Morning arrived, and the soft sunlight filled the small room, spilling over the walls and floor.

  — Good morning, world! — a red-haired guy exclaimed loudly, peeking out the window.

  My name is Leon Nurthen, I’m 16 years old, and I’m a B-rank adventurer. In the past, I was the son of a count who ran away from home in search of freedom and adventure.

  The guy quickly got dressed and went downstairs, where two girls were already waiting for him. One of them, Anna, was preparing breakfast in the kitchen, her movements light and graceful, a smile playing on her face. She was not only my maid but also the person who always supported me, even when I was just a boy dreaming of adventures. Anna is my first love, and her presence always warmed my heart.

  The second girl, Martha, sat at the table, her hands folded in prayer. She was a servant of the Church of the Goddess of Life, Panthea, and her faith was as strong as her kindness. Martha became my second love, and her calmness and wisdom always helped me in difficult times.

  Together, we dream of becoming S-rank adventurers, conquering the most dangerous dungeons, and leaving our mark on history.

  In a B-rank dungeon known as the Lair of the Blood Werewolf:

  — Who the hell are you? — a red-haired guy, completely covered in blood, asked with horror and trembling in his voice. Above him stood a mysterious figure in a dark cloak and an icy mask with a smiling face.

  A couple of days ago at the capital’s adventurer guild:

  — What do you mean I can’t go alone to the Blood Werewolf’s dungeon? Why do I have to babysit these three idiots? — I said discontentedly, addressing Sophia.

  — That’s the guild master’s will, I can’t do anything about it, Ark, — the girl replied, shuffling papers on her desk.

  — Alright, it’s a dungeon, but why did the guild master give me another unranked mission? I didn’t sign up to be his personal assistant, — I said, pointing to the second sheet. — Why do I have to deal with aristocratic family problems?

  Tired of listening to my whining, Sophia grabbed me by the collar of my cloak.

  — Ark, don’t you need a large sum of money and a new rank? So take the mission and get out of here, — she said with a smile on her face, but I clearly understood that if I didn’t agree, I’d die.

  — Got it, got it, I’ll do everything, — I raised my hands in surrender.

  — That’s good. Come back when you’re done, — she let me go, keeping the same terrifying smile on her face.

  “Better not to anger her,” I thought, leaving the guild.

  It had been a year and a half since I got my C-rank. I recently turned 16. Because I became a target of the assassin organization “Shadow Play,” I had to wear a mask on missions. It wouldn’t have been a problem if not for the ring’s displeasure. For some reason, any mask I picked up would freeze and crumble. Even Ais Mor didn’t know what the problem was, so I decided to experiment, trying to create something other than weapons. When I tried to create armor, I only managed a small plate, but I succeeded in creating a mask, using the masks of the assassins who attacked me as a base.

  In addition, I was able to maintain two mana streams simultaneously without fear of backlash.

  I looked at the aristocrat’s mission again. Most of the sheet was taken up by a drawing of some red-haired guy. The mission paid well, and the amount would cover my academy entrance fee. The goal was to return the runaway son to the count.

  — And why do I have to solve other people’s family problems? — I muttered under my breath, heading to prepare for the dungeon.

  At the entrance to the Blood Werewolf’s dungeon, I stood calmly, waiting for the trio I had to babysit. Soon, I saw a team of three. A guy with fiery red hair, armed with a massive sword but wearing light armor; a girl with curly chestnut hair holding a bow; and the last member of their party—a blonde girl in church attire.

  “A swordsman, an archer, and a priest. The team is well-balanced,” I assessed them with a glance and decided to approach.

  — Hey, who are you and what are you doing here? — the guy was clearly unhappy with my presence. — Don’t you know our group is clearing this dungeon?

  — Calm down, — I replied in an even tone. — I’m here on a guild mission. Today, I’m your fourth.

  — Are you saying the guild forced you into our team? That’s nonsense. I don’t believe you.

