The inn's common room was quiet when Suho and Lyra returned. The innkeeper raised an eyebrow at the sight of her, but said nothing. Suho paid for another night, and the two climbed the narrow stairs.
Lyra sat on the bed, rubbing her wrists where the silver chains had been. "You freed me from that cage… but you still bought me."
Suho met her gaze. "I don't want you as a slave. I want you as an ally."
Her eyes softened, though suspicion lingered. "Words are easy. Actions will prove it."
→ Bond Strengthened: Lyra
→ Trust Level: Low → Moderate
The next morning, Suho looked down at himself and grimaced. His shirt was torn, stained from the forest. His jeans and sneakers marked him as an outsider. Lyra tilted her head.
"You dress strangely. People will notice."
Suho sighed. "I come from far away. My clothes don't belong here. I need to blend in."
→ Objective: Acquire Equipment & Clothing
They stepped into the bustling market. The streets were alive with color: banners fluttered, merchants shouted, and the smell of roasted meat mixed with incense. Stalls overflowed with armor, cloaks, boots, and weapons. The system highlighted items as Suho's eyes passed over them.
→ Leather Tunic
→ Value: 2 Silver | Durability: Moderate
→ Iron Greaves
→ Value: 5 Silver | Defense: High
→ Adventurer's Cloak
→ Value: 3 Silver | Status: Common | Effect: Weather Resistance
Lyra picked up a cloak, running her fingers over the fabric. "This will suit you. You'll look less… foreign."
Suho nodded. "And you need gear too."
→ Equipment Bundle: Lyra
→ Leather Armor: 4 Silver | Mobility High
→ Short Sword: 6 Silver | Combat Efficiency Moderate
Suho counted coins, handing them over.
→ Currency Updated: 0 Gold -14 Silver → Remaining: -5 Silver (Debt)
The merchant smirked. "You're short. I'll allow credit. Pay within the week."
Suho clenched his jaw. "Fine."
→ Debt Acquired: 5 Silver Deadline: 7 Days
Back at the inn, Suho changed into his new tunic and cloak. The sneakers were replaced with sturdy boots. He looked into the cracked mirror.
"Now I look like one of them," he muttered.
Lyra strapped on her short sword, adjusting the leather armor. "Better. Now you don't stand out."
→ Appearance Updated: Adventurer Standard
→ Party Readiness: Increased
That afternoon, Lyra led him through the streets. "If you want work, recognition, or allies, there's only one place to go."
Suho raised an eyebrow. "Where?"
"The Guild."
→ New Objective: Register at Adventurers' Guild
The guild hall loomed ahead, larger than any building Suho had seen yet. Its doors were carved with symbols of swords, staffs, and shields. Inside, the air buzzed with voices — warriors boasting, magicians debating, dwarves drinking, elves watching silently.
Suho froze at the threshold. "This… feels overwhelming."
Lyra smirked. "It's where adventurers become more than wanderers. Come."
→ Location: Adventurers' Guild
→ Status: Unregistered
At the counter, a stern woman with silver hair looked up. "Name?"
Suho hesitated. "Suho."
Her eyes flicked to Lyra. "And her?"
Lyra straightened. "Lyra."
The woman pulled out parchment. "You'll need to register. State your skills. Be precise — the guild uses this to assign quests."
Suho's heart pounded. He couldn't reveal the strange abilities the system had given him. No one else saw the arrows, the values, the prompts. To them, it would sound like madness.
He forced a steady tone. "Swordsmanship."
The clerk raised an eyebrow. "Only swordsmanship? No magic? No trade skills?"
Suho nodded firmly. "I come from far away. My training is simple, but I can fight."
She studied him for a long moment, then gestured to the parchment. "Write it down."
Suho took the quill, the ink scratching across the page.
→ Registered Skill: Swordsmanship
Lyra stepped forward. "And me. Swordplay and healing."
The clerk's eyes flicked between them. "A fighter and a support. That's workable." She stamped the parchment with a heavy seal. "Rank: F. You'll start at the bottom. Fail, and you'll be expelled."
→ Guild Registration Complete
→ Rank: F | Status: Novice Adventurer
Suho exhaled, gripping the parchment. Lyra placed a hand on his shoulder. "It's a start."
The guild hall's noise swelled around them — swordsmen laughing, magicians chanting, dwarves arguing over ale. Suho felt the weight of the forest lift. He wasn't alone anymore.
→ Party Formed: Suho + Lyra
→ Quest Board Unlocked
They moved to the quest board. Sheets of parchment fluttered, pinned in rows. Suho scanned them.
→ Quest: Gather Herbs Reward: 20 Bronze Rank: F
→ Quest: Hunt Wild Boars Reward: 30 Bronze Rank: F
→ Quest: Escort Caravan Reward: 8 Silver Rank: E (Requires Party)
Lyra leaned close. "Start small. The guild watches beginners closely. Fail, and they'll never trust you."
Suho nodded. "Then herbs or boars."
Lyra smirked. "Boars. You'll need to prove you can fight."
→ Selected Quest: Hunt Wild Boars
As they left the guild, Suho glanced at Lyra. "You trust me enough to fight beside me?"
Lyra's eyes narrowed. "Trust? Not yet. But I want freedom, and fighting earns coin. That's enough."
Suho tightened his grip on the sword. "Then let's earn it together."
→ Courage +5
→ Survival Efficiency Increased
That night, back at the inn, Suho lay awake staring at the ceiling. The parchment with his guild rank rested on the table. Lyra sharpened her blade in silence.
Suho whispered, "From the forest… to the guild. This world keeps pulling me deeper."
Lyra's eyes gleamed in the lantern light. "Then stop resisting. Step forward. Tomorrow, we hunt."