The Silver Oak Inn was unusually quiet that night.
After eating a simple dinner, Aiden returned to his room and locked the door.
The old wooden room was illuminated only by a single oil lamp.
He removed his sword and leaned it carefully against the wall before sitting beside the small table.
Slowly…
He reached into his pouch.
The worn map unfolded across the wooden surface.
His eyes immediately focused on the large black circle drawn deep inside the Southern Woods.
Below it…
Only one word remained.
**Master.**
“…”
Aiden studied every corner of the map.
Several smaller paths connected to the black circle.
Near the goblin camp he had destroyed, someone had drawn a small red X.
“So the camp wasn’t random…”
“It was guarding one of these routes.”
He continued examining the parchment.
Most of the handwriting was too faded to read.
Only a few symbols remained visible.
A cave.
A river.
And another mark much deeper inside the forest.
“…Interesting.”
Aiden folded the map again.
For now…
He decided not to tell anyone.
Without proof, no one would believe a single old map.
Besides…
He wanted to become stronger first.
Whatever this “Master” was…
He wasn’t ready to face it.
Not yet.
The next morning…
Sunlight streamed through the window.
After eating breakfast downstairs, Aiden headed toward the Adventurer Guild once again.
Unlike yesterday…
Many adventurers were gathered around the request board.
Excited voices echoed throughout the hall.
“Did you hear?”
“The children were rescued!”
“I heard a new F-Rank adventurer did it alone.”
“No way.”
“That’s impossible.”
“It was only goblins.”
“The strange part is that they had a camp.”
Aiden quietly walked past them without saying a word.
He had no interest in attention.
The receptionist smiled the moment she saw him.
“Good morning, Aiden.”
“Good morning.”
She reached beneath the counter and handed him a small bronze badge.
“I almost forgot yesterday.”
“This is your official Adventurer Identification Badge.”
Aiden accepted it.
The badge displayed the Guild’s emblem along with a single letter.
**F**
“Wear it whenever you’re on Guild business.”
“It identifies your rank.”
“If you complete enough quests…”
“You’ll eventually be promoted.”
Aiden nodded.
“I understand.”
Just then…
A loud voice interrupted the hall.
“Emergency request!”
Everyone turned toward the entrance.
A Guild messenger rushed inside, breathing heavily.
“A merchant caravan traveling from Eastbridge was attacked!”
“The guards survived…”
“…but several wagons were stolen!”
The entire Guild became restless.
“Bandits again?”
“They’re getting bolder.”
“The roads aren’t safe anymore.”
The receptionist sighed.
“This is the third attack this month…”
Aiden silently listened.
Bandits.
Yesterday he had heard adventurers talking about them.
Today…
Another caravan had been attacked.
The Guild Master soon descended from the second floor.
His deep voice silenced the hall.
“C-Rank teams will escort merchant caravans until further notice.”
“As for F and E-Rank adventurers…”
He looked toward the younger adventurers.
“Continue taking local monster extermination quests.”
“We don’t have enough people protecting nearby villages.”
The hall gradually returned to normal.
New quest notices were quickly placed onto the board.
Most involved goblins.
Dire wolves.
Wild boars.
Then…
One request caught Aiden’s attention.
**Quest**
**Investigate Missing Hunters**
**Location:** Southern Woods
**Difficulty:** E-Rank
**Status:** Party Required
“…Missing hunters?”
Before he could read further…
The receptionist gently shook her head.
“Not yet.”
“That’s above your current rank.”
“You’ll have plenty of opportunities later.”
Aiden smiled slightly.
“I wasn’t planning to accept it.”
Not yet.
He understood his own limits.
Instead…
He accepted another F-Rank goblin extermination quest.
The Southern Woods still held many unanswered questions.
And if he was going back…
He intended to learn a little more each time.
Outside the Guild…
A cool breeze swept through the streets of Westhaven.
Aiden accepted the parchment from the receptionist before carefully placing it inside his leather pouch.
It was another Goblin Extermination Quest.
Simple.
Safe.
And within his current abilities.
The receptionist smiled.
“You’re becoming popular around here.”
Aiden looked confused.
