The World's Weakest Hero, Volume 2, Chapters 4-5 (Patreon)

Chapter 4

What is this? Hawk looks at Lezard with his one good eye. Isn’t he just a kid?

Hawk has never been the strongest adventurer. The reason he quit in the first place was because he felt he’d reached his limit.

But even if he can’t stand toe-to-toe with some of the stronger adventurers, there is one thing Hawk has confidence in. He can detect dangers that most others miss.

Even with one eye, I can see something’s not right with him.

After losing his left eye, it became common for others to make jokes about how ironic his nickname had become. But he didn’t pick up the name Hawk because of his eyesight. He picked it up because he could sense that subtle danger.

And right now, something is telling him that the kid in front of him is no simple boy.

Tch. As if I’ll lose to this runt.

Still, it’ll be good to start slow, just in case.

Hawk steps forward, starting the examination with a simple overhead sword strike.

Lezard doesn’t flinch at having a former B-Ranked adventurer rush at him. Either he’s foolishly arrogant, or supremely confident. Hawk isn’t sure which, but his sense of danger is still ringing, making him lean toward the worst possible answer.

But confidence can only last until it’s shattered. And Hawk intends to put a crack in that composure here and now.

His blunted sword falls. It’s a simple attack, only meant to gauge Lezard’s stance and technique. Hawk is keeping a lot in reserve, which will allow him to easily avoid a counter, then capitalize on his opponent’s failed strike.

The two steel blades meet, with Hawk’s sword being deflected at an angle to divert his attack to the side. It’s a common defense against an overhead strike, utilizing the least amount of effort and giving the defender a large opening to retaliate.

However…

He’s not taking the bait?

Hawk pulls his weapon back, entering another aggressive stance.

He saw it. This kid definitely saw the opening.

Lezard’s eyes had captured the movement of every muscle on Hawk’s body. The examiner isn’t sure to what extent Lezard had been able to see his intentions through his posture, but he once again defaults toward the worst possible answer, as Hawk often does during situations like this.

The truth is, of course, that Lezard had seen through it all.

“You wasted an opportunity, kid.” Hawk goads him. “A real warrior wouldn’t have hesitated.”

“So that’s how you’re going to play this.” Lezard takes on a more aggressive stance, matching Hawk’s. “I don’t mind meeting you in the middle now that I’ve got a good grasp of your technique.”

He was testing me, too?

But there’s no way he knows what I’m capable of after just one attack. He’s bluffing.

As careful as always, Hawk delivers a strike that leaves no room for a counter, pressuring Lezard directly. He half-expects his opponent to perform some trickery to complement his bluff, but that’s not how the clash goes down.

He met my sword with his own?

Even if he’s stronger than most kids his age, the difference in our levels is more than enough for me to overpower him if I put enough power behind it.

Did he know I’d hold back?

The attack ends in a stalemate, which Hawk considers the best possible outcome for Lezard. Still, he manages to learn even more about his opponent.

Was that really the limit of his strength?

Hawk eyes Lezard’s arms, which show more strain than he expected. With all the boasting the kid had done, he was sure that the boy was at least a bit more capable than he was showing.

But everything Hawk sees is telling him that Lezard is actually…

Weak?

Did my sense of danger fail me? Is he actually not a threat at all?

Is this really the limit of—

“His strength,” Lezard says.

“…!” Hawk pulls his sword back as a bad premonition flashes in his mind.

“What’s wrong, Examiner?” Lezard returns to a neutral stance, having been relieved from the pressure of Hawk’s attack.

“Why did you say that?” Hawk narrows his one good eye.

“I was just helping you along to the finish line. And also because my arms were getting tired from you pushing that sword down on me.”

There’s no way. Is he saying he has an ability to read minds!?

Lezard’s trademark smirk rests squarely on his lips, making Hawk second-guess his own assumptions yet again.

Special Skills are rare. Other than summoned heroes, only one in a thousand people ever gain one.

