As he entered the city, a slight smile appeared on his face.
Venti: "Each step brings me a little closer to my goal."
He told himself.
And under the indifferent gaze of the guards, Venti passed through the city gate, already ready to continue his ascent, mission after mission, breath after breath.
Guard #1: "....."
Guard #2: "Tell me, you recognized the boy who just passed by."
Guard #1: "I think it's the one from this morning who was wished good luck."
Guard #2: "Yeah, it was him."
"And you didn't understand the problem."
Guard #1: "No, what are you talking about?"
Guard #2: "The day before, he was asked to go get some identification documents."
Guard #1: "Yeah, that's pretty normal."
"So, what's the problem?"
Guard #2: "Can you explain why you don't check his documents when he leaves and returns from town?"
Guard #1: "Because I'm tired."
Guard #2: "Yeah, me too."
The reason Venti hadn't had to deal with the guard since the previous day was simple:
They couldn't be bothered to check him.
No sooner had he crossed the city gate than Venti felt a familiar warmth emanating from his satchel.
Bbbbbrrrrr
His footing still on the cobblestones, he stopped abruptly, surprised.
A soft, persistent hum resonated against his chest, like a silent call.
He looked down.
His adventurer's crystal shone.
Venti: Why is it shining?
It wasn't the faint, fleeting glow he'd seen before, but a more intense, almost living light.
Green reflections, tinged with blue, swirled slowly within the crystal, like tiny trapped gusts of wind.
Venti instinctively grasped it, feeling a steady vibration in his palm.
Venti: "What is...?"
He thought, his heart racing slightly.
Without attracting the attention of passersby, he stepped aside into the shadow of a wall and activated the analysis gem.
The invisible interface appeared instantly before his eyes, sharp and precise.
His gaze froze almost immediately.
Improved Skills:
Teleportation — Level 2 → Level 4
His eyebrows rose Surprise.
Venti: "Level… 4?"
He remembered his previous state perfectly.
After the fight against the Ruin Guardian, his teleportation had only reached level 2.
And yet, without a fight, without any direct confrontation, it had just gained two whole levels.
The realization came almost immediately.
Throughout the entire journey back.
The repeated uses.
The constant, controlled rhythm. The alternation between walking and teleporting, without ever pushing beyond his limits.
Every jump, however short, had counted.
His body wasn't judging the magnitude of the feat, but the progressive mastery.
Venti felt a strange euphoria wash over him.
Venti: "So… that's really how it works."
He briefly closed his eyes and focused on his sensations.
His connection to space... It already seemed different.
More stable.
Clearer.
Where teleportation had previously given him the impression of tearing his body away from the world, he now felt he could choose his destination with greater precision, as if distance itself had become more manageable.
Venti: "Two levels..."
"Just by walking and jumping a few meters."
A soft laugh escaped him, quickly stifled by decency.
He didn't think the method he had devised in his head could actually work.
Simply start over, use a power again and again, I know if they get stronger.
If he continued at this pace, the possibilities became dizzying.
No more waiting for dangerous fights to progress. Intelligent training was enough.
Bbbbbrrrrr
He tucked the crystal away, a smile on his lips.
Venti: "I'll have to be careful."
He thought with amusement.
Venti: "If I progress too quickly, even pretending to be normal, it might show."
Resuming his walk, Venti blended into the city crowd, looking innocent, almost carefree.
But deep down, a certainty took firm root: each movement, each breath of wind, brought him a little closer to the power he had once possessed.
Venti: "Honestly, I really wonder who I was before I woke up."
After putting the crystal back in his pocket, he continued on his way to the Adventurers' Guild.
The city streets were bustling:
- Merchants called out to passersby
- Armored adventurers loudly discussed their exploits
- While others, visibly tired, returned from missions.
All around him, activity, danger, and opportunity oozed.
As he walked, the guild building loomed before him, imposing and familiar.
Its solid facade, adorned with eight-pointed star banners fluttering gently in the breeze, seemed to welcome all those who would pass the test.
Venti paused briefly in front of the entrance, observing the comings and goings.
Venti: "I hope it doesn't seem strange that I'm a little late coming home."
He thought.
He pushed open the door.
A warm hubbub immediately enveloped him.
The clinking of tankards on the tables, lively conversations, laughter, and even occasional arguments between adventurers filled the great hall.
The scent of wood, metal, and hot food mingled in the air.
Some faces turned briefly toward him, perhaps recognizing the young bard who had undergone an unusual test earlier that day, but attention quickly waned.
Venti walked calmly inside, his footsteps echoing softly on the floor. His gaze swept the room, lingering on the quest board covered in scrolls, then on the reception desk, where the same receptionist stood behind the counter, focused on her ledgers.
He took a deep breath.
Venti: "First mission accomplished… and this is just the beginning."
With this thought, Venti went deeper into the guild building, ready to hand over his quest, accept a new one, and continue his ascent, carried by the wind and by a now unshakeable determination.
