It's been a few weeks since The Butcher Incident and Gale's death. In that time, I've been completing various quests, pushing myself forward despite everything.

  So far, I've leveled up three times, bringing me to level 20.

  UI Display:

  [Name]: Kelvin

  [Class]: Former Sergeant (Aerospace Engineer)

  [Level]: 20

  [Weapon]: C13314 (Mythical)

  — Durability: Infinite

  [Skills]:

  — Piercing Lance

  — Regeneration

  — Weapon Transfiguration

  It seems that Last Stand was a one-time use ability, its power spent in that crucial moment.

  On the bright side, I discovered something interesting about Weapon Transfiguration—I can transform my sword into coins. More importantly, gold coins.

  I went to a vendor—well, more like a hustler—and asked everything I needed to know. How mana works, the important locations, and all the essential details you'd need when coming from another world.

  It wasn’t exactly a formal lesson, but information is information. In a place like this, knowledge is just as valuable as gold—sometimes even more.

  From what I learned, I'm currently in the Kingdom of Aurewyn, which explains the presence of steam engine trains. It’s a strange mix of old and new—magic and technology coexisting in ways that don’t always make sense to someone like me.

  I also found out that the ranking system for adventurers doesn’t stop at S-rank like I initially thought. Instead, it goes even higher, all the way to SSS-rank, which they call Diwata for some reason. Maybe it has some cultural or religious significance, but I didn’t press for details.

  Beyond that, I picked up some crucial information—like the existence of divine blessings, powerful gifts granted by the gods themselves. Apparently, if you're lucky, you can receive one, though the chances seem slim. More importantly, there’s a war either brewing or already underway between humans and demons. I have no intention of getting involved in that mess, but if I want to survive in this world, I need to get stronger. Fast.

  But one thing that scammer kept hammering into my head was this: never get on the bad side of nobles. Why? Well, if the usual isekai clichés apply, they’d probably torture you for something as trivial as making eye contact with them. It seems power in this world doesn’t just come from strength—it comes from status. And right now, I have neither.

  Now… time to get back to farming quests.

  "Wait—why am I talking to myself?"

  Now… time to get back to farming quests.

  "Wait—why am I talking to myself?"

  Shaking my head, I refocused and made my way to the Adventurer’s Guild. The usual crowd was there—rookies picking up easy jobs, veteran adventurers bragging about their latest kills, and the ever-present scent of ale and sweat hanging in the air.

  I walked up to the quest board, scanning the available jobs. Most were typical for C-rank adventurers—escort missions, monster subjugations, resource gathering, and bounties. I needed something that paid well but wouldn’t get me killed.

  One quest stood out: Goblin Extermination – 12 Silver Per Ear.

  Goblins were a common nuisance, attacking trade routes and raiding villages. Unlike what some stories would have you believe, they didn’t just "respawn" out of thin air. Once a goblin died, it stayed dead. But that also meant if a nest wasn’t cleared out properly, they could breed and repopulate fast.

  I grabbed the quest slip and headed to the receptionist’s desk. Yuna, a sharp-eyed woman who’d seen her fair share of reckless adventurers, glanced at my request and smirked.

  "Goblins again? You sure you’re not getting too comfortable, Kelvin?" she teased while stamping the approval mark.

  I shrugged. "They’re not hard to kill, and they pay well. Simple as that."

  She handed me back the quest paper. "Just be careful. C-rankers who play it too safe never make it to B-rank."

  With that, I left the guild and headed toward the quest location—a dense forest an hour’s walk from town. A nearby farming village had reported goblins lurking around the area, probably scouting for weaknesses before launching a raid. If I took them out now, I’d be doing the villagers a favor.

  When I arrived, I crouched low, scanning the treeline. Five goblins loitered near a crumbling stone hut, their crude weapons resting against a tree. They hadn’t noticed me yet.

  I activated Weapon Transfiguration, reshaping my sword into a lightweight spear for better reach. Goblins weren’t tough individually, but they were vicious in numbers. Charging in without a plan would be stupid.

  I exhaled slowly, tightening my grip on the spear.

  Time to work.

  "Maybe I killed too much."