And I’ve never heard of one that lets someone read minds. Could a skill like that really exist?

Hawk himself is part of that one in a thousand, having obtained his Special Skill, [Intuition], after the battle that cost him one of his eyes. In a way, his skill lies in a similar vein as one that could read minds, giving him strong indications of danger whenever it draws near.

It’s that very skill that has caused him to fight so defensively against Lezard, as it’s been sending off alarms ever since he set eyes on the kid. Though the limitation is that he never quite knows where the danger lies, only that it exists.

As the examiner stands undecided on where the danger truly lies, he catches a glimpse of light in Lezard’s eyes. It’s as if the kid is seeing something in Hawk that’s giving him an edge in the battle. Almost as if…

Does … does he know about my Special Skill?

Many adventurers and soldiers boast about their skills. It’s a natural result after having worked hard to obtain them. The prestige will further boost their reputation and open more doors for them in their dangerous lives.

But Hawk is different. Ever since obtaining [Intuition], the only ones he’s told are a few, trusted friends and the guild. No matter how crafty the kid is, he can’t imagine Lezard would be capable of digging up such information.

“Are you finally ready?” Lezard asks. “Or do you need even more time to analyze me?”

“Tch.” Hawk frowns. “Talking like you know everything. Don’t you know how much that pisses people off?”

“Yep. And the angrier they get, the more mistakes they make.”

“Messing with people’s heads is a bad habit for someone your age. But it doesn’t matter how much that mouth of yours moves if your arms can’t back it up.”

“I am painfully weak, huh? It’s a crime how hard I have to work to defeat someone like a B-Ranked adventurer, I tell ya.” Lezard shakes his head. “But hey, what matters is who’s still standing in the end, right?”

“That’s not the only thing that matters.” Hawk brings his hand up to his eyepatch. “You can lose something, even if you win.”

“True. But I’m not too worried about that. I’ve lost everything once, yet I’m still here. And if I have to, I’ll sacrifice it all again.” Lezard shrugs. “Though this time, I intend on getting the Good Ending.”

“I don’t know what you think you’ve lost, but nobody who’s lost something important would be as carefree as you at your age. But today, you’re going to lose something, for sure.” Hawk returns his hand to his sword, showing a far more aggressive posture than before. “This battle.”

Lezard returns the sentiment, falling into a stance that Hawk can’t identify. “Finally ready to finish the examination, huh? B-Rank, here I come.”

“Get real, kid. Once I make you eat dirt, I’m marking you down as F-Rank for your overconfidence.”

“Oops. Guess I shoulda toned down the snark a bit.” Lezard’s face shows exactly zero remorse for his antics.

With their words finished, there’s only one thing left to do. Settle the battle.

The two move at the same time, closing the distance in an instant. Unlike before, Hawk has given up on testing his opponent. Even if there’s still a lot of unknowns, there’s one thing he’s absolutely sure about.

He’s weak!

Hawk puts his full force behind his attack, confident that if he can land a direct hit, the kid would be unable to block it.

He’s right. At level 5, Lezard completely lacks the raw stats to compete with the level 37 Hawk. Whether it’s strength or speed, he has no chance of overcoming such a massive difference.

Even if he has the incredible stat growth of a summoned hero, that doesn’t mean much when he’s only managed to gain 4 levels since the summoning. No matter how Hawk or the spectators look at it, there should be no way for Lezard to deal with the full might and fury of an experienced B-Rank adventurer.

There is one exception amongst the crowd, though.

“Hurry up, already.” Lyra’s soft voice barely reaches Lezard’s ears just as the two warriors clash.

Hawk’s attack is simple, but it contains a lifetime of expertise. And unlike before, he’s not holding anything back. If Lezard tries blocking it directly again, he’ll be defeated in an instant.

That’s exactly why he’s changed tactics, as well.

A parry to redirect my sword’s momentum.

Hawk watches without concern as his weapon slides along Lezard’s sword, being deflected away from his body to avoid taking a hit.

