The walk to the Guild did nothing to settle the storm in Kuro’s mind. If anything, the answers Fenric provided only spawned a hydra of new questions.

  The Citadel. Elves. Gods. Magic.

  And then there was the damned feather—the root of everything. It belonged to some creature, that much was certain. A High Beast? He thought of the Ravmor. NO, the energy felt different. But whatever it was, that creature held the only key to his return. Kuro didn't care about the politics of this world, the economy, or the social hierarchy. He knew one thing: how to kill. He would find the owner of that feather, and he would either open the gate home or tear through the black cloud himself.

  "So, the Guild," Kuro said, breaking the silence. "How does it work? The ranks and all that?"

  "Rather than me explaining it," Fenric replied, gesturing toward a sturdy, timber-framed building at the end of the street, "it's better if Lovia handles the details. But are you sure about this? You could just sell that horn for a mountain of gold. You could become a named man. Kuro Boros or Kuro Kark—

  "Enough," Kuro snapped. "And yes, I'm sure."

  "I thought you wanted to get to the Second City as soon as possible?"

  "Yes. I have my reasons."

  "Mmhm. Fine then."

  They reached the structure. It was imposing, built of dark wood and stone, radiating a sense of permanence that the rest of the town lacked.

  "It's damn close," Kuro muttered.

  "Ha! Yeah. Who do you think owns the land my house sits on?" Fenric grinned.

  "The Guild?"

  "More precisely, the Guild Master. Because of him, a Half-Beast like me can walk through these doors and be a member. He treats me like a person, even when the 'Nameless' townsfolk treat me like shit."

  Kuro grunted in acknowledgement. Fair enough.

  He pushed the heavy doors open. The interior was a cavernous hall smelling of stale ale, roasted meat, and sweat. Kuro paused immediately, his eyes drawn to the great Quest Board on the far wall. It was a massive slab of cork and wood, sectioned into meticulous rows and columns. Parchment slips cluttered the sections labeled E through A, but the highest column, marked S, remained conspicuously blank.

  While Kuro studied the listings, Fenric made a beeline for the reception counter where Lovia was buried behind a stack of papers.

  "So," Fenric leaned on the counter, shooting a knowing look at the clerk. "My new friend over there wants to be a... bounty hunter. Sorry, I meant Adventurer. What do you say?"

  Lovia looked up, her expression sharp. "Being clever, are we? And who's the friend? Wait... Kuro?" She squinted past Fenric to where Kuro stood. "An Adventurer? No way. He can't handle this. Fenric, what poison did you pour into his head? Just look at him standing there... he looks innocent. Cute, even."

  Fenric snorted. "Innocent? Cute? You have strange taste in men."

  "Shut it! He's not a fighter, okay? Joining a Guild means eventually killing things. He can't kill. I doubt he can even hold a sword properly," Lovia insisted, shaking her head vigorously. "If he has money troubles, I can recommend some labor jobs that pay fairly. So, what do you think?"

  "Can't kill, huh?" Fenric murmured, his amber eyes flicking toward Kuro's back. If only she knew. "I wonder about that."

  "What do you mean?" Lovia intercepted, her voice dropping with suspicion.

  "Nothing you have to worry about. But if that's how you feel, tell him yourself," Fenric said, pushing off the counter. "I'm going to my usual spot in the corner. Somewhere no one has to look at my ugly dog ears or tail."

  "Oh, come on, Fenric, you're a member of this Guild too! No one—"

  "Yeah, yeah. See you," he cut her off, waving a hand as he disappeared into the shadows of the room.

  Kuro, noticing Fenric's departure, walked over to the counter.

  "So, Lovia?"

  "Yes," she responded, eyeing him critically, arms crossed.

  "Can I take a quest now?"

  "What? Of course not! You haven't joined the Guild yet."

  "What do you mean? Didn't Fenric tell you I want to join?"

  "He did," she affirmed with a decisive nod. "And I'm against it. And that's final. Hmph."

  The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

  Kuro looked genuinely puzzled. "Huh?"

  "See, it's dangerous out there! Every corner has a beast waiting to devour you. Even an E-rank quest can be lethal. So, nope. Okay?"

  I see, Kuro thought, frustration mounting. Do I really look that soft to her? Even my own comrades used to be terrified of me. What is with this woman? And why does it matter to her whether I live or die?

  "Look," Kuro said, stepping closer. "You see this scar right here?" He pointed to the jagged, T-shaped mark below his left eye.

  "Yes. What about it?"

  "Do you know how I got it?"

  "No, but do you know?" Lovia countered softly. "I thought you lost your memory. Poor thing... even got chased by the Ravmor. Thank the Gods the Dragonbloods arrived in time. That is just another reason not to approve you."

  How? When? That damn dog, Kuro raged internally. When did he slip her that information?

  "Yes, of course I lost my memory, it's true," Kuro lied through his teeth, trying to salvage the situation. "But the scar... I remember the feeling. It was gruesome. I promise you." He tried to make his face look fierce, battle-hardened.

  "Poor thing," Lovia cooed, completely misinterpreting his expression. "I'm sure it was gruesome. Some bastards must have bullied you. Leaving a scar on your cute little face... those fuckers. Once you remember everything, all you have to do is point fingers. I will personally see through them." She made a violent tearing motion with her hands, smiling a scary, overly protective smile.

  Kuro’s eye began to twitch.

  I want to tell her. The urge was overwhelming. I want to scream that I killed the damn bear alone. That I crushed the Ravmor's balls and made soup out of them.