  Well… I did just wipe out an entire goblin nest. That probably counted as overkill.

  I glanced around the now-silent clearing, the stench of blood and burnt flesh lingering in the air. Bodies littered the ground, some still smoldering from the firebomb I had thrown into their den. The few goblins that tried to flee hadn’t made it far.

  "That should stop them for at least a month."

  Goblins bred fast, but without a nest, they wouldn't be an issue for a while. The village would be safe—for now.

  I pulled out a knife and got to work collecting proof of extermination. The guild paid per goblin ear, and I wasn’t about to leave money on the table.

  By the time I finished collecting proof of extermination, my hands were covered in blood and goblin stink. I stood up, stretching my shoulders, when suddenly—

  [Ding!]

  My UI flickered to life in front of me, the familiar blue text appearing in my vision.

  [You have gained experience.]

  [Level Up!]

  I felt it immediately—a surge of strength, my body growing lighter, my senses sharpening. It wasn’t dramatic like some kind of explosive power-up, but it was noticeable.

  [Name]: Kelvin

  [Class]: Former Sergeant (Aerospace Engineer)

  [Level]: 21 (+1)

  [Weapon]: C13314 (Mythical)

  — Durability: Infinite

  [Skills]:

  — Piercing Lance

  — Regeneration

  — Weapon Transfiguration

  [New Skill Acquired!]

  — Enhanced Reflexes (Passive)

  "Huh. Not bad."

  A passive skill like Enhanced Reflexes could be a game-changer. I clenched and unclenched my fists, feeling the slight difference in my reaction speed. My body felt more in sync, like it was responding faster than before.

  I smirked.

  "Looks like farming quests is paying off."

  I shoved the collected goblin ears into a sack and slung it over my shoulder. Time to head back to town and cash in.

  Yuna looked up from her paperwork just as I dropped the sack of goblin ears onto her desk with a dull thud. Her expression barely changed—just a slight raise of her eyebrow before she sighed.

  "This should be it," I said, brushing off my hands.

  She pulled the sack open, wrinkling her nose at the smell. "You know, Kelvin, most adventurers at least try to clean these up a little before turning them in."

  I shrugged. "Didn’t see the point. They’re just gonna get counted and tossed, right?"

  She shook her head but started tallying the ears anyway, placing them into neat little piles as she did the math. "You really went all out. There’s more here than the quest required."

  I leaned against the counter. "Figured I’d clear out the nest entirely. Should keep the village safe for a while."

  Yuna paused for a moment, then nodded. "That’s actually pretty responsible of you."

  "Don’t get used to it," I said with a smirk.

  She rolled her eyes and continued counting. A few minutes later, she wrote something down in her logbook and reached into the guild’s coin stash.

  "That’s 12 silver per ear… comes out to 4 gold and 8 silver total. Not bad for a day’s work," she said, sliding the money across the counter.

  I scooped up the coins, pocketing them with a satisfied nod. Not a fortune, but enough to keep me going.

  "Anything else?" I asked.

  Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

  Yuna gave me a long look, then glanced toward the quest board. "If you’re up for it, there’s been a C-rank escort request from a noble’s caravan. Pays well, but…" She hesitated.

  "But?"

  She exhaled. "You did say you didn’t want to get on a noble’s bad side, right?"

  I frowned. "Yeah, why?"

  Yuna tapped the quest paper. "Because this one’s coming straight from a noble family. And from what I hear, they’re not the friendly type."

  I glanced at the paper, thinking it over. Good pay, possible danger… and nobles.

  "Do I really want to deal with that?"

  "Nah, I'm alright," I said, waving off the escort request.

  Yuna just shrugged. "Figured as much. Suit yourself."

  Truth be told, if I wanted to level up faster, I needed to start hunting stronger monsters. Goblins were easy, but at this rate, I’d be stuck grinding low-tier enemies forever.

  I turned away from the counter and walked over to the quest board. The usual crowd of adventurers milled around, picking out jobs that matched their skill level. I ignored the low-rank requests and focused on something more… worthwhile.

  Good thing the guild listed locations on quests, even if they weren’t taken yet. That meant I could scout out where the higher-ranked monsters were, even if I didn’t officially accept the job.

