Morning sunlight poured through the wooden windowpanes of the inn. Raizo opened his eyes slowly, blinking at the soft light. He sat up, rubbing his face, and glanced around the room.
> "Huh… they're not here?"
He stretched, stood, and went downstairs.
The innkeeper was sweeping the floor when she noticed him. "Oh hey, kid. If you're looking for the Brightstar party, they already left earlier."
> "Oh… okay." Raizo replied, a bit disappointed.
Just as he was about to open the door and head outside, the door swung open on its own.
"Good morning, Raizo!" a cheerful voice called out.
Raizo blinked. It was Latina, followed by Rjay, Nathan, Cid, and Freya. They were smiling like they had something planned.
"Good morning too, Latina, Rjay, Nathan, Cid, Freya. Where did you all go?" he asked.
They all exchanged glances and smirks.
"Raizo," Rjay said with a grin, "Close your eyes for a second."
"Uh… okay?"
Raizo closed his eyes, still confused. He heard something being placed on the table in front of him.
"Now open them."
Raizo opened his eyes—and froze.
> "W-Wha… is this—?"
A set of freshly polished steel armor was displayed before him—lightweight chestplate, shoulder guards, and a pair of armguards designed for someone his size.
"Today's your first official quest as an adventurer, right?" Rjay said. "So we thought you'd need something to protect yourself."
Raizo stared, wide-eyed. "No, no… this looks expensive! I can't accept this—"
Nathan laughed. "Kid, just take it. We all pitched in. Think of it as a gift."
Raizo looked at them, then back at the armor. A smile formed on his face. He bowed deeply. "Thank you… all of you."
They grinned.
"Shall we go to the guild?" Rjay said.
"Yeah!" they all said in unison.
---
At the Galia Adventurer Guild, they made their way toward the towering quest board, filled with pinned parchments. Raizo's eyes scanned every request.
Latina leaned over. "So, Raizo, anything catch your eye?"
Raizo shook his head. "Not yet…"
But then, one quest pulled his attention.
He reached up, trying to grab it, but it was slightly too high.
Nathan noticed and chuckled. "Here," he said, pulling it down and handing it to him. "Is this the one you want?"
Raizo looked over the parchment and nodded.
Rjay leaned over to read it. "Hmm… 'Goblin Eradication.' Are you sure about this, Raizo? Might be a little too hard for a first quest."
Raizo nodded firmly. "I'm sure."
Rjay shrugged. "Alright. Then we'll take this one."
They brought the paper to the receptionist, who smiled as she stamped the form.
"Good luck out there, Raizo!" she said brightly.
---
Quest Accepted: Goblin Eradication
Questgiver: Village Chief
Objective: Eliminate 4 Goblins in the nearby forest
Reward: 15 Silver Coins
---
They entered the forest shortly after.
"Raizo," Rjay said, "we'll be watching from the sidelines. This one's yours alone."
Raizo nodded. "Understood."
"Don't worry," Latina added. "If anything happens, I've got my bow."
Raizo smiled. "Thanks."
As they walked deeper into the trees, the bushes rustled. Four goblins emerged, armed with crude clubs and a makeshift stone axe. One even had a small wooden shield strapped to its arm.
Raizo's grip tightened on his steel dagger.
The Brightstar party stepped back behind the trees.
"Let's go, Raizo!" Rjay cheered.
The goblins shrieked and charged. Raizo dodged swiftly—his training paying off. But the shield-wielding goblin blocked his first few strikes.
> "He's tough…" Raizo thought, breathing heavily.
The shield goblin roared and lunged. Raizo stepped aside and saw his opening—he thrust the dagger forward into the goblin's heart.
It fell.
The other three hesitated, but Raizo didn't. With the shield-user down, his movements became more fluid. He parried and slashed, using quick footwork to outmaneuver them.
One after another—they dropped.
The forest fell silent.
> Gluttony ability activated. Updating stats…
---
Updated Stats:
ATK: 80
DEF: 60
STA: 75
MANA: 98
Magic: Healing, Poison
Skills: Basic Craftsmanship, Regeneration, Brute Strength, Sneak Attack, Poison Dagger
---
Raizo's eyes widened.
> "I… I gained Poison Magic…?"
He clenched his fists in awe. "Now I have Healing and Poison. This is amazing…"
The Brightstar party walked out of hiding, clapping.
"Well done, Raizo," Rjay praised.
Cid grinned. "Now for the fun part. Cut off their ears."
Raizo blinked. "Wait, what?"
Nathan chuckled. "It's proof of your kills. You bring the ears to the guild as evidence."
Raizo gulped, staring at the bodies. "I… I have to…?"
"No worries," Rjay said, patting him. "We all did it when we were newbies."
"I still remember my first goblin," Nathan added with a laugh. "It was gross."
Raizo hesitated, then sighed and crouched beside the first goblin. His hands trembled as he took out his dagger again.
It took a few tries.
By the time he finished, he was pale.
The others were trying to hold back their laughter.
> "It's not funny…" Raizo muttered, his face scrunched in disgust.
"You'll get used to it," Cid said. "Eventually."
Back in Galia, Raizo stood in front of the receptionist desk again, handing over a small pouch.
"Four goblin ears. Quest complete," he said.
She smiled brightly. "Excellent job! Here's your reward—15 silver coins. Congratulations on your first completed quest, Raizo!"
He looked down at the small coins in his hand.
It wasn't much.
But to him?
It meant everything.