Laila shook Hansen awake with a sharp kick to his side. "Hey, idiot! Wake up!" she snapped.
Hansen groaned, eyes fluttering open, disoriented. "What happened? Who attacked me?"
Laila's face was pale with panic. "We're screwed, Hansen. That brat we attacked—he's from one of the Ten Clans."
"The Ten Clans? Who are they?"
"You stupid oaf!" she hissed. "The Ten Clans rule the damn world! No one dares to touch them. And this one—he's from the Mythical Lion Clan!"
Laila threw the boy's bag to the ground. "We have to run. Leave everything. Let's go!"
Without another word, they vanished into the woods, disappearing into the shadows of the towering trees.
Near the boy's unconscious body, two girls stood quietly. The brown-haired one, Emily, looked worried. "What should we do, Sarah?"
The black-haired girl knelt beside him. "Let's wake him up first."
The boy slowly stirred. William Roarhart—the eldest son of the Mythical Lion Clan's main family—had been pampered since birth. His father and grandfather adored him. He had already reached the third circle of the Earth Element thanks to daily doses of rare elixirs. But he had never seen real combat, never hunted or fought outside the comfort of his home. If his family had known he was here, elite Grandmaster-ranked guards would have been stationed at his side.
William blinked a few times, then sat up groggily. His eyes fell on the two girls, and his face lit up with a smug grin.
"You there—who dared attack me? Do you know who I am?!" he shouted, chest puffed. "You bastards! You dare strike *William Roarhart*?! Show yourselves!"
Emily gently intervened. "Young master, they ran away the moment they heard your name. They didn't even take anything."
William chuckled smugly. "As expected. If I see them again, I'll make them regret it. That girl… Laila, was it? She was quite beautiful." He glanced around. "Where'd she go?"
The girls exchanged an eye roll. Typical William.
Sarah cleared her throat. "We're here to train, remember? Let's go to the Hunter Guild and take a mission."
William straightened. "Ahem. Yes, of course. Let's go."
The trio made their way through the bustling streets of the city. The midday sun bathed the stone roads in a soft glow. Merchants called out from stalls, and the scent of grilled meat and spices filled the air.
They entered the Hunter Guild, a grand stone building with banners hanging from its high ceilings. William strutted to the front desk, tossing his badge on the counter. The receptionist, a curvy blonde woman in her twenties, glanced at it—and froze. Her eyes widened, and she immediately bowed ninety degrees.
"Hello, young master. How can I help you?"
William smirked. "I want to register as a hunter."
The receptionist hurried off and returned with a dark-colored ranking globe. She placed it carefully on the desk. "Please place your hand here, sir."
As soon as William touched it, the globe lit up with three brown lights. The receptionist, no longer surprised, smiled politely. "Congratulations, sir. You're a D-rank hunter. I'll complete your registration now."
She took a D-rank badge from the drawer. "Name?"
"William Roarhart," he said, with pride and arrogance.
The receptionist flinched inwardly. *A Mythical Lion Clan heir? What's someone like him doing here?* She quickly logged the name, handed him the badge, and said, "Please inject your elemental power into the badge to complete registration. You may now accept missions from any branch in the world."
"Wait," William said. "My friends would like to register as well."
Emily and Sarah stepped up and were quickly assessed. Emily had water affinity at the first circle. Sarah wielded wind, also at the first circle. They were given E-rank badges.
Before they turned to leave, the receptionist added, "If you're heading into dangerous zones, I recommend adding a wood-elemental user. They're rare, but essential for healing."
Once they stepped outside into the warm afternoon light, Aisha the receptionist sighed with relief and wiped the sweat from her brow.
Back at the inn, Alex stepped into the lobby for lunch. The sun lit the dining hall through tall windows, and the clatter of dishes and soft chatter filled the room. He found a quiet table near the window and began eating the steak he had ordered—rare, seasoned perfectly—and drank a glass of fresh milk.
He was mid-bite when the trio approached.
"Hey," William said, puffing his chest. "Thanks for saving me back there. Emily and Sarah said you helped. Not that I needed it, but… thanks anyway."
Alex slowly set down his knife. His sharp blue eyes met William's golden ones with a calm, unreadable expression. "I was only retrieving what they stole from me."
William's smug face twitched at the lack of respect.
Sarah, sensing tension, stepped in. "We heard you're a wood-elemental… and you don't have a party?"
Alex looked at her. "Yes. What's it to you?"
"We need a wood-elemental for our mission into the Green Zone Forest," she said. "Would you be willing to join us?"
Alex paused, thinking. "I can join. But I'm only a beginner and E-rank."
"That's fine!" Sarah said quickly, her tone eager.
"Alright," Alex nodded.
"Meet us at the city gate tomorrow at sunrise," Sarah added before dragging Emily and William out.
As they walked down the cobbled road, William grumbled. "What was that, Sarah? Why invite that rude bumpkin?"
Sarah sighed. "Wood-elementals are rare. Most don't join field missions—they work in hospitals. We've wasted three days trying to find one. We don't have time to waste. The academy only gave us ten days for this mission. If we don't complete it, we'll be punished."
William clenched his jaw. "Still..."
Sarah gave him a sly smile. "We'll use him, then teach him a lesson after the mission's done."
William laughed. "You really are clever, Sarah.