  I skimmed the board, searching for B-rank or higher requests. After a moment, one in particular caught my eye:

  Rank: B

  Location: Stormcrest Cliffs

  Reward: 25 Gold

  "Now we're talking."

  Wyverns were no joke—fast, deadly, and tough. Stronger than the average monster but not quite as bad as a full-fledged dragon. This quest was marked for at least a party of three B-rankers, but that didn’t mean I couldn’t take a look at the area myself.

  If I played it smart, I might be able to hunt something just below a wyvern’s level—maybe pick off a younger one or find another high-rank beast nearby.

  Decision made, I turned and headed for the door.

  "Time to go hunting."

  ...

  "Hmm… I thought this would’ve been harder."

  I kicked the dead wyvern’s body, its massive form slumped against the rocky terrain of Stormcrest Cliffs. Blood pooled beneath it, steam rising in the cold air. It had put up a decent fight, but in the end, it wasn’t enough.

  Weapon Transfiguration had been the real MVP—I shifted my sword into a harpoon mid-battle and drove it straight through the beast’s skull. Quick, efficient, and lethal.

  I crossed my arms, looking down at my kill.

  "If I cut its head off and show it to Yuna, I wonder if I’ll be able to skip straight to B-rank."

  Adventurer ranks were based on experience, skill, and successful quest completions. Technically, I hadn't taken the wyvern subjugation quest… but rules were meant to be bent, right?

  And so I did.

  Using Weapon Transfiguration, I reshaped my blade into a heavy cleaver and got to work. A few precise hacks later, the wyvern’s head came clean off. I wrapped it in cloth, tied it up with some rope, and slung it over my shoulder like a grotesque trophy.

  "Alright, time to see Yuna’s reaction."

  ...

  I pushed open the guild doors, stepping inside with the severed wyvern head slung over my shoulder. The usual lively chatter stopped instantly.

  Silence.

  Dozens of adventurers turned to stare at me, their expressions ranging from shock to outright disbelief. Some had their drinks halfway to their mouths, frozen mid-sip. A few whispered among themselves, glancing between me and the massive, bloodied trophy on my back.

  "Why is everyone looking at me weirdly? Haven't they seen a wyvern before?"

  I walked up to the counter, dropping the wyvern head onto Yuna’s desk with a heavy THUD.

  "This should be enough to rank up, right?" I asked casually.

  Yuna just blinked at me, her usual composure completely shattered. Her eyes flicked between me and the severed head, as if trying to process what just happened.

  "Kelvin…" she started, her voice slow and deliberate. "Where. The hell. Did you get this?"

  I shrugged. "Stormcrest Cliffs. It was in the way, so I killed it."

  The entire guild erupted.

  "You WHAT?!"

  Someone spat out their drink. A B-rank adventurer nearby nearly choked on his food. Another guy actually fell out of his chair.

  "You—alone?!" one of the adventurers shouted in disbelief.

  "You're C-rank! That thing should've killed you!"

  "Is this a joke?!"

  I sighed, rubbing my temple. "Look, are you ranking me up or not?"

  Yuna let out a long exhale, massaging her forehead. "...Kelvin, you can’t just—ugh, give me a minute."

  She turned and hurried into the back room, probably to call the Guild Master.

  Meanwhile, the entire guild was still freaking out.

  I leaned against the counter, waiting patiently.

  "I really don’t see what the big deal is."

  Yuna finally returned… and guess what?

  Behind her was some random old bastard—long white beard, fancy robe, the whole wise-and-important look. Probably the Guild Master.

  Typical Isekai cliché.

  The moment he laid eyes on me, he sighed dramatically, rubbing his temples like I had already given him a migraine just by existing.

  "So… you're the one causing a ruckus." His deep, authoritative voice practically dripped with 'I’m about to lecture you for the next ten minutes.'

  I crossed my arms. "I just turned in a wyvern head. Didn’t realize that was illegal."

  The old man’s eye twitched. "Illegal? No. Unbelievable? Yes." He gestured at the giant wyvern head still sitting on Yuna’s desk, the blood slowly pooling underneath it. "Do you have any idea what kind of monster that is?"

