“So are you going to tell me what this is really about?”

  I'm still under his arm as we pass the south gate. The guards don't bat an eye to what I would have assumed looks like a kidnapping. They just wave to the guild master and he waves back.

  “You're earning too much as a tier two. Your plans are just going to make you a bigger target. It's best to get you banking services so no one thinks you're sitting on a very robbable nest egg.”

  My plans huh, if it's wealth then he is not talking about me becoming nobility. Time to find out more.

  “Exactly why do you know my plans?”

  “Dirknae sent a request in, to find the monster you've been getting your hair from. I set it as a tier four and assigned it to an adventurer. They reported back to me about your thread idea.”

  “Then why are they still following us?”

  Thane's eyes widened at that.

  “You knew?”

  “He got too close, after he tripped my soul sense with no one being around me, I made sure to keep my nose aware of him. Is it Derrick? I could smell wood shafts and small bits of iron on him.”

  Derrick appears behind us. I smile.

  “Hi, Derrick.”

  “Exactly how much can you smell of me? I need to account for such in my cover spell.”

  System, no, I don't want to tell him. I've been doing my best not to think about the six things that make up a person's smell. Thane prods me.

  “Scratches, help your fellow guildmate.”

  I sigh.

  “I can smell your equipment, sweat, breath, grime.” And in a very small voice, “ass and crotch.”

  Thane stops for a moment.

  “You're not smelling that on everyone, are you?”

  And remembering it, my bleeding scent memory went crazy when I entered the city. It's at competent one already. I just bury my face in my hands. My only solace is that I am being carried and not walking.

  “If they have a recent cut, I can smell the blood.” I can smell mothers and monthlies as well. I shudder, the worst are the sick, pus is terrible. It's all too much and I really wish they would change the subject. No better yet, I'll get it back to the proper subject.

  “So what will you report back to Driknae? I'm not sure why you took the request in the first place.”

  “Another reason to get to tier three is I can refuse investigation requests on you, as for what I will inform the gnome? I'm leaning towards returning the money saying we couldn't find anything.”

  “Will it end there?”

  “Depends on you, if you weren't planning on selling your hair it would be over. I suspect the blacksmith guildmaster will be visiting after your iron hits the market.”

  I consider that, then nod.

  “I'm more than willing to discuss my third guild membership.”

  Derrick barks a laugh at that. I wonder if he knows who I am, he didn't seem surprised I knew his name. I'm suddenly put back onto my feet, guess we have arrived. I see the subway entrance of dirt.

  “You know I feel rather unprepared for all this, guess I am glad you're coming with me.”

  “Both of us will be waiting up here, you are to bring me the skeleton captain's head.”

  You been given a quest by [Yetna Adventurer Guild Master] Thane

  Bring the skull of Na's Skeleton Guard Captain to Thane

  Reward - Adventurer Title Upgrade

  Do you Accept?

  I look up at him wide eyed.

  “You'll be fine Scratches, off you go.”

  He puts a hand on my back and pushes me towards the ramp. I stumble part way down. In that time he steps back and flicks the mana interface. By the time I get back to him I smack into the barrier. It's been a long time since I was punched in my chest. The barrier shudders and Derrick looks concerned.

  “Now now Scratches, time to be an adventurer.”

  I give Thane my best almost eleven glare, my tail is sticking straight up to lend support. Thane and Derrick just laugh and they sit down. Thane waves me off. I continue down the ramp with my shoulders and tail raised. I accept the bloody quest.

  The first thing I notice is that everything smells the same. Each blade of grass is the same. Each horned rabbit is the same. After coming from the city I almost feel like I have my old nose back.

  I push out my aura, it's closer to me than it is in the forest. I want the density higher for any would be assailants. Then I shrug and activate my tiger one as well. Any rabbits that get near turn around and hop away, I get a nice grin going. I have enough grass dreams as is. When I reach the gate separating the bunny area from the creepy ass graveyard, I take a moment to look around. No undead, no smell of them either. Not that I know what they smell like. I'm going to guess mildew. I push the gate open, flatten my ears to my head as the screech of rusted iron parts. I step in.

  I was right about the fog, an overall musty smell. There is no wind here, nothing to carry a scent to me. I am left with only the scents my own lungs pull in. I put all my sights on, even fire. It's not long till I hear the creaking of bones heading towards me. They smell of the fog.