Venti approached the counter with a leisurely step and gently placed her satchel on the polished wooden reception desk.
Plop.
The soft click seemed enough to attract the receptionist's attention, who looked up from her registers.
The young woman glanced quickly at the contents of the satchel. She took out the sweet flowers, still fresh, carefully picked.
Her eyebrows rose slightly, a sign of discreet surprise:
- The flowers were in perfect condition
- Without a trace of burning or crushing
As if the picking had gone off without a hitch.
The receptionist: "Back already?"
She remarked, checking the time on an hourglass beside her.
Venti shrugged slightly, adopting a modest demeanor.
Venti: "I was a little lucky."
He replied evasively.
Venti: "I was really lucky, especially with my discovery about the skills."
The receptionist made a note in the register, then checked it against the posted quest.
She nodded, satisfied, before slipping the flowers into the designated compartment.
The receptionist: "Mission completed."
"Clean and quick work."
She then looked up at him, observing him with more interest than before.
Without saying anything more, she slid a small reward toward him—a few coins and a note confirming the quest's completion—before adding:
The receptionist: "For a first solo mission... that's very good. Keep it up."
Venti took the reward, thanking her with a slight nod.
Inside, he felt a simple but sincere satisfaction.
Venti: "Thank you."
It was just a gathering mission, the most basic kind imaginable, but it marked something important.
It was the first official step in his new life as an adventurer.
Venti: "I wonder what I can buy with 3000 Mora."
As the receptionist was about to put away the bag, her gaze fell on Venti again… and this time, she frowned slightly.
At first glance, he seemed calm, almost carefree, but on closer inspection, some details didn't add up.
The receptionist: "Wait a second."
She leaned forward slightly, carefully examining his outfit.
A thin layer of dust had settled on the bottom of his coat and along the sides of his boots, as if he had been riding or running on dry ground.
Higher up, on the light-colored fabric, faint dark marks caught her eye.
Not tears… but discreet, circular burn marks, as if left by a brief but intense heat.
The receptionist: "You say it was just a simple picking trip?"
She asked, her tone now more cautious than suspicious.
Venti instinctively glanced down at his clothes.
Only then did he realize how much the fight had affected him, despite his efforts to remain discreet.
The dust surely came from his repeated rolls and teleportations, and the burns… he hadn't even considered the elemental explosion.
Venti: "Oops…"
He thought to himself.
Venti: "Nothing serious, I assure you."
He replied quickly, trying to sound casual.
Venti: "I… encountered a few rather agitated creatures on the way."
The receptionist crossed her arms, clearly unconvinced. She examined the marks again, then looked up at him, staring directly into his eyes.
The receptionist: "For someone who just started… you seem to have had more action than expected."
Around them, a few nearby adventurers slowed their conversations, casting curious glances in their direction.
Venti felt the pressure rising slightly, but he remained calm, displaying his usual tranquil smile.
Adventurer #1: "Could that be the boy from this morning?"
Adventurer #2: "Why is he covered in dust?"
Adventurer #3: "He must have messed up with his magic."
Adventurer #4: "Why are there burn marks on his clothes?"
Adventurer #5: "I feel like I've seen him somewhere before."
Venti: "The wind sometimes blows where you least expect it."
He said lightly.
The receptionist sighed softly, then shook her head, a faint, amused smile appearing nonetheless on her face.
The receptionist: "Just be careful."
"Even simple missions can become dangerous."
She jotted something else down in the logbook—perhaps an observation, perhaps a warning—before returning his empty satchel.
Venti took it back, relieved that she didn't ask any more questions.
As he walked away from the counter, a thought crossed his mind:
Venti: "I really need to learn to hide my fights better..."
Luckily, no one knew that Venti had faced a Ruin Guard.
And that, on top of that, he had to use two Slimes to carry out a dangerous plan.
....
At least, he thought no one knew.
Unfortunately, fate wasn't on his side that night.
Suddenly, the heavy doors of the guild burst open.
BAM
The usual hubbub of the hall fell silent almost instantly as a guard in armor entered.
His breastplate bore the city's emblem, and his face was marked by a serious, almost tense expression.
He scanned the room, as if searching for someone in particular, before taking a few steps forward to the center of the hall.
Knight: "Adventurers, please give me your attention."
His clear, authoritative voice resonated throughout the guild.
The conversations ceased completely.
Even the most boisterous mercenaries fell silent, intrigued by this unusual interruption.
Most of the adventurers wondered, what was a knight who worked for the royal family doing in the adventurers' guild?
The guard took a deep breath before continuing.
Knight: "A major anomaly has been reported in the plains outside the city."
"A Ruin Guard has been neutralized."
A murmur immediately rippled through the assembly.
Adventurer #1: "A Ruin Guard?"
Adventurer #2: "Here, near the city?"
Adventurer #3: "Who would have taken it on?"
Glances were quickly exchanged.
A Ruin Guard was no ordinary creature.