  — Believe me, I’m not thrilled about babysitting weaklings either, — I said, and this clearly pissed the guy off.

  — What did you say? — he stepped toward me, clenching his fists.

  — Leon! — the chestnut-haired girl abruptly stopped him. — There’s no point in attacking an ally.

  — An ally? Anna, how can I trust someone who doesn’t even show his face? — Leon said in confusion.

  “The guy’s name is Leon, the girl next to him is Anna, and the priestess is Martha. Looks like I’ll have to deal with them,” I thought, feeling a headache just from the thought of it.

  — Sorry about that, — Martha quietly apologized for Leon’s behavior. — Our leader can be... hot-headed sometimes.

  — Hmph, fine, — Leon snorted. — You’ll come with us, but just stand back and watch how real heroes clear dungeons.

  “Idiots always have big ambitions,” I mentally chuckled.

  Shrugging, I followed them into the dungeon. Unlike my first experience, this place looked like a huge cave. The first thing that hit me was the pungent smell of dog urine.

  “Thank goodness I brought a free-breathing potion,” I thought, quickly drinking it. The unpleasant smells disappeared instantly. I felt comfortable, unlike the poor trio.

  — Ugh, it stinks so bad here! My eyes are watering, — Anna complained, wiping her tears.

  — Martha, can you use purification? — Leon asked, grimacing from the smell.

  — I can, but isn’t that a waste of energy? — the priestess replied. I completely agreed with her. — Leon, Anna, just bear with it for a bit. You’ll get used to it.

  — Martha! This is an order from your leader! — Leon barked, and the priestess flinched slightly.

  — O...okay, — she said reluctantly and began chanting a prayer. A soft light enveloped us, and the smell disappeared. I was surprised she spent divine energy on me too. That was... kind of her.

  With the pungent smell gone, we moved forward. The cave was winding, with many forks. From time to time, we encountered red wolves—much more resilient than their ordinary counterparts.

  While Leon distracted all the monsters, the archer methodically shot them with her bow, and the priestess supported the warrior, healing his wounds. Their teamwork was excellent—they were B-rank for a reason. But Leon stood out among them. As the son of a count, he undoubtedly wielded mana, and his sword was clearly an expensive artifact. The blade seemed to scream of its fire magic: it glowed with a dull crimson light, and every swing left trails of flame in the air.

  “I wish I had a sword like that,” I thought, but immediately paid for my thoughts with a sharp pain in my arm around the ring.

  — See, this place isn’t harder than the ones we’ve been to before. We’ll clear it quickly, — Leon’s eyes lit up with confidence after the easy victory over the wolves.

  — Of course, we’ll soon be A-rank adventurers! — Anna replied cheerfully, her voice ringing like a bell.

  — Let’s defeat the boss first, then celebrate, — Martha said with a slight smile.

  — You’re always so serious, Martha, but that’s what I like about you, — Anna ran her hand along Martha’s cheek, and the girl blushed slightly.

  “I wish I hadn’t seen that,” I thought, looking away.

  — And you watch closely how we take down the Blood Werewolf, and tell everyone in the guild about the future heroes, — Leon said to me with obvious bravado.

  “He’s starting to annoy me. If it weren’t for the mission, I’d have cleared this place yesterday,” I ignored his boasting.

  The team progressed through the dungeon quickly, while I stood aside, observing everything. When we reached a fork, the leader decided to send me alone down the left path, while his group went right. I didn’t object, even feeling a bit relieved to get away from them.

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  — I’ll go with him, — Martha unexpectedly objected.

  — Why? — Anna and Leon exchanged surprised glances, and even I was a bit shocked.

  — We don’t know what’s ahead. Sending someone alone is wrong, — Martha said confidently.

  — Well, you’ve always been righteous, — Leon conceded. — Alright, then we’ll split into pairs.

  Dividing into two groups, Martha and I took the left path, while Leon and Anna went right. After walking in silence for a while, Martha decided to strike up a conversation.

