Starting with the goblin extermination

In the year 335 of the Uranusian calendar, the city of a thousand towers.

When Koska opened his eyes again, he had returned to history.

The hidden history, the history of Archiros.

The wind howled in my ears.

He floated high in the sky.

Beside him was a dark figure.

The two were looking down at the land below.

The end of the world is approaching in the city of a thousand towers.

He tasted the fishy smell of the air below, through another person's nostrils.

Archiros.

The stench of blood and rotting flesh nearly made him vomit.

Endless monsters surged through the blood-soaked streets, infants were torn from their bellies by ghouls, and severed limbs filled the gaps between the teeth of cyclops. A colossal serpentine dragon coiled atop a spire, spewing scorching breath...

Because he had seen it countless times, he didn't vomit out of fear. The smell made him cough repeatedly, the scene of slaughter made him cover his mouth and nose, and the huge roar made him feel disoriented.

Even though he had seen it countless times, he still couldn't help but open his mouth wide.

The earth is collapsing.

The entire city seemed to be sinking into a giant sandstorm, visibly heading towards the abyss below.

Countless towering spires, crooked and piercing the gray sky, slowly descend.

Monsters continued to emerge from the silvery-white rifts, like a black tsunami.

"We're too late."

Akiros's voice was dry, filled with an undisguised despair.

"The City of a Thousand Towers... is completely destroyed. Those monsters rushed out, and the surrounding villages couldn't hold them off at all."

"Then keep them out of the forest." The voice of the figure beside him was unusually calm.

They fell into the forest like shooting stars.

As the figure slammed one hand on the ground, the earth trembled violently.

Three enormous rocks, each over ten meters tall, rose abruptly from the mud, radiating a dazzling light.

The entire forest was shrouded in an invisible barrier. When the monsters crashed into the barrier, they instantly turned to ashes.

As the figure's right hand slowly closed, the barrier contracted from the outside in.

"That's not enough, Aki. I need you..." The figure turned around.

A sudden change occurred.

A spear radiating a dark golden light appeared in the air, piercing straight at Akiros's face.

The figure raised its hand, creating a rift that swallowed the deadly holy spear.

But this was just a feint.

puff.

Almost at the same instant the figure made its move, a pale hand reached out from the shadows behind Archiros.

That hand gripped Akiros's throat tightly.

The cold fingernails cut through the blood vessels, and the excruciating pain and the suffocating feeling of impending death instantly overwhelmed Kosca's soul.

"Ughh ...

"Shimara!!"

Amidst a soul-wrenching scream, Kosca mustered her last shred of sanity and shouted out that name.

The entire dream suddenly stopped.

The forest was silent; the sprayed blood froze in the air, like red agate.

Beside him, the dark figure slowly shook its head.

The shadow on his body gradually faded, his features melted and reshaped like a wax figure, finally settling into an old, indifferent face.

Simara's gaze shifted to Kosca's face.

His tone was heavy and cold.

I thought you were dead.

"No," Kosca said, "I forgot."

The forest vanished, and the blood splattered in the air also disappeared.

Kosca stood in the void, the emptiness making him dizzy.

"Your memory has always been bad," Shimara shouted in his mind. "Speak, before you get drunk."

"I feel it, Shimara."

"What?"

"The seal. The seal of the City of a Thousand Towers. Magic is overflowing, like a boil about to burst."

You're drunk.

"They're here, Shimara, once again."

Simara's face twitched slightly.

"What did you say?"

"Shirakami, Shirakami has made a comeback."

A hint of seriousness flashed in Shimara's gray eyes.

"I'll notify the others," Koska heard fear in the other person's voice for the first time. "You stay in Riverwood and let me know immediately if anything happens!"

"but......"

"But what? What other information is there?"

Kosca's Adam's apple bobbed.

The image of that blond young man, and his deep, dark soul, flashed through his mind.

"It's nothing, Shimara, nothing important."

Why say that?

Why hide it?

Why—

Simala ended the dream.

Koska opened his eyes and took deep breaths of real air.

It was already daylight.

Not far away, Logan was sitting to the side, wiping his longsword.

......

In the year 3563 of the Arlando Calendar, in Riverwood, at the Adventurers' Guild...

Logan and Elsa walked side by side toward the window of the goblin Kruger.

After not seeing him for a few days, Kruger was still engrossed in reading a newspaper, just like before.

His shiny little head reflected the sunlight.

Logan suddenly remembered what that old drunkard Koska had done when he was drunk.

I wonder how many kisses Koska landed on that head.

At that moment, a gasp and murmur arose from the other side of the hall, followed by Ellis's signature hearty laughter.

The Iris Squad was handing the Shadow Leopard materials to the salesperson at the window, while the surrounding adventurers marveled at the sight.

This is, after all, a Shadow Leopard, a level one monster known for its speed. Not to mention an unemployed rookie, even a professional couldn't take it down with just two people.

But Steel Fist Ellis put it on the list.

It's no wonder people were shocked; after this battle, the name "Steel Fist" became even more renowned.

Logan glanced at Elsa beside him.

The shadow leopard was actually killed by Elsa and Elise together. But Logan thought of the 22.7 platinum coins Quintus and his father had paid, as well as Koska's 5 platinum coins, and made a decision.

The 3.3 platinum coins we gave Ellis and the others as a share was still too little.

Although Elsa did her part, without Ellis holding the line and protecting Kosca and Quintas, these two burdens, this large sum of money would have been lost.

As a rare monster in Challenge Level 1, the Shadow Leopard's materials are generally sold for around 7 Platinum Coins by the guild. Logan simply gave his team's share to Iris.

Treating people to drinks is a must, but the money has to be right.

Friendships last only when there is give and take.

Elsa nodded slightly, indicating that she had no objection.

As for the other shadow leopard he personally killed...

It has other uses.

Logan knocked on Kruger's window.

Kruger snapped out of his daze and habitually flashed a professional fake smile.

"Welcome!"

Before he could finish speaking, he saw Logan hand him the Shadow Leopard's claws.

He froze instantly.

"One, a level 1 monster, the Shadow Leopard... excellent quality." Kruger quickly jotted it down on the counter. "Mr. Logan, you're truly a hidden talent. In my records, this is the second time your team has successfully defeated a level 1 monster. Once one member officially joins the team..."

"wrong."

He looked up and sized Logan up and down.

"You can now consider advancing to Bronze-level adventurers."

Logan paused for a moment, which was taken as tacit agreement.

"Hmm, but does that count as the Dire Wolf incident too?"