Even for novice adventurers, confronting it alone was a feat... bordering on recklessness.
This meant that whoever had taken it down was someone with at least a few months of experience.
The knight raised his hand to demand silence.
Knight: "The patrols have confirmed that the threat was recently eliminated."
"However, no official team was deployed in the area at the time of the incident."
His gaze became more piercing.
Knight: "Therefore, the city and the Guild wish to identify the adventurer responsible for this action."
A heavy silence fell over the room.
Some adventurers straightened, others exchanged suspicious glances.
A few veterans narrowed their eyes, clearly skeptical that a lone individual could have accomplished such a thing.
Near the counter, Venti felt his heart skip a beat.
Venti: "A Ruin Guard…!"
He thought.
Venti: "..."
"I wonder what this is."
Venti didn't know he was responsible for destroying this creature since he didn't know its original name.
But he remembered something else from a while back: he himself had been in the city's outskirts.
Venti: "...."
"They're talking about me!"
He remained perfectly still, trying to maintain a neutral expression.
He understood that he was the one the guard was looking for.
Yet, he couldn't help but notice several glances beginning to scan the room, lingering briefly on those who seemed most likely to have committed such an act.
The receptionist slowly turned her head toward him.
Her gaze slid over the dust, then over the burn marks still visible on his clothes.
Her expression subtly shifted, not from accusation, but from silent understanding.
The receptionist: "Oh..."
She seemed to be thinking.
The receptionist: "So that's why he was covered in dust and burn marks."
"But why doesn't he declare his exploits?"
The knight spoke again:
Knight: "If the adventurer in question is present in this room, let him speak up."
"This is not an accusation, but a request for official identification."
A shiver ran through Venti.
He understood then that this moment was important.
Revealing himself could attract too much attention.
But remaining silent could also arouse suspicion later, especially if someone connected his sudden return to his current condition.
The wind, almost imperceptible, seemed to stir around him.
The entire guild held its breath, still unaware that the young, dust-covered bard standing near the counter was at the very heart of the announcement that had just been made.
For a brief moment, Venti felt a knot of tension tighten in his chest.
The glances sweeping the room, the silent anticipation, the obvious importance of the announcement… all of it was enough to make any novice adventurer waver.
But very quickly, a clear conclusion dawned on him.
Venti: "No… this isn't the right time."
He lowered his head slightly, hiding his gaze beneath the shadow of his hat.
He was even rather surprised that his hat was still on his head after all the times he'd teleported a few hours earlier.
His mind analyzed the situation with astonishing clarity.
Revealing himself now would mean attracting the attention of the guild, the city… and probably even more dangerous people. A newly registered "level 8" adventurer who had single-handedly defeated Ruin Guard?
No one would believe it without asking questions.
So many questions.
And Venti knew he had no acceptable answers to give them.
Venti: "I'm too weak to be looked at like that."
He thought calmly.
Venti: "Not yet."
He forced himself to adopt a relaxed posture, slightly crossing his arms like a mere curious spectator.
He even averted his eyes from the guard, pretending to be interested in the quest board, as if the announcement didn't concern him in the slightest.
Around him, silence persisted.
No one spoke up.
Fortunately, no adventurer would volunteer to claim credit for a feat they hadn't accomplished.
The knight frowned, visibly surprised by the lack of response.
He exchanged a glance with the receptionist, then spoke again.
Knight: "Very well… If the adventurer in question wishes to remain anonymous, the city respects that choice."
"However, please know that the royal guard appreciates this kind of initiative."
A collective sigh rippled through the room, a mixture of disappointment and relief.
Conversations gradually resumed, though the excitement hadn't completely subsided.
Venti felt the tension slowly lift from his shoulders.
Venti: "Good luck finding me now."
"In a few hours, everyone will surely have forgotten this whole affair."
He glanced one last time at the guard, then at the receptionist.
She was still watching him, but she said nothing.
No words, no gestures.
Just a silence heavy with understanding.
The wind around Venti completely died away.
For now, he would remain just another adventurer.
A discreet name in a register, an unremarkable face in a noisy crowd.
But deep down, he knew:
It was only temporary.
One day, he wouldn't need to hide anymore.
[Venti's Stats — Visible only to him]
Name: Venti
Level: 8/100
Max HP: 2600
ATK: 620
DEF: 360
Elemental Mastery: 145
Identified Skills:
- Telekinesis — Level 1/10
- Stat Boosting — Level 1/10
- Intangibility — Level 1/10
- Flight — Level 1/10
- Soul Manipulation & Lie Detection — Level 1/10
- Elementary Anemo Mastery — Level 3/10
- Illusion Creation — Level 1/10
- Resistance Reduction — Level 1/10
- Stat Reduction — Level 1/10
- Mass Increase/Decrease — Level 2/10
- Teleportation — Level 4/10
- Wind Communication — Level 1/10
Stock exchange: 3000 Moras
Chapter 16: Working alone
The End