That’s exactly what I expected.

The examiner shifts his feet, putting himself in a prime stance to take advantage of Lezard’s overly defensive posture. With a blur, his sword comes back around before the kid can capitalize on his parry.

And when the sword reaches Lezard’s body…

Tch! Blocked again?

Hawk watches with slight surprise as the kid effortlessly sends his sword off to the side again, redirecting it with apparent ease.

What’s with this fighting style? I’ve never seen anything like it.

There’s no way for Hawk to know, but Lezard hasn’t just been trained in this world’s traditional combat styles. He’d spent his youth before his first summoning training in some of Earth’s exotic disciplines.

The sword, scythe, spear, warhammer, throwing knives, and even nun chucks. He’d eagerly picked them all up. And after his summoning, he only further broadened his horizons by incorporating elements of this world’s weapon masters.

He wasn’t just trained by B-Ranked adventurers. He was under the tutelage of the world’s most accomplished masters, each of whom fell at his hands.

On top of his prowess, Lezard had his own skills. But rather than Special Skills like Hawk, he had something better. Heroic Skills.

And among the many, many Heroic Skills he obtained during his summoning and after, the one that frustrated the weapon masters of this world back when he was known as Triton, was none other than [Undisputed Zenith of All Weapon Styles].

It’s a Heroic Skill that had never been seen before, nor since. Though the same could be said of most of his skills.

Although he had lost access to them all, the skills and knowledge he had gained over two lifetimes of combat training didn’t just vanish. If it’s just one B-Ranked adventurer, Lezard can easily see through the style, which is why…

I can’t hit him!?

Hawk’s sword flashes time and again. Yet with each strike, he’s met with a perfect parry. If he could just force a direct contest of strength, he’s sure he could overpower the kid. But no matter where he strikes, the young boy seems to have already predicted the attack and moves seemingly ahead of Hawk himself.

Lezard may be weak and slow, but as long as he can get his sword into position before the attack, he can send Hawk’s weapon harmlessly off to the side and away from his body.

Can he really read my mind!?

Hawk begins to second-guess his own assumptions about what is and isn’t possible, unable to reconcile his knowledge with what he’s seeing before his very eyes.

But still! He’s reaching his limit!

Although Lezard shows no signs of urgency, sweat is clearly dripping down his face. This level of extreme combat is too much for him in his current condition, giving Hawk the confidence to keep up the assault without stopping.

“It’s over, kid!” Hawk increases the pressure even more, pushing his opponent to his obvious limit.

“It is.”

Despite his expertise, Lezard has no opportunities to strike back. The unfortunate reality is that overcoming such a massive difference in stats in a direct duel is a near-impossibility. Even if Lezard does hit Hawk with his blunted sword, the damage he can deal is negligible.

Without a doubt, even if he lands a blow, Hawk will just take it with a grunt and swing through it. In essence, there’s no path to victory for Lezard in a contest of pure strength.

Which is why…

“Up you go!” After parrying an attack, Lezard swings his arms.

Hawk, Lina, and the large crowd watch with shock as he tosses his sword high into the sky. The weapon spins and twirls, reflecting the light of the sun as it climbs higher and higher.

“What the…” Hawk’s eyes snap back to Lezard, who’s suddenly very close. “Gah…!”

Lezard’s palm sinks into Hawk’s abdomen, a blow that would knock the wind out of most people and give him an opening to finish the duel.

However, Hawk isn’t like most people. He’s a B-Ranked adventurer who’s taken far stronger hits and not fallen.

“You idiot! Did you really think a distraction like that would be enough!?” Hawk forgoes a sword strike, opting for a close combat elbow instead.

Like before, Lezard has already seen through it, ducking his head just enough to avoid the attack. He snaps back up with an uppercut, dealing a grazing blow that does no real damage.

Having had enough, Hawk pulls on his weapon, intent on finishing the duel with a close-range sword strike that Lezard won’t be able to parry without a weapon of his own.