  "Yeah," I said, shrugging. "A wyvern."

  The entire guild winced. Like I had just slapped their ancestors.

  "A wyvern, he says," the old man muttered under his breath, shaking his head. "Kelvin, wyverns are B-rank monsters. They're not something a C-ranker just… casually kills alone."

  "Well, I did."

  More silence. A few adventurers were watching with open mouths, like they couldn’t believe I was still talking back to the Guild Master.

  Yuna sighed, already regretting every life choice that led her to this moment. "Master Reinhardt, what do we do?"

  Reinhardt (of course his name was something dramatic like that) stared at me for a long moment. Then, he turned to Yuna.

  "Test him."

  Yuna blinked. "What?"

  The old man stroked his beard. "If he truly has the strength to defeat a wyvern alone, then his current rank is meaningless. We’ll hold a combat evaluation. If he passes… he’ll be promoted to B-rank."

  Murmurs spread through the guild.

  A combat evaluation. Great. Another cliché.

  I sighed. "Fine. Let’s get this over with."

  Reinhardt smirked. "Careful, boy. You might regret those words."

  ...

  I stepped into the large, open arena, glancing around at the stone walls and reinforced barriers.

  "Hmm… fancy battle place."

  Yuna, standing next to me, sighed. "It’s a training ground, Kelvin."

  "Same thing," I said, rolling my shoulders. "Anyway, who am I fighting?"

  Before Yuna could answer, a loud snort came from the opposite end of the arena.

  "That would be me."

  I turned to see a mountain of a man stepping forward. This guy was built like a fortress—massive arms, thick armor, and a greatsword almost as tall as me. His face had the usual I’m-better-than-you scowl, and judging by the way he was cracking his knuckles, he was way too excited about this.

  "Meet Garrus," Yuna said. "A B-rank adventurer. One of the strongest in the guild."

  I squinted at the guy. "He looks like a final boss."

  Garrus sneered. "You’ve got a smart mouth, rookie. Hope your sword is just as sharp."

  I smirked. "Don’t worry. It is."

  The surrounding adventurers cheered, clearly hyped for the fight. Betting was already happening in the background.

  Master Reinhardt stepped forward. "Rules are simple—fight until one side is unable to continue or surrenders. Magic, weapons, and skills are allowed, but no killing." He gave me a sharp look at that last part. "Understood?"

  "Yeah, yeah," I said, stretching my arms.

  Garrus raised his greatsword, grinning like he already won. "You’re dead meat, rookie."

  I smirked, gripping my weapon.

  "Let’s see about that."

  "Heavy weapon, slow swings. He’ll have power, but I can use that against him."

  The real question was—should I reveal that my weapon can transfigure?

  On one hand, keeping it a secret would give me an advantage in future fights. On the other, flexing on Garrus by shifting my weapon mid-battle would be hilarious.

  I spun my sword in my hand, thinking.

  Garrus slammed his greatsword into the ground, cracking the stone beneath. "What’s wrong? Scared?"

  I smirked. "Nah, just deciding how fast I wanna end this."

  That pissed him off. With a roar, he charged forward, greatsword raised high.

  "Alright, let’s see what he’s got."

  Garrus charged forward, his greatsword raised high, ready to crush me with a single swing.

  "Slow."

  I simply stepped to the side.

  His sword came down like a hammer, slamming into the ground with a deafening BOOM. Stone shattered beneath the force, sending dust and debris flying.

  The crowd cheered, but I just stood there, unimpressed.

  "Wow," I said, mockingly slow clapping. "That was… something. If I just stood still and let you hit me, I might’ve actually felt that."

  Garrus’s eye twitched. He ripped his sword out of the ground and swung at me again—this time, a wide, sweeping arc.

  I ducked.

  The blade whooshed overhead, missing me completely.

  "Okay, now you’re just making the wind blow," I said, grinning. "Is that your real strategy? Just make me chilly until I give up?"

  More laughter from the watching adventurers. A few even started placing new bets.

  Garrus growled, veins bulging in his neck. "YOU—!"

