The next day, Richard Town, Adventurers Guild.
This guild is said to have some connection with one of the Six Great Orthodoxy, the “Lord of Death,” though some believe the Adventurers Guild is just bluffing, and the true followers of the Lord of Death should be in “Place of Rest.”
Ignoring those messy background settings for now, the existence of this guild is deeply loved by players; being an Adventurer not only offers plenty of work and money but also carries a certain prestige.
Now, at high noon, the foot traffic at the Adventurers Guild had reached its peak, with a dense crowd of humans and other humanoid races packing the entire hall.
But even in this sea of people, the tall, silver-armored knight Sam was an extremely eye-catching presence.
“Hello, welcome to the Adventurers Guild!” The receptionist doll, dressed in a green uniform, looked up and gave Sam a professional smile.
Sam nodded slowly, a steady mechanical male voice coming from beneath the visor:
“I would like to register as an Adventurer.”
“Alright, please register here.”
The Automated Doll acting as the receptionist took out paper and a quill.
Holding a pen through Sam’s armor felt a bit awkward; although as biological armor, it was as easy for Firefly to use as her own limbs, there was still some disconnect after all.
Sam slowly filled out her basic information on the paper.
[Name: Molten Knight, Sam]
[Race: Human]
[Transcendent Class: Martial Artist]
[Sub-classes: Warrior, Mecha Master]
The receptionist quickly organized the information and then handed an Adventurer’s Proof to Sam.
Sam casually stored it in the system inventory, then slowly moved through the crowd to the quest board.
“Hey!
Buddy, that armor of yours looks pretty grand.
Where’d you get it?” A man dressed as a Thief approached.
Sam remained silent, simply beginning to search for the highest-level commission she could currently accept.
The Adventurers Guild’s classification of its members is also very simple, consisting of four ranks: “Copper,” “Silver,” “Gold,” and “Gemstone.”
These correspond to the four levels: grunt level, elite level, Inner Guard Level, and Hero Level.
Although Sam currently had elite level combat power and could directly become a Silver-rank Adventurer with a special certification, she did not plan to do so.
Her main goal was to obtain the Class Advancement Certificate.
“This quest will do.” She tore a bounty from the quest board.
At the same time, a system panel popped up before her eyes:
[The Novice Adventurer’s First Battle: You have accepted the commission from the Butterfly Demon Elite to help her slay the Treant invading the Logging Camp.
Rewards: 20 Copper Coins, 200 Experience Points, 10 Adventurers Guild Reputation, Copper-rank Adventurer Class Advancement Certificate.]
Adventurer is a class even more versatile and all-purpose than Thief; most players would pick it up.
Mainly because this class covers such a wide range of fields, from helping an old lady find her cat to saving a nation or defeating an evil god; there’s almost nothing an Adventurer can’t get involved in, and the people of this world are quite accustomed to it.
Thus, its skill coverage is just as extensive; whether it’s finding a cat or fighting an evil god, they can all be put to use.
Sam tore off the commission and intended to return to the receptionist to register it, but the Thief next to her offered a word of advice.
“Buddy, I suggest you don’t take this commission.
That Treant’s strength is already at the High-tier Warrior Level, not something us Copper-rank Adventurers can handle.”
Warrior Level is a euphemism for most grunt level Superpowered individuals; after all, “grunt level” sounds far too unpleasant.
One wonders what kind of twisted humor the official apocalypse developers had to name the levels this way.
Sam only lowered her head slightly.
The emerald light beneath the visor seemed to flicker for a moment, and then a voice without much emotional fluctuation could be heard:
“A high-tier grunt is still just a grunt.”
“What did you say?” The Thief’s brow furrowed.
Although Sam was talking about the Treant, as a grunt level Superpowered individual himself, it was hard for him not to think Sam was making an indirect jab at him.
His expression shifted a few times, then he stopped in his tracks, waved his sleeve, and snorted coldly:
“Heh, do you think wearing a slightly better-looking set of armor will let you defeat a magical beast of that level?
Don’t end up losing your life!”