“Eat dirt, kid!” Hawk puts his decades of expertise behind the attack against his annoying opponent.

From Lezard’s posture and positioning, Hawk is certain. He’s certain that there’s no longer any tricks the kid can play to get out of this attack. It’s going to hit, and it’s going to hit hard.

The examination is over.

Bonk!

Silence fills the small arena as Hawk’s sword flies wildly off-course, missing Lezard by a wide margin.

“Ugh…?” Hawk looks around, seeing what appears to be the night sky full of stars, despite it being mid-day.

Lezard grabs his own sword from mid-air, which finally returned from the heavens, the hilt smacking Hawk on the crown of his head.

He swipes Hawk’s sword while he’s at it, holding a weapon in each hand, both crisscrossed just in front of the examiner’s throat.

“That was fun.” Lezard smirks at the dazed man.

“What … the?” Hawk’s vision and senses slowly return.

“The Twin Moon Spirits must have really been looking out for me.” Lezard lowers the weapons. “Or something.”

Even though he hasn’t taken any real damage, it’s clear to everyone watching that Hawk is the loser in the duel. When everyone catches up to that fact, a round of applause and cheers erupts around the arena.

It’s rare to see such a unique battle. Nobody expected anything other than a match of brute force, which was often the case during examinations. So when they’re given such a treat, even the adventurers can’t help but show their appreciation.

“You’re a real freak, kid.” Hawk rubs the top of his head, where he can already feel a bump forming.

“Thanks.”

“Who said it was a compliment?”

With a shrug, Lezard returns Hawk’s sword before replacing his own on the rack. Even if his battle is over, there’s still another match coming up.

Lyra takes his place in the ring, first making a stop by the very same weapon rack.

“I suppose these will have to do.” She grabs two handaxes.

With confident steps, she walks to the center of the arena and gives them a twirl to test their weight and balance.

“They’re poorly made, but I guess the same can be said of your sword.”

Hawk eyes the young girl with long, blue hair. He’d been so focused on Lezard that he didn’t really spend the time to analyze her until now, but when he does…

Hey! Isn’t this girl bad news!?

Once again, he can’t put his finger on it, but something about Lyra makes his [Intuition] skill fire off alarms. The warning is even louder than it gave off for Lezard, though it’s at least clearer to him why he needs to be careful.

She’s not weak. Not weak at all.

With the Great Spirit of Water awake, Lyra’s raw strength has increased dramatically. Even if she’s not a full power, a simple duel with a B-Ranked adventurer can be considered a mundane task.

And right now, Hawk is the mundane one she has in her sights.

“Let’s begin.” Lyra raises one arm, the handaxe in a reverse grip so the edge is pointed away.

With a quick motion, she sends the weapon flying.

The last thing Hawk sees is the reverse side of the handaxe seemingly betraying everything he knows about physics as it bypasses what he was sure would be a perfect block.

And with that, the examinations are well and truly over.

Chapter 5

“Why am I C-Rank while Lyra is B-Rank!?” I shove my badge into Lina’s face, pointedly showing her the ‘C’ that lists my rank.

Our advisor smiles a bit stiffly. “The examiner gets to decide the results, so I’m afraid there’s nothing I can do about it…”

“Gah…” I sag my shoulders as I put the badge into my pocket. “That guy really holds a grudge, doesn’t he?”

“Let it go,” Lyra says. “We got what we wanted, so there’s no need to complain about the details.”

“Easy for you to say, Miss B-Rank.” I watch on as Lyra eyes her badge with satisfaction. “Stop looking at your badge!”

“Would you like to see it, instead?” She shoves it into my face, just like I did to Lina.

“Why would I want anything to do with that cursed item!? It’s foul, putrid, rotten, and a whole list of other synonymous words!”

“Don’t be rude to my precious badge.” Lyra pulls it back, looking at it one more time before putting it away.

“Ugh. Well, I guess this result is acceptable. Barely.” I sit back in my seat.