  But he couldn't. He swallowed the thought, choking it down, and prepared to construct another pile of bullshit.

  "You know," Kuro began, his voice wavering with feigned uncertainty. "I have my memory... well, some minute details here and there. I remember that I used to be an adventurer. You see? I don't know what rank I was, and I don't have identification, but the feeling remains. Do you follow?"

  "Yes, yes..." Lovia urged.

  "Yeah, mmhm." He cleared his throat. "So, what I am saying is... if I join a Guild again, maybe I can remember my past. As they say, 'The man without a past doesn't have a future,' right?"

  "Who's 'they'? I've never heard that."

  "Someone I know. Probably." Kuro dismissed it with a wave of his hand. "The point is, I want my memory back. That's a reasonable want, wouldn't you agree?"

  "Hmm. Of course, but..."

  "No buts." Kuro leaned in, gritting his teeth to sell the intensity. "I won't take dangerous jobs. Since I used to be an adventurer, I think I can handle some roughing around, but I promise: no death wishes. What do you say?"

  "You promise?" Lovia asked, slightly taken aback by his sudden sincerity.

  "Yes. On my heart," Kuro affirmed, placing a hand over his chest.

  He was stunned at himself. He hadn't known he was capable of such convincing, theatrical acting. From his gloomy corner, Fenric watched, hiding a delighted, wide grin behind his hands as he witnessed Kuro's masterful manipulation.

  Five minutes later, Kuro’s hand clenched into a fist beneath the counter as he signed the registration papers. The quill scratched loudly over the parchment. The smell of ink mixed with the room's scent of sweat and smoke.

  When Lovia reluctantly pushed the fresh Guild Card toward him, it felt foreign. The wood grain was rough against his palm, the silver clasp cool to the touch. He turned it over.

  Name: Kuro

  Rank: E

  Title: pebble

  Kuro’s brow twitched. He tapped the wood with a callous finger. "What's this supposed to mean? 'Pebble'?"

  "Oh, that?" Lovia glanced down, unbothered. "That's just the designated title for E-rank. Every rank has one. You start as a Pebble because, well, you're small and part of the foundation. Cute, right?"

  I see, Kuro thought, a vein pulsing in his temple. A pebble? Me?

  He stared at the word etched into the wood. He was a soldier. A killer. The man who had just dismantled a High Beast. And now, according to this piece of wood, he was a rock. A small, kickable rock.

  This damn world is chipping away at my nerves, one agonizing flake at a time.

  Anyway She sighed, gathering her papers. "Alright, Adventurer Kuro. Since you're so determined to risk your life, you need to understand the system. The Guild keeps things organized using a strict ranking structure to match the danger of a task to the skill of the person taking it."

  She tapped a finger on the quest board. "We rank quests and adventurers from E to S. You are now a starting E-rank—the lowest rung. This means you can only accept E-rank quests. Fetching, delivery, simple monster-culling close to town. Mundane, but they still carry risk."

  "Beyond that, the system moves up," she continued, reciting the lecture she’d given a hundred times. "D-rank and C-rank involve serious beast hunting, patrols, or guarding duties. B-rank starts involving travel to different towns, handling minor political issues, or rare monster exterminations."

  Fenric drifted back into the conversation, leaning against a nearby pillar. "A-rank is where things get truly dangerous. Missions that require exceptional skill, often involving High Beasts, or missions that require traveling far, joining hands with other Guilds, or working with Imperial soldiers."

  "And finally," Lovia finished, "S-rank is reserved for the most dangerous jobs. Let's leave it at that. Right now, that column is blank because our Guild doesn't have any S-rank adventurers or quests."

  She fixed Kuro with a severe look. "You stay away from anything above E-rank until you prove you can survive the mundane. Do you understand?"

  "Hmm... hm." He nodded.

  From the bustling mouth of the guild hall, a voice boomed, calling Lovia's name.

  "Coming!" she yelled back. She turned to Kuro one last time. "You don't have a weapon, right? Of course you don't. We give discounts to new members. I'll put in a word with Gobmer—he sells a lot of things, weapons included. You can find him behind the bar. Pick a weapon you can actually handle."

  "Anyway, take care, cute stuff." She slapped Kuro’s butt with a stinging thwack before snapping her attention to the Half-Beast. "Fenric!"

  "Yup," he answered.

  "I leave him to you. Get him a weapon he doesn't hurt himself with, okay?"

  "Aight," Fenric agreed, his massive shoulders rolling as he stepped toward Kuro. "So, why don't we get you some steel, hm?"

  Kuro, however, didn't budge. He stared at Fenric. "You already knew about the horn. Why are you acting like you're not aware of it?"

  Fenric gave a casual shrug. "It's not simple. You see, the Mosrel Horn is used as a part to make weapons, but never used as a weapon itself. Its major contribution is its magical properties—medicine for potent diseases, alchemy, that sort of thing."

  "So?" Kuro interjected.

  "So? Wait... are you really going to use the raw horn as a weapon?" Fenric blinked. "I mean, it's thick, round, spirally... it's a bludgeon at best."

  "It will work," Kuro said, his voice flat.

  "I think..." Fenric’s eyes lit up with sudden mischief. "Okay, why not? Let's refine your half-baked horn-club into a proper weapon."

  "Can you do that?" Kuro asked, a spark of genuine hope in his eyes.

  "Not me," Fenric chuckled. "But the Guild's Blacksmith? Probably."