and derelict as this district?”
Looking a bit confused, Reorn replied, “Compared to other cities, this one is not too bad.”
Bryan dug into his stew while listening.
Very garlicky… Feels familiar.
“It is not perfect, but some other kingdoms are worse.”
Reorn stood up “I have to go, but I will see you again soon, I’m sure.”
Interesting, so they view “not the worst” as good…
Bryan finished his stew, paid Tessa and walked out into the street.
Walking until he reached the guild building and pushing the doors open.
He entered a wall of sound, a mix of adventurers talking and metal boots on the stone floor.
Bryan waited patiently in line for the desk until the receptionist called him over.
With a big smile, she spoke, “Hey, my name is Ellaya. What is it you want from us today?”
I should enquire on expected levels…
“I wish to register, but first, what was the highest level you have heard of?”
Ellaya giggled before responding, “That’s an odd question”
“As everyone knows, the hero of legend was one hundred and twenty”
She bounced on her toes and swayed side to side.
“But the highest I think we have had here was seventy.”
I will need to alter how they see mine…
“Ok, thank you. I would like to register”
Still smiling, she pointed him towards the stone tablet.
Alter Perception.
Bryan placed his hand on the tablet.
A blue screen appeared above it.
Ellaya’s smile was replaced by a look of shock.
“You are level eighty!”
Adventurers nearby stopped, looked over and began muttering.
“Well… the tablet is tested often, so I suppose I should get your gold badge.”
Picked too high a number…Seemed low enough.
She resumed smiling and turned back to stamp the badge.
“What name will you be using?” she asked him.
“Bryan”
Ellaya handed him the badge. “Well, great to have you, Bryan. When ready, you can choose anything from the board,” She smiled brightly again before asking for the next in line.
She is oddly happy…
Bryan turned around to see the other adventurers whispering and watching him.
He walked over to the board to see what was available.
A lot of these seem to be requesting lower ranks than they should, or very little money.
Taking a notice for a copper rat clearing quest, he waved to the receptionist on his way out.
Bryan made his way to the shop in the request to be greeted by the owner.
A simple rat quest should gauge how things work here.
“The rats are in the warehouse behind the shop”, smiling, he pointed Bryan towards it.
Torch light
Pushing open a door, scurrying and scratching could be heard.
Bryan unsheathed his sword and made his way inside.
The dimly lit room was illuminated by his light, with stacks of shelves to the left and right.
As he walked down an aisle, he spotted a blood stain. Crouching, he rubbed a finger in it and put it in his mouth.
Tastes human, and with the quantity, someone died here.
He stood back up and continued walking, sword held ready.
From behind a shelf, a creature jumped out towards his head. With a smooth motion, he swung his sword and beheaded it.
Three more darted towards him, one latching onto his leg armour.
Bryan cut each down with precise strikes and then examined them.
These are not just Rats, they are Steel Dagger Rats…
A copper rank would be slaughtered by these, likely where that blood came from.
Bryan cuts a tail off each and puts them in his bag.
As he exited the building, the shopkeeper was paying a guard.
The shopkeeper’s smile disappeared as Bryan approached, and the guard quickly walked away.
“You didn’t find them?... They are in there, trust me.”
Bryan waved at him while walking past.
“They are dead. I will collect the bounty at the guild”
The shopkeeper, looking confused, rushed into the warehouse.
Will need to take a few more quests to be sure….
Bryan woke up in his bed and stretched while he stood.
The other quests turned out similarly. I will enquire with Reorn at breakfast.
Putting on his armour, Bryan made his way down to the bar.
“Hello Bryan, Hope you are enjoying the room. Ale and stew?” Tessa said with a smile.
“Yes”, he replied as he sat by the bar next to Reorn.
“How is the strongest adventurer today?” Reorn asked mockingly.
“I have some more questions.”
“Fine, don’t play along, what is it?” Reorn said, turning to face Bryan.
“I have done several quests. They seem to be mislabelled as lower rank than they should be.”