  5 Skeleton Guard

  They are at least three heads taller than me. There are three and they are walking towards me. I swing my sword at the closest leg, it crumples over. Its friend kicks me. The bone shatters, the skeletons, I'll just be nursing a bruise. I swipe at the third and cause it to fall over too. The first one grabs my leg which causes me to fall onto the second one.

  Gain 5 exp from Skeleton Guard

  That's just embarrassing. My fight music must be benny hill themed. I get up and stomp the head of the third one.

  Gain 5 exp from Skeleton Guard

  If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it's taken without the author's consent. Report it.

  That was a bad idea, my foot is bleeding. I decide it's better to sever the head from the first one.

  Gain 5 exp from Skeleton Guard

  I take a moment to pull skull fragments out of my foot, they aren't deep. A little early for skull stomping I suppose. Remembering my ptra in my bag, I apply some of its sticky sap to my foot and wait for it to harden.

  You have gained the skill [Triage] Basic 1

  Triage - allows the field dressing of wounds

  Basic - Life magic is better Sara

  Gain 1 exp

  What's better is not what's available. I really do need to learn it though, if only to save my nose. Ptra sap is rank. And now I will carry a cut root in my bag and some dried on my foot. I sigh, need to be more careful, I don't want to add more insults to my nose dotting my body. I collect the bones into my bag, making sure to keep the ptra close to the top. No matter how much I didn't want to.

  After the next pack of three I find my tail can deliver a rather satisfying death blow. The fur on the tail prevents cuts. Nope, still not covering my body in fur brain. It's a temporary problem until I can make some iron clothes. More bones. Another three just adds to my burden.

  It's not long until I find a crypt that leads down. In front of it are four more guards and their captain.

  20 Na's Skeleton Guard Captain

  My body droops at that. That's like nine levels over me. I need to have the words with Thane, all the words. The captain is a head taller than his guards, and he has a sword. I pick up a rock and throw it at the left most one. It hits the one to the right of him.

  You have gained the skill [Throw Rock] Basic 1

  Throw Rock - ability to throw rocks, duh

  Basic - maybe next time, aim

  Gain 1 exp

  It's not all that fair that the teasing is one sided, system.

  All five start walking towards me. Then the captain leaps at me. I dodge away and I swipe with my tail. It clangs against the captain sword, I make note again that I have the weirdest body. The vibration travels up my spine and I decide its best not to parry with my tail. I ran away from the captain and took out one of his guards legs. I finish it with my tail as I put the guards between myself and the captain.

  Gain 5 exp from Skeleton Guard

  My breathing is hard, damn it, twice as heavy when running. I need to try fighting with more than just my physical stats. I point at the skeleton on the left.

  “Attack the guard captain.”

  It stiffens as ten percent of my mental mana burns off, I lost ten percent of my arcane core as well. It then turns and walks towards the captain. The other two continue towards me. I repeat the command to the other two just as the first skeleton reaches their captain. My cores are down to seventy.

  Gain 5 exp from Skeleton Guard

  Guess guards are as much a joke to captains as they are to me. The others don't fare much better.

  Gain 5 exp from Skeleton Guard

  Gain 5 exp from Skeleton Guard

  Weird that I am gaining exp from them, shouldn't it go to the guard captain? My breathing still isn't steady. The captain walks forward menacingly.

  “Stop.”

  The captain pauses then continues forward. I'm down to sixty percent. I pull it all out. It's too much for a one word compel. I form it and speak once more.

  “Na's Guard Captain, kneel and present your neck to me.”

  The captain shudders its will against mine. It steps forward then kneels, one leg out. His head slowly bows. I walk up and sever his head from his shoulders.

  Gain 20 exp from Na's Skeleton Guard Captain

  You gained 4 unallocated stat points

  I take a moment to breathe. My short sword is bent after that. Hard neck. I collect the bones and place the skull at the top of the pile. I walk to the stairs and the smell I take in speaks of flesh, blood and more guard captains. I decide completing the quest is enough for now. It took more than half my cores to defeat the captain, it's not a sustainable method of fighting.

  I use my nose to steer clear of any more patrols as I head back up my scent trail. Fog doesn't stop me if the world can be seen through my nose. Pass the gate, no more fog. I spy a rabbit and I start to salivate. That's new, I shake my head as I proceed to the stairs. I really wish I hadn't wasted liquids on drooling, my water skin is empty. Should have made Thane fill it when he got the skewers.