“Haha.” Lina seems to enjoy our little back and forth. “Now that the two of you have your ranks, you can form a party, if you wish. Or, I can provide a list of parties who are recruiting new members.”

“We’ll form our own.”

“Then…” Lina pulls out another document. “If you’ll fill this out, please.”

The paperwork is simple, with the only real information being the names of the members, each of their ranks, and the party name. Technically, the party name is optional, but if we don’t pick one ourselves, the guild will.

So rather than end up with something strange or ridiculous, we’re definitely choosing our own.

“Any ideas, Lyra?” I tap the back of the pen on the blank line where the name goes.

“Not particularly. Though Great Water—”

“Rejected.”

“Then why ask!?”

“Oh!” I raise the pen high. “The Lizard King and his Queen!”

“What kind of implications are you making with a name like that!?”

“Hmm?” I show her an innocent smile. “I can’t fathom what you mean, my dear.”

One of Lyra’s eyebrows twitches. “Go marry a lizard, if you love them so much.”

“I’m getting an inkling that you’re not too fond of the name.”

“What a fantastic sixth sense you have.”

I lower the pen to the blank line. “Then I guess there’s no choice. I’ll have to use my trump card!”

Ink appears as I slide the pen across the parchment, choosing a name to represent our adventurer party.  When I finish, I slide the pen and paper back across the desk to Lina.

“Heroes of the Crescent Moon.” Lina reads the name, looks up to me, then back to the paper. “I guess I should have known you’d pick a name like this.”

I give her a proud expression. “Triton called himself the ‘Twin Moon Hero’, so it’s only right for me to choose something similar!”

“Yes. Though it will only draw further attention to you from those who don’t like the former hero, so please take care.”

“I’m sure absolutely nothing will come of it. Nothing at all.” I wave my hand dismissively. “Anyway, we appreciate all your help, Lina. I’m glad we have such an understanding and capable advisor.”

“Oh, goodness. I didn’t do much at all. Actually, I feel quite useless because of how strong the two of you are. I never thought you’d win against Hawk and rise in the ranks so quickly.”

“Don’t worry about it. There are still a lot of things Lyra doesn’t know, so feel free to coach her on whatever you think is necessary.”

The blue-haired spiritkin girl narrows her eyes. “Why are you singling me out? I’m not the C-Rank here.”

I hold my head high. “Because we can’t have a supreme B-Rank adventurer making newbie mistakes in front of the others here. Think of the guild’s reputation!”

“Don’t worry, Miss Lyra.” Lina takes our jokes very seriously. “My door will always be open for you, whenever you need me.”

Lyra sighs. “Alright, I understand.”

Since there’s nothing else for us to discuss in Lina’s office, our advisor leads us back out to the front.

The original receptionist is still reading her book, seemingly without a care in the world. Even as we pass by her and through the small opening in the counter, she doesn’t spare us a glance.

Lina eyes her older co-worker, but just like before, she doesn’t try to start a discussion. Instead, she just smiles like a mother who doesn’t know what to do about her daughter who’s going through her rebellious phase.

“Please remember,” Lina says, turning back to us. “Even if you can pick up B-Ranked quests, there are many dangers that can’t be beat with pure strength. I hope you will choose wisely—and safely.”

The other receptionist finally looks up, her eyes first falling on Lina, then on us. However, after a few seconds, she simply returns to her book without ever saying a single word.

“Don’t worry, Miss Lina.” I show her a confident smile. “We’ll make sure to pick one without a cyclops.”

“Goodness me, I certainly hope so. Even a full party of experienced B-Ranked adventurers needs to be careful of a cyclops! Ah, but they actually live in the mountains, you know? It’s rare for them to come this far from their caves.”

“Is that so? I’ll keep that in mind.”

“If there’s any other information you need, please just ask, and I’ll do my best to find the answers.”

“I’m glad we have such a nice advisor, right Lyra?”

“You’ve been very helpful.” Lyra gives her a small nod.