  He came at me again, this time with wild, reckless swings. Each attack was stronger, but his form? Sloppy.

  I dodged. Again. And again. And again.

  After the tenth missed swing, I yawned. "Damn, you’re getting a workout. I feel bad just standing here."

  The arena erupted with laughter. Garrus’s face turned red with fury.

  "You little—!!"

  His killing intent spiked. He gripped his sword with both hands, and suddenly—his entire body surged with mana. The veins in his arms glowed, his muscles bulged, and his weapon hummed with power.

  The crowd went dead silent.

  Yuna’s eyes widened. "Wait—he’s using a berserker technique—!"

  "Oh?"

  Garrus’s rage completely consumed him. His pupils shrank, and he let out a roar that shook the entire training ground.

  "Screw the test—I’M KILLING YOU!"

  He lunged.

  "Finally."

  I grinned.

  Time to show him what real power looks like.

  Garrus lunged, his greatsword crackling with mana, aimed straight for my head.

  Alright, let’s end this.

  Just as his massive blade came down, I raised a single finger—

  CLANG!

  The impact stopped instantly. His entire body jerked to a halt as the force of his own attack rebounded against him. His arms shook, his muscles straining, but the sword wouldn’t budge.

  Silence.

  Everyone in the guild was staring.

  I tilted my head, grinning. "I feel like a protagonist right now."

  Garrus, still trying to push his sword down, blinked through his rage. "A what?"

  "Oh, nothing."

  Before he could react, I casually stepped forward and delivered a quick calf kick to his leg.

  CRACK!

  Garrus’s eyes bulged as his leg bent the wrong way.

  He let out a guttural scream before collapsing onto the ground, clutching his broken limb.

  The entire guild went dead silent.

  Yuna dropped the clipboard she was holding. Someone in the crowd let out a low whistle.

  I blinked. "Oh. Uh… I didn’t mean to do that."

  Garrus was rolling on the ground in agony, his greatsword forgotten. "YOU—YOU BROKE MY LEG, YOU BASTARD!!"

  I rubbed the back of my neck. "Technically, you broke it. Your stance was weak. Not my fault your bones can’t handle basic physics."

  More silence.

  Then, from somewhere in the crowd—

  "HOLY SHIT, HE ONE-TAPPED GARRUS!"

  The guild erupted.

  Betting money was exchanged, chairs were thrown, and someone was actually chanting “B-RANK! B-RANK! B-RANK!”

  Yuna buried her face in her hands. "Gods, I need a drink."

  Master Reinhardt just sighed, massaging his forehead. "...Congratulations, Kelvin. Welcome to B-rank."

  I grinned. "Nice."

  Suddenly, I threw my arms wide and screamed at the top of my lungs.

  "LOOK AT ME AND REMEMBER MY FACE! MY NAME IS KELVIN, AND I WILL BE A DIWATA-RANK!!!"

  The entire guild froze. Every single adventurer, receptionist, and even Master Reinhardt just stared at me.

  Somewhere in the back, a cup clattered to the floor.

  Then, from the corner of my eye, I noticed something—my mask. The one I literally bought to keep a low profile. The one that was supposed to hide my identity.

  I blinked.

  "Wait a second… wasn’t my whole point to NOT stand out?"

  I slowly lowered my arms.

  "Hmm," I muttered, rubbing my chin. "I just made a public scene, declared my name to an entire guild of adventurers, and basically announced my future as one of the strongest in the world."

  I nodded to myself.

  "How cool… of me."

  Yuna stared at me in disbelief. "Are you… are you an idiot?"

  Master Reinhardt just sighed. "I’m too old for this."

  The adventurers, though? They went nuts.

  "DIWATA-RANK?!"

  "THIS GUY JUST BROKE A B-RANKER'S LEG AND HE WANTS TO GO HIGHER?!"

  "NO, BUT LIKE—WHO EVEN IS THIS GUY?!"

  A few of them actually cheered, others just shook their heads, and some? They looked at me differently.

  I felt it. I had just made myself a target.

  …Not that I cared.

  I smirked, grabbed my new B-rank tag from Yuna’s desk, and walked out like I hadn’t just done the stupidest thing ever.