  — Do you mind that I came with you? — she asked, slightly embarrassed.

  — What’s the point of asking if we’re already walking together? — I replied without turning around.

  — Well, it’s just... — she laughed awkwardly. — I didn’t want to seem pushy.

  — Don’t worry, — I slightly turned my head toward her. — You’re not.

  — Thank you, — she smiled, but then her face turned serious. — And please, don’t take Leon’s words to heart. He might seem rude, but he’s actually a very kind guy.

  — Let’s drop the formalities, — I suggested, feeling something inside me twitch at her formal tone. — We’re the same age.

  — Oh, sorry, — she blushed slightly. — I just didn’t want to seem rude.

  — It’s fine, — I shrugged. — It’s just easier this way.

  As we walked, Martha told me that Leon ran away from home because his father, Count Nurthen, would never accept his son marrying a maid. That maid was Anna. Then she shared how she met Leon. Listening to her, I couldn’t help but feel sympathy for her. Being in a team with an idiot like Leon must have been a real challenge.

  — Martha, here, take this, — I handed her a small blue crystal.

  — What is it? — she asked, examining the stone in confusion.

  — Doesn’t matter, just keep it with you, — I replied without explaining further.

  A few minutes later, we reached a room. Peeking inside, we saw a large chest. I calmly approached it and sprinkled some crushed leaves on the lid. Martha stood behind me, watching my actions. Suddenly, the chest shook, and the girl, frightened, fell to the floor.

  — What was that? — she whispered in fear.

  — A mimic, — I replied shortly, delivering a quick kick to the lid, enhanced by a mana stream. The mimic cracked and fell silent.

  — I’ve never seen someone deal with a mimic so... unusually, — Martha said, getting up from the cold floor.

  In place of the dead mimic, a real chest appeared from under the platform. Opening it, I found a couple of interesting items: a “Scroll of Enhancement” and a small snake-shaped hairpin. The rest was weapons, which didn’t interest me much.

  — Here, take this, — I handed the hairpin to Martha.

  — Thank you! — her eyes lit up with joy as she took the accessory.

  I used the “Scroll of Enhancement.” It permanently increased the user’s physical strength, so I wasn’t about to give it to anyone else. Though I was curious about what the hairpin did, taking it from the girl would’ve been too low.

  — Well, shall we move on? — I asked, turning to Martha.

  — Yes, — she nodded, still smiling. — Thanks again.

  Soon, we exited the passage into a common area. There, we found a battered Leon, with a wounded Anna sitting beside him. Deep scratches were visible on the girl’s arm, blood slowly dripping from her fingers.

  — Anna, what happened?.. — Martha began, but her words were cut off by the sharp sound of a slap echoing through the area.

  — This is why I wanted us to stay together! — Leon, who had slapped the girl, began raising his voice. — I see you had a great time with this jerk. And what’s this?

  He noticed the new hairpin in Martha’s hair, which she had received from me.

  — I see. You knew the path we chose would be full of monsters, so you decided to go with him, huh?

  — N...no, I really didn’t know, — Martha stammered, her voice trembling.

  — LEON, ENOUGH! — Anna suddenly shouted, her voice sharp and commanding. — Now’s not the time for arguments. Let her heal our wounds. We just had bad luck.

  — Yeah, you’re right, — Leon sighed, his tone softening slightly. — Martha, I’m sorry for hitting you.

  “And he thinks that’ll actually work?” I chuckled to myself, hiding it under my mask.

  — It’s fine, — Martha said quietly, beginning to chant a prayer. Her voice was calm, but her eyes showed pain.

  The wounds on their bodies began to heal at an incredible speed, much faster than potions could. This was the pure power of a priestess, her gift from the Goddess Panthea.

  — Alright, good. The boss room is ahead. Let’s show him who’s in charge, — Leon said, moving forward.

  Anna followed him, but Martha walked a bit slower. Her face showed that what had happened had hit her hard. She tried not to show her feelings, but I noticed her hands trembling slightly.

