Osric didn't linger in the forest.
The moment the wolf's body went still, he forced himself to act—before relief dulled his edge. He cut the rope binding his knife free and wiped the blade clean against the grass. His hands trembled slightly, not from fear, but from the aftershock of adrenaline finally draining away.
He crouched beside the corpse.
The wolf was bigger up close. Thick muscle, coarse dark fur, a powerful frame built for killing. Dragging it back to town would be impossible—and unnecessary.
Osric tightened his grip on the knife and worked quickly.
One clean cut. Then another.
He removed a single ear, severing it at the base before stuffing it into a strip of cloth torn from his sleeve. The guild didn't need the whole corpse. They never did. The rest would be left for scavengers—or rot.
That was the rule of the forest.
When he finished, Osric stood, breathing hard, and looked once more at the fallen beast. No triumph filled his chest this time. Only a quiet certainty.
I survived.
He turned away and began the long walk back toward Ashbrook.
By the time the town's walls came into view, the sun was already sinking low.
Osric passed through the gate without incident, his cloak pulled tight, the wolf's ear heavy in his pocket. Every step reminded him of how close things had come—but also of how much stronger he felt. Not invincible. Not safe.
Just… capable.
The Adventurers' Guild looked the same as before: squat, worn, and tired. The faded sign creaked as he pushed the door open and stepped inside.
A few heads turned.
Osric ignored them and walked straight to the counter.
The branch manager looked up—and paused.
"You're back early," he said.
Osric said nothing. He reached into his pocket and placed the cloth bundle on the counter, unfolding it carefully.
The wolf's ear landed with a soft thud.
Silence followed.
The branch manager picked up the wolf's ear with two fingers, inspecting the cut. His gaze sharpened—not with suspicion, but assessment. The fur was thick. The blood was fresh. The removal clean.
He nodded once.
"Stray wolf," he said. "Male. Mature."
He reached for the parchment and pressed the guild seal down with a firm stamp.
"Mission verified."
Something loosened in Osric's chest.
The manager opened a small lockbox beneath the counter and slid a single coin across the wood.
One silver crown.
It rang softly as it came to rest.
Osric took it, the weight unfamiliar but grounding. He closed his fingers around it without a word.
The manager leaned back slightly and made a note in the ledger. "E-rank hunting mission completed. Solo. F-rank adventurer."
His eyes flicked up. "That'll be on your record."
Osric nodded. "Understood."
The man studied him for a moment longer than before. Not as a reckless boy this time—but as someone who had gone into the forest and come back.
"You're still F-rank," the manager said flatly. "One job doesn't change that."
"I know."
A brief pause.
"…But you didn't panic. And you didn't lie about the proof." The manager closed the ledger. "That counts for something."
Osric turned toward the door.
As he stepped back into the street, the silver crown rested heavy in his pocket—next to the cold iron badge he already carried.
He had earned this one.
Osric was so excited to have a silver crown for the first time in his life that he didn't even notice some of the looks of contempt he got from other adventurers inside the guild building.
Once he was walking down the street towards lowbrook to go rest at home, he started thinking about the branch manager.
Osric was surprised by how honest he was considering that he resided in such a corrupt town.
He had heard rumors of him since he was one of the strongest people in their territory.
Apparently he was on bad terms with Baron Greydell. Osric didn't know why before but now he had an idea.
'I wonder how strong someone like him is?'
Once Osric was home he layed down on his blanket on the cold floor and shut his eyes.
The next morning he woke up and had a decision to make.
'Should I buy an iron dagger with my silver crown or should I complete more missions and save up for something better?'
The knife he used to kill the wolf yesterday was no longer useable and he didn't want to risk fighting without a weapon.
'But I don't know if a dagger will make a big difference for me since you have to have up close with it.'
Osric had no combat experience so he was rightfully worried.
He desperately needed money and to learn how to fight properly as well.
'What should I do?'
[ Host has activated a new challenge. ]
Objective: Fight inside an underground fighting ring to earn money and gain combat experience.
Condition: Win a fight.
Failure: None
Reward: Combat related skill.
Osric was surprised once again.
'Whenever I'm in a crisis I get a challenge.'
'Is this a blessing or does this system just like to see me struggling?'
Osric didn't care since this was a good opportunity.
He already knew of a couple underground fighting rings in the slums but was always cautious not go near them.
'Those people are dangerous so it wasn't worth it to get involved, even for money.'
'But now it's different. I can gain a lot from it.'
Since the challenge had no time limit, Osric decided to rest the today and tomorrow to really recover from his injuries this time.
Osric didn't know it yet, but with his recent gains, he was already stronger than most men in Lowbrook.
That wouldn't matter.
Strength didn't teach you how to fight someone who wanted you broken—or dead.