Rank Up Quest

Luke Graham woke up in his small home, the morning light seeping through the cracks of the curtains. As he rubbed the sleep from his eyes, memories of his past came flooding back—the loving faces of his deceased family and the tragedy that had befallen them. It had been a week since he arrived in the city, seeking strength and vengeance against the bandits who had attacked his home.

His heart still ached with the weight of loss, but he knew he couldn't let grief consume him. Determination filled his eyes as he reminded himself of his purpose—to become stronger and take on the bandits who had shattered his life. With a deep breath, he pushed aside the thoughts of his past and focused on the present.

As he got up from the bed, he glanced around the simple room Roland had provided for him. It was a far cry from the warmth and comfort of his family's home, but it was all he had now. The city was harsh and unforgiving, but it was also a place of opportunity.

He quickly readied his mind for the day ahead, knowing that he had quests to complete and skills to master. Revenge against the bandits wouldn't come overnight, but he was determined to grow stronger and hone his abilities.

Before leaving the house, he called upon the shadow system to check his status screen, curious about his progress.

[NAME: LUKE GRAHAM]

[JOB: ADVENTURER]

[CLASS: SHADOWMANCER <<RARE>>]

[SUB-CLASS: SWORDSMAN <<COMMON>>]

[LVL: 2]

[VIT: 100]

[STR: 15]

[DEX: 23]

[INT: 10]

[MP: 100]

[SP: +15]

[AP: 0]

[SKILLS: 3]

[<<LV.2>> SHADOW REFLECTION]

[<<LV.1>> SWORD SLASH]

[<<Lv.1>> ARISE]

[TITLES: 2]

[INHERITOR OF THE SHADOW SYSTEM]

[THE ONLY SURVIVOR]

Satisfied with his progress, Luke couldn't help but feel a sense of accomplishment seeing the growth in his stats and skills. However, he knew that he still had much to learn and experience on his journey.

"I need to become even stronger," he whispered to himself. "To protect those I care about and avenge my family, I must master my skills."

With a determined glint in his eyes, he wore his leather armor, picked up his short sword and he left the house and headed towards the Adventurer's Guild. There, he would find new quests to test his abilities and increase his proficiency.

…..

When Luke arrived at the Adventurer's Guild, he couldn't help but feel a sense of familiarity with the place. It had become somewhat of a second home for him in the city, a place where he could find quests and test his abilities. As he entered the bustling guild hall, he spotted the friendly face of Stephanie at the reception desk, chatting with the apprentice alchemist, Delia.

Stephanie noticed Luke and immediately waved him over. Although he had mixed feelings about interacting with Delia, he decided to put that aside and walked towards Stephanie with a determined stride.

"Hey, Luke! Perfect timing," Stephanie greeted him with a smile. "I just got a new quest, and I think it's right up your alley."

Luke's curiosity was piqued, and he asked, "Oh? What's the quest about?"

Stephanie glanced at Delia, who appeared uninterested, and leaned in to share the details with Luke. "It's an E rank quest, and it's about acquiring frostroot flowers from the Frostwood Forest, just like your first quest. Completing this quest successfully will enable you to rank up as an adventurer and unlock D and C rank quests!"

A surge of excitement rushed through Luke as he listened to Stephanie. Rank up as an adventurer? It was the opportunity he had been waiting for to take on even greater challenges. He knew that facing tougher quests meant more chances to grow stronger.

"That sounds amazing! Count me in," Luke said with determination. "I'm ready to take on the quest and rank up as an adventurer!"

Stephanie handed him the parchment with the quest details, and Luke carefully read through it. Frostwood Forest was a place he was now familiar with, and acquiring frostroot flowers seemed like a straightforward task.

"Thank you, Stephanie. I'll make sure to complete this quest successfully," Luke said, his eyes filled with determination.

Stephanie beamed at him. "I have no doubt you'll do great. Good luck, Luke!"

With the quest details in hand, Luke left the Adventurer's Guild, ready to embark on another adventure. He felt the thrill of anticipation, knowing that this quest was not just about acquiring flowers but also about proving himself as an adventurer.

Luke's heart sank as he heard Delia's rude voice calling out to him. He turned to find her standing nehind him, with her green hair catching the sunlight, and her small stature barely hiding the determination in her eyes. She was panting, clearly out of breath from chasing after him.

"What do you want now, Delia?" Luke asked, trying to mask his annoyance.

Delia straightened herself, trying to regain her composure. "I am the one who needs those frostroot flowers and I'm coming with you. I can't trust anyone else to do this properly, so I'll make sure it's done right."

Luke's reluctance was evident on his face. He didn't want to risk his own safety or hinder the success of the quest by having an inexperienced and impulsive alchemist tagging along. However, he also didn't want to get into a heated argument with her in public.

He sighed and said, "Look, Delia, this quest might be more dangerous than you think. I'm not sure I can protect both of us if something goes wrong."

Delia scoffed, crossing her arms defiantly. "I don't need you to protect me. I can handle myself just fine."

Luke was taken aback by her stubbornness but knew arguing further wouldn't do any good. He weighed his options and reluctantly said, "Fine, you can come with me, but you have to promise to follow my every command without question. If I tell you to stay put or run, you have to listen."

Delia smirked, seemingly amused by his conditions. "As if I'd listen to you, but sure, whatever makes you feel better. Just don't slow me down."

They set off for the Frostwood Forest together, and during the journey, Delia's brashness and arrogance were on full display. She kept interrupting Luke's observations and advice with her own thoughts, showing little regard for his experience or knowledge.

As they entered the forest, Luke's instincts took over, and he scanned their surroundings carefully. He knew the potential dangers that lurked in the forest and was determined to keep them safe.

"You should stay close to me and try not to make too much noise," Luke advised.

Delia rolled her eyes but didn't argue, at least not out loud. She reluctantly followed his lead, stepping more lightly and keeping a bit closer to him.

As they made their way through the forest, Luke couldn't help but notice the beauty of the nature around them. The sunlight filtering through the leaves, the gentle rustling of the wind—it was a stark contrast to the noise and chaos of the city.

After some time of searching, they finally found a cluster of frostroot flowers. Delia's eyes lit up with excitement as she reached for them, but Luke gently held her hand back.

"We need to be careful not to damage them. They're fragile," he reminded her.

Delia scowled at his interference but relented, allowing him to carefully pluck the flowers. As they collected the frostroot, Luke couldn't help but notice that Delia seemed genuinely interested in the flora, even if she tried to hide it.

Suddenly, a faint growl echoed through the forest, freezing them both in their tracks. Luke's heart raced, and he instinctively shielded Delia with his body.

"What was that?" she whispered, her bravado momentarily replaced by fear.

"I don't know, but we need to be ready for anything," Luke replied, drawing his short sword.

As the growls grew louder, they saw a pair of large, menacing eyes watching them from the bushes. A forest predator, likely drawn by the scent of the frostroot flowers, was eyeing them as its potential prey.

"Stay behind me, and don't move," Luke warned Delia in a hushed voice.

Delia nodded, her eyes wide with fear. Luke took a step forward, hoping to scare the predator away, but it only growled louder, seemingly unafraid.

Just as Luke prepared for a confrontation, the forest predator stepped out of the shadows, revealing its menacing form.

As Luke's eyes fell upon the menacing form of the forest predator, his expression instantly transformed into one of sheer terror. His eyes widened, and his breath caught in his throat as he took in the creature's imposing figure. The color drained from his face, leaving him pale, and his heart pounded loudly in his ears.

"Oh shit..."