  I walked behind, observing this strange team. Leon, despite his ambitions, clearly couldn’t control his emotions. Anna seemed to be the only one who could calm him down, but even her influence had limits. And Martha... She was too kind for this world.

  “I wonder how they’ve stayed together this long?” I thought but kept my musings to myself. The boss was ahead, and now wasn’t the time for internal conflicts.

  Leon pushed open the massive door to the boss room. In the center of the room stood a huge humanoid red wolf—the “Blood Werewolf,” the B-rank dungeon boss. Its eyes burned with rage, and its long, sharp claws gleamed in the dim light. The group immediately formed up: Leon at the front, Anna with her bow slightly behind, and Martha in the rear, ready to support them with prayers.

  Leon, as the vanguard, charged forward, drawing the monster’s attention. The werewolf didn’t wait and lunged at him, its clawed paw slashing through the air, ready to tear its opponent apart. Leon raised his sword to block the strike, but the force of the blow forced him to step back.

  — Hold on, Leon! — Anna shouted, firing an arrow. The sharp tip pierced the werewolf’s shoulder, making it howl in pain.

  Martha, standing behind, raised her staff, and a soft light enveloped Leon, boosting his stamina. Feeling the surge of power, Leon charged again. His sword, wreathed in flames, left a fiery trail as he slashed at the monster’s leg. The clawed limb flew off, and the werewolf howled in pain.

  — We’ll defeat it easily! — Leon proclaimed, confident in his victory.

  But the monster wasn’t about to give up. The severed leg turned into thick blood, which suddenly came to life and struck Leon with such force that he was thrown against the wall, hitting the stone with a crash.

  — Leon! — Anna screamed, but her cry was cut off. The werewolf, seizing the moment, lunged at the archer. Its claws were inches from her when Leon, gathering his strength, stood up and rushed forward to protect his companion.

  — Don’t you dare! — he roared, slashing at the werewolf’s other leg. The monster retreated, but its wounds were already beginning to heal.

  — Just a little more! — Leon shouted, preparing for another attack.

  However, the boss wasn’t about to yield. Standing in the center of the room, it howled, and two blood clots, like arrows, pierced Anna. The girl froze, her eyes wide with shock, and then she collapsed to the floor. A huge hole gaped in her stomach.

  — Martha, heal her! Heal her! — Leon shouted, his voice trembling with desperation.

  — But I’ve already used all my strength... I just can’t, — Martha replied, her face pale and her hands shaking.

  — If Martha hadn’t used purification earlier, the archer could’ve been saved, — I coldly remarked, hinting that the blame lay with Leon.

  — That’s a lie! She can still be saved! — Leon grabbed his head, his voice becoming hysterical. — Martha, I don’t care what happens to you, but heal her!

  The werewolf, having regenerated its severed limbs, wasn’t about to wait for this drama to end. It lunged at Leon, its claws gleaming in the dim light.

  — You monster! I’ll destroy you! — Leon shouted, gathering all his mana. His sword blazed with bright flames, but I knew this would end badly.

  — Idiot, what are you doing?! — I suddenly punched Leon in the stomach, sending him into the wall. The mana circulation was disrupted, and the sword returned to normal. If I hadn’t stopped him, this idiot would’ve poisoned everyone in the room.

  — Hey, Martha, if you want to survive, break the crystal I gave you! — I shouted.

  The girl, with trembling hands, took out the blue crystal and crushed it under her foot. Her body was enveloped in a blue haze, and she disappeared, leaving us alone with the enraged werewolf.

  — Alright, now it’s my turn to work a bit, — I muttered, looking at the furious werewolf.

  Instantly creating an ice bow, I fired an arrow that pierced the monster’s chest. The werewolf howled in pain, but I had already closed the distance, creating an ice sword in my hand. With one swift motion, I severed its right leg, and the monster fell to its knee.