With a bashful smile, Lina waves goodbye to us before returning to her office in the back.

Now that we’ve got our guild badges and mid-level ranks, we’re free to use the services offered by this state-run institution as we desire. Though the only one we really need is the quest-taking service.

Those quests are lined up on several large guild boards posted on the walls, separated by rank. Since there’s no way we’re going to take some boring, low-level quest, my eyes naturally drift to the boards that contain the C-Rank and B-Rank quests, as those are the ones most likely to be worth our time.

As we take our first step toward the boards, Lyra speaks up.

“You sure were nice to Lina.”

“She’s a sweet girl. Like a mother looking out for her two young children.”

“So that’s all it takes for you to drop your usual jokes?”

“No way. It does help, though. But if I had to spend any more time with her, I wouldn’t have been able to hold it in much longer, you know!”

Lyra shakes her head. “Why am I not surprised…”

“Heh. But it was fun to roleplay for a bit, acting outside my usual self.”

“There really wasn’t much difference, though?”

“What do you mean I wasn’t different? I was clearly not acting like myself, right?”

“No, there was nothing clear about it. You might have been a little less cheeky and more accommodating, but that’s pretty much it.”

I nod. “So you do understand. I worked hard to keep the lizard in line, so I hope you appreciate it.”

“You’re going to be disappointed, then.”

When we’re halfway to the boards on the far wall, an adventurer stands from their table. There are four of them sitting about, with three being men and one being a woman. But the only one to stand is a single man with a well-kept haircut.

He doesn’t block our path between the tables, but the way he’s looking at us makes it clear that he has something to say. Since it’s not like we’re in a rush, I stop and stare back, giving him the first chance to speak.

I know from experience that the Adventurer’s Guild doesn’t put up with violence within its walls. Disciplinary action is quick and severe for any troublemakers who try to disrupt the services provided by the guild, so there’s hardly a safer place than in the middle of the main gathering room.

That said, such protections only extend to the front door. Adventurers are expected to take care of their own business when not on their premises. Though any parties who become known to cause problems will still be dealt with, if it’s severe enough.

“Miss Lyra, was it?” The man places his hand over his chest and gives her a bow that wouldn’t be out of place at a noble gathering. “I had the pleasure of witnessing your duel against Hawk. Never in my days did I think I’d witness such strength—such flawless technique—from a beautiful flower like yourself. It was mesmerizing.”

“Thanks.” Lyra stares at him without saying another word.

The man, undisturbed by the short response, sweeps his shiny, blond hair aside. “My given name is Guiche de Mallory von Montmorency, son of Earl Gramont de Tristain von Montmorency, and future S-Ranked adventurer. But a flower such as yourself may simply call me Guiche. The pleasure is all mine, of course.”

“You already know that my name’s Lyra, so you can just call me that.”

“Lyra, the wispy-blue flower of the frontier.” Guiche pulls an actual flower from somewhere and holds it out to her. “Quite a magnificent name, I do profess.”

“No, it’s just Lyra.” She ignores the flower, which Guiche slowly withdraws.

Man, what am I, a ghost?

The two men sitting at the table look completely unphased about their companion’s strange way of speaking. No doubt they’ve long since gotten used to it.

The single female, however, is clearly hiding a frown. Though if I had to guess, it’s not because of Guiche’s words so much as who those words are directed at.

“As it so happens, Miss Flower of the Frontier, the four of us have recently ranked up.” Guiche proudly shows his badge, which has a B in the center. “While we may not be quite as youthful as yourself, it’s rare for people our age to achieve such a high rank. Isn’t it obvious that we’re destined for greatness?”

“Sure.”

“And it also so happens that we’ve been discussing hunting a new member for our party, the Alabaster Rose. What better opportunity for a young flower such as yourself?”

“Sorry, uh … Guiche?”

“Yes, Miss Flower?”

“I’m already in a party.” Lyra turns to me.