Sam didn’t want to pay any attention to this random passerby at all.
She could tell at a glance that this guy most likely saw she had just registered as an Adventurer and looked wealthy, so he was trying to see if he could scam some money.
During her novice period, she had been scammed by such unscrupulous Adventurers more than a few times.
It was all learned through life-threatening trials, so how could she not have a deep impression?
“I want to take this quest.” She slapped the quest bounty onto the desk.
The receptionist was somewhat surprised: “You’ve only just become an Adventurer.
Are you sure you want to take on this high-difficulty bounty?”
“Yes.” Sam was a man of few words, responding with a simple sound.
“Alright.” The receptionist said no more, simply fulfilling her duty faithfully.
Seeing the registration was complete, Sam turned and left, heading toward the address recorded on the bounty.
The Logging Camp was outside Richard Town.
Entering the town required paying 2 Copper Coins, but Sam didn’t care much and went straight to the Logging Camp.
At the entrance of the Logging Camp, there were several people dressed as bodyguards and a Butterfly Demon.
The Butterfly Demon’s height was only half that of a human.
Her forehead was very smooth, with two antennae growing out, and behind her was a pair of magnificent large wings, exceptionally beautiful.
They are one of the most trade-savvy races in the world; Butterfly Demons can be found in famous trade organizations like the Pan-Continental Economic and Trade Union and the Rose Chamber of Commerce.
“So you’re the Adventurer who took the quest!
You certainly look the part!” The Butterfly Demon Elite had to tilt her head up to see the Sam who was looking down.
“The Treant, where is it?” Sam asked.
“Oh, it’s just in there.
It’s truly detestable!
I finally convinced my family to let me come out and start a business, just opening a simple Logging Camp, and yet there are magical beasts obstructing me!
How hateful, I suspect the ‘Throne of Oaths’ is targeting me!” Elite seemed to be a chatterbox, her little mouth opening and rattling on incessantly.
The bodyguard wiped his sweat and reminded her, “Miss, please do not say such disrespectful things about the gods.”
“Hmph, anyway, big guy, go in and get rid of that Treant for me!
I’ve got high hopes for you!” Elite stood beside Sam, stood on her tiptoes, and patted Sam’s waist hard.
Sam didn’t say much either, slowly walking into the Logging Camp.
Elite and the bodyguard stood at the entrance.
The former raised her hand to her forehead, curiously peeking inside, seemingly wanting to see if a fierce battle would break out.
Then Sam came out.
“Eh?
What’s wrong?
You aren’t scared, are you?” Elite blinked her eyes.
But Sam just shook her head and said, “The quest is already complete.”
“Huh?
You’re not thinking I’m easy to fool and trying to trick me, are you!” Elite’s expression gradually turned fierce:
“You weren’t even in there for half a minute!
And I didn’t hear any sounds of battle at all!”
To maintain Sam’s persona as a “cool and aloof male god,” Firefly did not explain, slowly stepping toward Richard Town.
“I’m so mad!
What kind of person is this?
I’m definitely going to file a complaint against this guy!” Elite stomped her feet in anger.
At that moment, the bodyguard seemed to catch a scent.
After a moment’s hesitation, he said to Elite:
“Miss, something seems strange inside.
Should we go in and take a look?”
“Huh?
What’s strange?
There’s a Treant in there!
You want me to go in?
Are you trying to get me killed?” Elite glared at him.
“No, Miss, I think I smell something burning…” the bodyguard said, wiping his sweat.
Elite’s expression changed: “No way?
That Treant isn’t going to set fire to my Logging Camp, is it?
Quick, quick, quick, go in and stop it!”
With that, she rushed into the Logging Camp in a panic.
However, the scene before her eyes left Elite in shock—half of the Treant’s body was hanging from a tree, and the severed part of its body was emitting black smoke and a few sparks, seemingly melted through by something.
“No way…” she murmured to herself, then suddenly turned back toward the outside of the Logging Camp in the direction Sam had left, but by then, that tall figure was no longer to be seen.