Ridan floated behind Hazuki, still munching through their shared al, until sothing caught his eye.
Two cloaked figures approaching from behind—too smooth, too quiet, too close. His eyes narrowed.
"Hazuki."
"What?"
Hazuki replied, mouth still full, chewing lazily.
"Turn around and kick."
"...Why?"
Hazuki blinked, confused.
Ridan grinned mischievously.
"Just show your flashy move. Humor ."
Hazuki shrugged, raising an eyebrow.
"You ask for it."
He stuffed the last bite into his mouth, dropped the empty skewer, and channelled mana into his foot.
With a faint fwoosh, his right boot burst into flas—his elental control swirling the fire dramatically along his leg.
"EEEEEEK!! FIRE!!"
Hazuki scread.
"IT’S ON !! WHY IS IT ON !?"
Panicking, he spun around and kicked wildly—
CRACK!!!
The blazing boot struck the chin of the first assassin, launching him into the air with a sickening snap.
The crowd gasped as the cloaked figure twisted mid-flight and smashed into a nearby stall.
Ridan floated calmly behind Hazuki, muttering,
"...That was way cleaner than I expected."
Hazuki, still flailing, jumped up and down.
"GET OFF GET OFF!!"
He waved his arms to extinguish the harmless fire—then, twisting mid-air, he accidentally punched the second assassin in the face, sending him flying backwards into a barrel of pickled fish.
Hazuki landed, panting.
"...It’s out, right?"
He looked at his foot.
"No burns. Good."
The two assassins were groaning on the ground—completely knocked out before they could even draw weapons.
Ridan floated above him, clapping slowly.
"Bravo. Truly the king of idiot."
"Hmm...?"
Hazuki squinted at the two groaning figures, then sothing caught his eye.
Clink.
Lying just a few feet away, faintly glinting in the sunlight—
Two small coin pouches.
"...Hmm?"
He casually looked left, then right.
Nobody seed to be paying attention.
His eyes narrowed.
Then brightened.
"Ah!"
He dramatically dropped to the ground, clutching his stomach.
"Ughhh!"
He groaned loudly enough for anyone nearby to hear.
"Why all of a sudden... my stomach...!"
With perfect timing, he rolled slightly and "accidentally" scooped up the two pouches, slipping them into his side bag quickly.
"Hazuki."
"Yes, spirit of judgnt?"
He whispered dramatically.
"That’s called looting the unconscious."
"N-no! It’s called... recovery fee."
"Idiot tax," Ridan muttered with a smirk.
Ridan smirked, floating smugly beside him.
"See? Your flashy move earned you sothing."
Hazuki gave a lazy shrug, adjusting his bag.
"Yeah, got lucky."
He glanced around—no witnesses, no guards, no angry shopkeepers. Perfect.
"Now let’s get outta here before soone notices."
He whistled casually and strolled off at a leisurely pace, like a man who totally didn’t just set two people on fire and loot them in broad daylight.
"Ridan."
"What?"
"Help find the adventurer guild."
Ridan floated sideways with an exaggerated scoff.
"I’m not a guide, you know."
Hazuki grinned.
"Huh? We’re partners, right?"
Ridan paused midair, groaning like his soul was cracking.
"...Oh... yeah... ugh, fine."
With a tiny pop and a spark of light, Ridan spun in the air and activated his mapping skill—a faint, glowing grid appeared over his eyes like a spirit-based minimap.
He spun dramatically, pointing ahead like a commander addressing his army.
"Alright, peasant!! FOLLOW !!"
Hazuki saluted playfully.
"As you command, Ridan-sama!"
They finally reached the adventurer guild.
Hazuki stepped up to the large wooden double doors and pushed them open. The hinges creaked loudly as the heavy doors swung inward.
Inside, the place was larger than expected—with high ceilings, mounted monster heads, and rows of long wooden tables. A faint scent of sweat, ale, and sothing grilled lingered in the air.
And... every single person inside was a beastkin.
Massive wolfn, armored lion-types, tigerfolk with battle scars across their muzzles—each one bulkier than the last. A few glanced up as Hazuki walked in, then imdiately went back to drinking, arm-wrestling, or discussing quests.
Hazuki blinked, confused.
"Ridan..."
"What?"
Hazuki leaned a little closer.
"There’s... no humans here."
Ridan floated just above his shoulder, sighing deeply.
"Of course, dumbass."
"This adventurer guild is in the Beastkin Kingdom. You’ll rarely see other races here. That’s normal. Dumbass."
Hazuki frowned, pondering.
"But in the human kingdom, the guild sotis has elves, beastkin, and others mixed in."
Ridan threw up his misty arms.
"I already said sotis, dumbass! Why is your brain made of wet bread!?"
Hazuki scratched his head, sheepishly.
"...Oh, that’s right."
Hazuki walked up to the reception counter, where a friendly-looking beastkin woman with fluffy ears and a pen tucked behind one of them greeted him with a polite smile.
"Hello, Mister Human. What can I do for you? You looking to put up a quest?"
Hazuki leaned on the counter with a grin.
"Can I put up a quest... to find a wife?"
The receptionist blinked—then giggled softly, tail flicking.
"My~ bold."
Hazuki laughed awkwardly and scratched the back of his head.
"Ah, no... just teasing. I’m a human adventurer. Here’s my card."
He handed over his adventurer card.
The receptionist took it and glanced at the glowing status window.
"Hazekaya Hazuki... age 24... level 41...?"
She squinted slightly.
"Still Newbie rank?"
"Ah... yeah. I didn’t take any test anyway."
"Ohh, I see."
She nodded, then looked back up at him with a friendly smile.
"So, what can I help you with? A rank-up test? Or quest registration?"
Hazuki hesitated, then pulled out the two coin pouches he "found" earlier.
"Actually... can I deposit this to my account first?"
"Of course. I’ll count and process it right away."
She opened the first pouch—her eyes widening slightly.
Then the second.
Each pouch contained four gold coins and several silver coins.
"Umm... Mister Human... this is a lot."
She looked at him, blinking in surprise.
Hazuki waved it off casually, trying to act cool.
"Oh? Yeah, I just sold off so loot I got earlier."
Ridan, floating lazily behind him, smirked wide.
"Heh... loot..."
He leaned closer and muttered with a grin,
"Loot your ass! You kicked two assassins and stole their coin like a goblin collecting taxes!"
The receptionist smiled politely and handed Hazuki his adventurer card.
"Alright. Your deposit has been confird. You can check your current balance later on your adventurer card."
Hazuki nodded, pocketing it with a casual one-handed spin.
"Thanks. Anything I can help you with?"
"Actually..." Hazuki leaned forward slightly.
"Got any quests suitable for a newbie like ?"
The receptionist tilted her head curiously.
"But... Mister Human," she glanced back down at his card, "You’re already level 41."
And the mont she said that—
Every head in the guild snapped toward the counter.
Dozens of muscle-covered beastkin adventurers turned to stare at Hazuki.
Wolven jaws froze mid-bite.
A bear-type paused with a mug halfway to his mouth.
One lionkin even dropped his dumbbell.
"Level 41...?" soone muttered.
"Seriously...? That black-haired human...?"
"No scars, no armor, no visible weapon... but level 41...?"
Hazuki, naturally, noticed none of this.
He was too busy adjusting his pouch straps and searching for the quest board.
( End Of Chapter )
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