“With this C-Ranked commoner?” Guiche looks me up and down. “Certainly you can do better with us, no? My name has already begun spreading as one of this city’s greatest adventurers.”

“Tsk, tsk.” I wag my finger at him. “Even if your name has started spreading, Quiche—”

“It’s Guiche.”

“—it’ll be swept aside by my own grand and noble name—Triton!”

“Huh!? You’re one of those!?”

“One of the lucky ones named after the world’s strongest hero? Yes. Yes, I am.”

“Hahaha.” Guiche sweeps his hair aside again, a motion he’s obviously mastered. “To be named after another in the hopes of leeching off their popularity. How truly unfortunate.”

“Oh? And where did the name Quiche come from?”

“It’s Guiche. And if you must know, my great grandfather was Earl Verdante de Guiche von Montmorency. He was a well-respected and noble man who was the first in our great line to rise from Viscount to Earl. There is no greater honor than to carry his name.”

“Uh-huh. So your dad named you after him in hopes that you’ll grow up to be at least a shadow of what he was.”

“Hey! We nobles do not name our children with the same intent as commoners. It is merely a nod to my great grandfather, and to continue his legacy here in the modern times.”

I nod, but my face shows a complete lack of understanding. “Well, Quiche—”

“It’s Guiche!”

“—as Lyra said, we’ve already formed a party, and I don’t plan to dissolve it on the same day. So I’m sorry to say we’ll have to turn down your kind request for us to join you.”

“I never said anything about you joining.”

“Don’t worry, though. After our party name surpasses yours, we’ll make sure to let everyone know that all of you were the very first friends we made at the Adventurer’s Guild.”

“I don’t see any of that happening.”

“Until then, we’ve got our first quest to think about, so if you’ll pardon us, we have a job board to check out.”

With a wave to Guiche and his three companions, Lyra and I pass by his table and continue to the far wall. I can feel his stare on my back as we leave, but it’s like a warm sunbeam on a cool morning. Quite refreshing, really.

Nobody else steps up to get in our way, so we quickly reach our destination. Lyra seems to have put the encounter out of her mind already, so we go right into search mode, reading the quests tacked onto the board.

“A Young Salamander living in a nearby cave needs to be slain.” Lyra points to a C-Rank quest.

“I bet that’d be a tough battle for someone our age who just started leveling up. Would probably have to flee the first time, then come back after gaining some more levels and a better spear.”

“That’s rather specific.”

“Just popped into my head.” I shrug. “But let’s add it to the list of potential quests. It’s not too far away, and if it’s a juvenile, it won’t be too hard to beat.”

We continue going through the C-Rank quests, but the salamander one ends up being the best of the bunch, in terms of distance, difficulty, and pay. I’m surprised nobody’s taken it yet, though that’s likely because it’s only just been added to the board.

Since the B-Ranked quests are just beside the C-Ranks, we take a peek at them next. The jump from C-Rank to B-Rank is quite substantial, and since they’re expected to be completed with a full party, most people would think we’re being quite arrogant to even look at them.

But it never hurts to check. And that mentality rewards me with something very interesting.

“Oh?” I pull out a tack, taking a quest off the board. “Could it be…”

Lyra reads over my shoulder. “Unknown monster living in the northern forest. Partial reward for information, and full reward for slaying. Quite dangerous to go after an unidentified monster, isn’t it?”

“Says here that nobody has been killed hunting the monster, but everyone who tries wakes up at the entrance with memory loss. Don’t you think that’s interesting?”

“I guess so. Could be a mindslayer, but they usually devour their victims, not just their memories.”

“Exactly. No normal monster would just let its victims go, which means…” I fold the quest paper and put it in my pocket. “Let’s go with this one.”

Lyra shrugs. “Doesn’t matter to me.”

“Awesome. Then c’mon, we’re heading out!”

Our first quest has been decided, and since it’s not too far from the city, we even have time to go there and back before sundown.

Back to adventuring through the world. Man, did I miss this.