  — What’s wrong, pup? Can’t use your blood? — I smirked, watching the werewolf try to regenerate its limb.

  Creating an axe, I chopped off its right arm, then, using a mana stream in my legs, jumped onto its back. An ice spear appeared in my hand, and I stabbed it through the monster’s head. The werewolf froze, its body beginning to crumble into pieces of ice.

  — So, a B-rank boss in a minute. Not bad, — I said, jumping off the monster’s body.

  — Who the hell are you? — Leon asked, his voice trembling with fear.

  — A C-rank adventurer, that’s all, — I replied, shrugging.

  — You’re lying! If you could kill it alone, why did you let Anna die? — his voice sounded like the roar of a wounded beast.

  — I was just standing and watching the future “heroes,” as I was told, — I replied with a slight sneer.

  — You’re a sick bastard! — Leon growled, his eyes burning with hatred.

  — Well, no need to throw around words. I’m here for another reason—to return the runaway son to his family.

  Hearing the reason for my presence, something inside Leon cracked.

  — Hahaha, now I get it. My old man went all out. I’m not going back, — he laughed, but his laughter was bitter.

  I kicked him in the face, then grabbed his hair, forcing him to look me in the eyes.

  — Do you have a choice? No. Your beloved died because of your stupidity. The only one who believed in you chose to save herself instead of staying with you. Do you even have a choice? — my voice was cold and merciless.

  — Remember this day, — I said, throwing him to the floor.

  Looking at the chest after killing the boss, I was even more disappointed. There was nothing but weapons inside. Throwing Leon, who had lost the will to live, over my shoulder, I exited the dungeon through the teleportation circle.

  On the surface, we were met by Martha, still shaken by what had happened. She sat at the cave entrance, trembling all over. Approaching her, I handed her a water bottle.

  — Rest, it’s all over, — I said, simultaneously throwing Leon’s body onto a horse.

  — Thank you, — the priestess whispered. — What about him?

  — He’s lost the will to live. Right now, he’s in no condition to do anything.

  — What are you going to do with him? — Martha asked worriedly.

  — Return the runaway son to his father. That’s why I’m here.

  — Hah, I kind of expected it would end like this, — a bitter smile appeared on her face.

  — What will you do now? — I asked out of curiosity.

  — I’ll return to the temple. I’ve had enough adventures, — Martha replied.

  — Good luck then, — I said, bidding her farewell, and headed to the guild.

  A few hours later, I reached the guild. Placing Leon’s unconscious body on the counter, I addressed Sophia.

  — You know, I’ve long stopped being surprised by such antics, — she said, confirming the mission’s completion.

  Before I could step away from the counter, the guild door swung open, and a tall man in an expensive cloak entered. His posture and gaze revealed a man accustomed to power. It was Count Nurthen, Leon’s father.

  — Where is my son? — his voice was commanding, but there was a slight tremor in it.

  — Here he is, — I pointed to Leon, still unconscious on the counter.

  The count approached his son, his face momentarily twisting with a mix of anger and relief. He carefully examined Leon, making sure he was okay, and then turned to me.

  — Are you the one who completed the mission? — he asked, his gaze piercing.

  — Yes, — I replied with a slight nod.

  — You did what others couldn’t. Thank you, — his voice was sincere, though still cold. — If you ever need help, don’t hesitate to ask.

  — Thank you, — I replied with a slight smile.

  The count nodded and, calling his servants, ordered them to carry Leon to the carriage. He gave me one last look, as if memorizing my face, and then left the guild.

  — Well, hero, now you’re in the count’s good graces, — Sophia said with a smile.

  — I doubt that’ll change much, — I replied, shrugging. — But money and a new rank are always nice.

  Sophia laughed, and I, taking my reward, headed for the exit. Now I had 30 million galls, enough for the academy entrance fee. All that was left was to wait for the main story to begin.

  — It’s all going to start soon, — I thought, looking at the silver token in my hand. — And the beginning of new problems.