  At the top of the ramp I spot Thane and Derrick. I pull out the skull and throw it at their feet. Thane flicks the mana interface and I step forward.

  Bring the skull of Na's Skeleton Guard Captain to Thane

  Quest Completed

  Reward - Adventurer Title Upgrade

  You gained the title Voiceless Tier 3 Adventurer

  Voiceless Tier 3 Adventurer - Gives off an aura of worthlessness. You are part of an international organization, can read contracts and have demonstrated a better than average survival rate. Complete requests and hunts to grow in fame and glory. Three additional Presence level and Six additional Soul when leveling up.

  I have enough to get the next soul major boon. Do I go into the unknown. No one else knew what the hundred one was. It may not even be possible to get this boon with regular leveling. I am being shaken.

  “O thank the system, you blanked out there Scratches. Congratulations on completing your quest and becoming a tier three adventurer.”

  “Cheers.” Derrick raises a glass that smells of strong alcohol. It burns my nose from here. More worries for later.

  “I'm glad you heeded the warnings of others and did not head further into the crypt.”

  I stare at him blankly, “What warnings?”

  “Surely, when you asked about the dungeon you learned about the trap at the second level that locks you in until you find a lever to raise the portcullis.”

  I just shake my head.

  “Did you not ask your new team about it?”

  “I wasn't planning on doing this until I had enough contribution points, I only learned that I had finished the requirement today. Then you ran off with me. Don't blame me for not being prepared when you literally carried me out without a moment's hesitation.”

  My tail is up again along with my hair. Derrick just starts laughing at the sight.

  “Then why did you turn back? You're rather young to be prudent.” A question from Derrick.

  “I was out of mental mana and I could smell more guard captains down the stairs. No way was I risking another fight.”

  “Ever think about being a scout?”

  Derrick's suggestion conjures up awful memories. I don't want to be Hanki.

  “That's enough for now, Scratches, display your tier three so people won't get ideas?”

  “I can't.”

  “What do you mean you can't, Scratches?”

  “Literally, you brought a guard and mage that told me I had to display my Basic Mage to everyone because I'm a hazard otherwise.” I think my tail is sticking up higher.

  “And you don't have the second slot yet. Scratches, you can't start selling your iron or doing requests until you can show it. Also you're back at the hall till then as well.”

  “Free room and board if you're preventing me from working.”

  “Fine but you're helping with the breakfast and dinner crowds.”

  “I expect pay and contribution.”

  “You'll get one contribution a day and the pay is the food and room.”

  I grumble at that as Derrick just laughs at us. I mentally assign four of my unallocated to mental fortitude. I fall over screaming.

  You gained lvl 2

  Presence raised to 74

  Mental Fortitude raised to 105

  Soul raised to 157

  Derrick shouts, “By the system, what the hell Scratches?”

  If there is a hell, what torment could it provide that wasn't already here. I'm breathing heavily at this point. The two men with me are wincing as they message their ears. Thane looks at me.

  “Four soul should not have hurt you that much.”

  “Four?”

  Thane gives a look at Derrick that says shut up.

  “New title, more soul, it was seven.” I say this through huffs, after I get more air in I continue, “My old title I severed wanted to give me ten.”

  They pale at that. I look at my status screen, I see why it was so loud and cursed.

  “Seems [Yell] became [Yowl], I didn't notice till now. Did get a level up though.”

  “Might be testing the sound proofing sooner than I thought.”

  “Sure for additional pay and contribution points.”

  I get a glare and a laugh from two different men. I noticed an issue.

  “Can I have some water?”

  -----

  I wasn't carried back to the guild hall. Derrick had run ahead of us, said he had some other business to attend to. When we arrived Thane bent down and whispered to me.

  “Show your new title for tonight, you can go back to [Basic Mage] when you go to sleep.”

  Then in a louder voice, “Everyone welcome our newest [Tier 3 Adventurer].”

  My ears clamp down and I try to make myself smaller as various cheers and congratulations ring out. Before I can make my escape Alicia gives me a hug from behind.

  “Congrats on survivin’, Cat. Derrick went and told us the good news.”

  She leads me to a table and my party gets drinks for themselves. I am provided a mug of water. When I protest, Phenolp admonishes me.

  “When you are ten maybe you can try some.”

  I simply face plant the table, which spooks a lot of people.