“Oh, the monsters are tougher than you thought?” Reorn chuckled lightly.
“No, just imagine the ranks they ask for wouldn’t survive them”
Looking more serious, Reorn replied, “Adventurer is not an easy job. Many don’t survive it” he paused and looked thoughtful.
“People need help, we do our best…the guild isn’t perfect, but no one is.”
Is this wilful ignorance or acceptance?...
Bryan thanked him, finished his food before getting up to leave the inn.
He walked to the guild and entered. The adventurers stopped and watched him.
Bryan went straight to the desk to talk to Ellaya.
With her usual smile, “Hey, are you going to take a tougher quest today?”
“Yes, I intend on taking a silver or gold request”
She smiled more brightly “Ah, good, I was worried our strongest would keep fighting rats or other copper monsters”
She turned around and rummaged through her papers.
“Ok, here is a good one for you, we have an Ironhide Bear making trouble on the road into the city… There is a five-gold bounty”
Bryan thanked her and took the notice.
He made his way out of the city, the guards watching him leave.
It is unlikely to be a simple ironhide bear…
Pulling out his sword, he entered the forest near the road.
Torch light
The light shone on the trees and weeds he crushed under his boots.
After a while, he came across trees with deep claw marks in them.
Those look too deep…
A loud roar broke the quiet of the forest. Trees in the distance shook as a large creature barged past them.
Fire Bolt
A large ball of fire flew from his hand and exploded in the creature’s face.
Unfazed, it kept charging at him.
Waiting until it was close enough, Bryan used Air Bolt to launch himself upward. On the way back down, he swung his sword, but the creature tried to evade.
His sword grazed its back leg, slicing it with a shallow wound.
Brace…
The creature spun around and brought one of its large clawed hands down onto Bryan; it crashed into his sword.
Bryan shifted his weight to the left, using the bear’s force to spin himself around.
In one swift motion, he drove his sword into the creature’s side. It let out a squeal, before lunging its head to bite him.
It must be done…
Bryan shoved one hand into the path of its mouth, having it bite into his forearm as he twisted the sword with the other.
The creature slumped to the ground, Bryan letting go of his sword, and pried its jaws open to free his other arm.
Definitely not an Ironhide, Steelhide…or even a Terror Bear?...
He rummaged in his bag and chugged a red Potion. The holes in his forearm knitted back together, as a warmth spreads through his body.
Bryan collected the beast’s head and made his way back towards the gate.
As he got closer, he couldn’t see the guards usually there.
So… an ambush perhaps?
Calmly, he walked with his sword still out.
Bryan went to step through the gate, but a man came from behind the wall to block his path.
“We have you surrounded. You may be Level eighty, but we are all above sixty.”
Looking behind, Bryan could see eight men around him.
“This is not personal. You are making us look bad, and we need the money for this”
I have no choice here…
Bubble shield.
Fire Bolts were launched at Bryan from three directions; the explosions created a cloud of smoke.
Blink.
Bryan appeared behind the guy who spoke; without a word, he drew his sword across his neck.
Physical Enhancement.
He moved with disturbing speed as he sliced through the necks of five adventurers before being stopped by a sword.
One adventurer dropped his sword with a look of terror as he fell to his knees.
Bryan exchanged blows back and forth, sparks flying as their blades clashed.
With a forceful upward swing, Bryan forced him to lose balance, taking advantage, he thrust the sword through his chest.
Flicking the sword to clean it, Bryan approached the last one on the floor.
“Stop! Please…It wasn’t supposed to be this way…” The guy was frantically shuffling backwards.
“Why do this?” Bryan asked.
Between pants, the man replied, “The receptionist said you’d be dead or injured, and we would get some easy money… please”, the man cried “,we needed this money…”
“Fine, you tell them the bear killed them, and I saved you?”
“Yes!... anything,... thank you.” The man was now bowing.
Bryan turned and made his way into the city.
This corruption is very inefficient… will need to check the upper guild.