Chapter 14: The First Adventurer [ 2 ]

Chapter 14: The First Adventurer [ 2 ]

Gregor blinked. "Adventurer? What does that even mean? Are you some kind of mercenary company?"

Sage smiled faintly. "Not quite. Mercenaries fight for whoever pays them. Adventurers choose what they fight for: missions, quests, exploration, discovery. It’s freedom with purpose."

Gregor scratched his chin, unconvinced. "Freedom with purpose, huh? Sounds like something a noble would say before sending us to die. So what’s the difference between an Adventurer and a regular Warrior?"

Sage folded his arms and smiled faintly. "Alright, let me make it simple," he said. "In this world, we have Warriors, people like you who fight beasts, raid dungeons, etc. But there is no order, no structure, no recognition for the risk you take; you are constantly being exploited and looked down upon by the nobles. If you die, no one remembers your name. If you win, no one rewards you fairly."

Gregor’s brows furrowed as a cold glint flashed in his eyes, but he didn’t interrupt.

"The Adventurer Guild changes that," Sage continued. "An Adventurer is someone who officially registers under the Guild’s banner. Once you register, the Guild recognizes your strength, records your achievements, and you can accept missions according to your strength, rank, or skill."

"So... it’s like a title?" Gregor asked.

"Exactly!" Sage nodded. "Think of it as your identity, a mark that says: I belong to the Guild; my deeds will be remembered. Every time you complete a mission, you earn not just money, but reputation. That reputation is sometimes a criterion to rise through the Guild Ranks, from Iron Rank to Copper Rank, Bronze etc."

Gregor’s eyes widened slightly. "Reputation? What’s that used for?"

"Reputation measures how famous or trustworthy you are as an Adventurer," Sage explained. "It sometimes decides how people decide who to hire. The higher your reputation, the more people will know, or even the more important missions you will receive and the greater your rewards."

"Alright," Gregor muttered, scratching his head. "Say I become one of these Adventurers... what do I actually do?"

Sage grinned. "Anything you are good at or anything you want. Missions, beast subjugations, escort missions, material collections, dungeon exploration, bounty hunting, or even guarding caravans. The Guild acts as the bridge between Adventurers and those who need help. You pick the missions you want, complete them, and then get paid."

Gregor crossed his arms, still thinking. "And how do I know I won’t be cheated? I’ve taken jobs before from merchants who ’forgot’ to pay."

Sage looked at him and smirked. "That’s the best part. The Guild guarantees payment. Once a Commissioner posts a mission, the reward is deposited with the Guild first. The money stays here until you complete the task. No tricks. No lies."

Gregor’s eyes lit up. "So the Guild makes sure I actually get my money?"

"Exactly. The Guild protects the Adventurers, and in return, Adventurers protect the world," Sage leaned forward with a spark in his eyes. "It’s a cycle: you grow stronger, the Guild grows bigger, and together we change how this world works."

Gregor fell silent in deep thoughts; a moment later, he tilted his head and asked, "You mentioned ranks earlier, Iron,Copper, and all that. What do those mean?"

Sage smiled and pulled out a huge sheet of parchment and spread it on the table. A series of badges were drawn on it, with words written on the side of each badge.

"These," he pointed at them, "are Adventurer Ranks. Every Adventurer starts at Iron Rank, the beginner level. As you complete missions, you rise through the ranks: Copper, Bronze, Silver, Gold, Diamond, and so on. The higher your rank, the tougher the missions you accept, and the bigger the pay."

Gregor studied the parchment in fascination. "So, it’s kind of like a ladder of strength?"

"Correct. And the world will recognize you by that Rank. If someone says, ’That’s Gregor Windsoul, a Silver Rank Adventurer!’, it will mean something. Not just to commoners, but even to nobles."

Gregor’s lips twitched upward. "Huh. I like the sound of that."

He paused for a moment, then frowned. "What happens if I fail a mission?"

Sage shrugged casually. "Then it goes on your record. Some failures are forgiven; some aren’t. But don’t worry, unless you abandon a mission intentionally or cause harm to civilians, your rank won’t drop."

Gregor let out a low whistle. "So everything’s recorded, huh?"

"Of course," Sage said proudly. "Every mission you take, every reward you earn, every achievement you make — it’s all recorded in your Adventurer Ledger and your Adventurer ID. The Guild will track your progress forever. You’ll never be forgotten."

"Adventurer ID?" Gregor asked curiously. "What’s that?"

Sage’s faked smile twitched. "Crap, I made that up just now. System, a little help here?"

[Host, please open the cabinet to your left. Inside you will find the Adventurer Ledger and Badge set.] The system’s cold voice sounded, with a hint of frustration in its tone.

Sage rubbed his nose and blinked. "Saved again."

He stood up quickly, pretending like this was all part of the plan. "One moment please, just retrieving the Adventurer Ledger."

He hurried to the indicated cabinet and pulled it open. Inside were neatly stacked parchment books with metallic trims — the Adventurer Ledger and a small wooden box filled with badges of dull iron, each engraved crudely with the Guild’s emblem.

[Host, the Adventurer Ledger records every registered adventurer’s data: Name, Race, Adventurer Rank, Warrior Rank, Missions Completed and Uncompleted, Guild Contributions.]

[Additionally, Adventurer Badges have been unlocked from Iron Rank to Gold Rank. Higher rank badges will unlock as the Guild Rank increases, and also, Host, Adventurer IDs are available.]

Sage let out a relieved sigh. "Thank God you’re here, system."

He then looked at the Adventurer ID in a small box beside the Adventurer Badges; they were crystalline tablets three times the size of IDs used back on Earth. They displayed the Adventurer’s Name, Race, Rank, and Warrior Rank.

Turning back to Gregor, he said with a calm smile, "This is the Adventurer Ledger, where all your information will be recorded and also gradually updated as you grow stronger."

Sage gestured toward the Adventurer Ledger and then continued while holding up the crystalline Adventurer ID. "And this is the Adventurer ID; it is a crystal card issued to every registered adventurer. It identifies you officially as a Guild member. It’s bound to your Mana signature, so no one can steal it. Once you’re registered, this card becomes your life. Lose it, and you lose your identity as a member of the Guild."

Gregor laughed softly and said, "So it’s like proof that I exist?"

"Exactly!" Sage said with a smile. "No matter who you are — noble, peasant, or anyone else — once you’re registered as an Adventurer, your worth will be defined by your deeds, not your birth. That’s what the Guild stands for."

For a long moment, Gregor was silent. His rough hands clenched slightly, and something flickered in his eyes.

"So you’re saying... even someone like me can rise up through effort alone?" he asked quietly.

Sage smiled warmly. "That’s the whole point of the Guild. Here, your strength decides your worth — not your name, not your blood."

Gregor had his head lowered for several moments before he looked at Sage and chuckled.

He pointed to the Adventurer Badge and asked, "What about this badge?"

Sage held up the iron emblem. "This badge represents your Adventurer Rank. Every time you rank up, you will be given another higher rank badge made with expensive materials — from Iron to Copper, then Bronze, Silver, and beyond. It’s proof of your achievements."

He placed the Adventurer ID and Badge on the counter, their metallic gleam catching the light.

"These two things," Sage said seriously, "are your life as an Adventurer. Lose them, and the Guild can’t confirm your identity or rewards even if you have an Adventurer Ledger."

Gregor nodded in understanding, his interest piqued. "I see....and how do I become one of these Adventurers?"