“Popular?”
She nodded.
“Most new adventurers either boast after completing one quest…”
“…or become frightened and never return.”
“But yesterday, you rescued two children and quietly submitted your report.”
“People noticed.”
Aiden simply smiled politely.
“I only did what I thought was right.”
The receptionist laughed softly.
“I hope you don’t lose that attitude.”
As Aiden turned to leave, Alfred called out from the appraisal room.
“Aiden.”
He walked over.
“I have something for you.”
From beneath the counter, Alfred produced a small leather satchel.
“It belonged to an adventurer who retired years ago.”
“It’s old…”
“But it’s still in good condition.”
Aiden accepted it with both hands.
“It’s larger than your current pouch.”
“It’ll make carrying monster materials much easier.”
Aiden looked surprised.
“I can’t accept something this valuable.”
The old man smiled.
“Think of it as an investment.”
“I have a feeling you’ll bring back far more valuable materials in the future.”
Aiden bowed respectfully.
“Thank you.”
Leaving the guild once more, Aiden headed toward the city’s eastern gate.
The guards recognized him immediately.
“Heading back into the Southern Woods?”
“Yes.”
“Be careful.”
“The forest has been strangely quiet this morning.”
Quiet…
Sometimes silence was more dangerous than noise.
After passing through the gate, Aiden followed the same dirt road as yesterday.
The summer breeze carried the scent of grass and pine.
Farmers worked peacefully in distant fields.
Nothing seemed unusual.
Yet…
His instincts refused to relax.
An hour later… This chapter was copied from g.com without permission.
He entered the Southern Woods.
The forest welcomed him with familiar sounds.
Birds.
Rustling leaves.
Flowing water somewhere in the distance.
Aiden moved cautiously.
Unlike yesterday, he didn’t head directly toward the goblin camp.
Instead…
He began searching the surrounding area.
If goblins had established one camp…
There could be others.
He activated Analysis while examining the ground.
**〈Analysis〉**
Footprints.
Age: Approximately 3 hours.
Species: Forest Goblin.
Direction: North-East.
“It can even analyze tracks now…”
The skill had become increasingly useful.
He quietly followed the trail.
Along the way, he discovered several broken arrows lodged in tree trunks.
Some carried dried blood.
Not goblin blood.
Human blood.
Aiden frowned.
“So the missing hunters really came this way…”
He continued deeper.
Soon…
The smell reached him.
Smoke.
Fresh smoke.
Someone had recently lit a fire.
Lowering his body, Aiden climbed a small rocky slope overlooking a clearing.
His eyes narrowed.
“…Another camp.”
This one was larger than the previous one.
Nearly fifteen goblins moved around the area.
Some sharpened weapons.
Others carried sacks filled with stolen supplies.
Unlike yesterday…
There were no prisoners.
But something else caught Aiden’s attention.
Standing in the center of the camp…
Was a creature unlike the others.
It was nearly two meters tall.
Its skin was a darker shade of green.
Two curved tusks protruded from its mouth.
It wore crude iron armor instead of torn cloth.
The goblins treated it with obvious respect.
Aiden immediately activated Analysis.
**〈Analysis Failed〉**
Target exceeds current Analysis capability.
“…”
The same message as yesterday.
Whatever that monster was…
It wasn’t an ordinary goblin.
Aiden remained hidden.
Charging fifteen goblins and an unknown leader alone would be suicide.
He slowly retreated without making a sound.
But just as he turned—
**Crack.**
A dry branch snapped beneath his boot.
The sound echoed through the forest.
Every goblin froze.
The large creature slowly lifted its head.
Its yellow eyes locked onto Aiden’s position.
Then…
It smiled.
A cruel…
Almost human smile.
“Human…”
Its deep voice rumbled across the clearing.
Aiden’s heartbeat quickened.
“…It can speak.”
Without hesitation, he leaped backward as a heavy iron spear flew through the air.
**BOOM!**
The spear slammed into the tree where he had been standing only a moment earlier.
The trunk exploded into splinters.
Aiden didn’t stop running.
Behind him…
Dozens of furious roars echoed through the Southern Woods.