Tyler stared at the Trihorn and the other Hexhorns resting amidst the Vital Flowers. "Trihorn?" he muttered, taking a hesitant step backward. *It's a boss monster, isn't it? And it already noticed me,* he thought.The Trihorn let out a deafening shriek, its sound echoing through the clearing. The other Hexhorns stirred, rising to their feet. *Shit,* Tyler muttered. *Just when I thought this couldn't get worse, now they all noticed me. They're probably going to attack all at once.*An idea sparked in his mind. He looked down at Rebecca. "Hey, wake up," he said.Rebecca groaned, her eyes slowly opening to the sight of the numerous Hexhorns and the Trihorn. "What is going on?" she whispered, her voice weak and strained."This is probably going to be painful," Tyler said. "I just want to say sorry in advance."Fear flickered in Rebecca's eyes. Then, a flurry of system messages appeared before Tyler:Level 52 Hexhorn has activated skill: Charge.Level 62 Hexhorn has activated skill: Charge

Tyler exited the hallway, returning to the innkeeper to bypass them and head to his own room. Upstairs, he entered, sat on the bed, and began to think. "I really need to craft all the materials in my recipes," he mused, "otherwise they're just going to pile up. I need to buy a barrel and fill it with water, then put it in my inventory. That way I won't have to worry about finding water for potions. If I'd had that barrel with me, I could have helped Rebecca when she was hurt. I wouldn't have had to run all the way to the river to fill those vials. Right after I deliver the trihorn hide to the tent, I'm going to have to repay Grone. I think I'll have enough money by then. And I'm going to have to check in with Hector's shop—see if they've sold the shield, and, well, see if Emily's doing okay. She must be fine by now. I hope she doesn't do anything… wrong. That might piss off Hector, or he might fire her." He paused, considering. "I don't even know people's preferences in this world. We

Tyler looked at the woman, a slight frown tugging at the corners of his mouth. The swift change in her demeanor from helpful to sales-pitch was jarring. *Well, that was a quick change. What is this, customer service?* he mused. Aloud, he said, "What kind of barrels do you have?"The woman beamed, her smile wide and practiced. "Well, as you've seen before, we have all kinds of sizes. Which one are you interested in? Small, medium, or large?""How much is the biggest one you have?" Tyler asked, his tone neutral."Right," the woman said, her smile unwavering. "The largest barrel costs fifteen gold, but I can let you have it for fourteen. How about that?"Tyler raised an eyebrow. *This is a knockoff. How can a barrel cost fifteen gold? It's a freaking barrel.* He said, "You know what, is there anywhere else around here that sells barrels?"The woman's smile faltered, replaced by a look of clear disappointment. Her shoulders slumped slightly. "No," she said, her voice losing some of its ea

Tyler stood before the Guildhall, its imposing structure dwarfing him. To his left, a road led to a smaller building, though still substantial. *That must be the church,* he thought.He took the road, heading toward the church. Several women and children, dressed in white, approached from the opposite direction. The three women chatted happily, while four children, in ordinary clothes, walked ahead. Tyler observed them casually as they passed, noting the lack of attention paid to him beyond a fleeting glance. *They must be coming from the church…* he mused.Reaching the church, Tyler found the building strangely familiar, reminiscent of churches in his old world. It was a small hall, with benches lining either side and a red carpet running down the center. The double wooden doors stood open wide. Inside, he saw a woman kneeling before another, her palms pressed together in prayer. The woman facing her had long golden hair and wore a white robe. Centered on the robe were five concentri

Tyler and Alec's eyes met. Ian, seeing Tyler, thought, *Oh damn! That's the hunter we're looking for. His face... he looks so similar to the drawing. Well... not exactly the same, but he fits the closest description.* Both Alec and Ian noticed Tyler's black C-rank pendant, confirming his rank and specialization as an assassin.Tyler continued towards Serena, resting his right hand on the counter and leaning close. "What is it? Why are you calling me?" he asked.Serena whispered urgently, "Are you serious? They're here. Can't you see them? They're Black Cloud Guild members. They're the ones who were looking for you before.""Yeah, I saw that," Tyler said, seemingly unconcerned. "I actually thought you found a better quest for me."Serena shook her head, surprised and confused by his nonchalant reaction. "You're crazy," she whispered.The Black Cloud Guild members approached Serena as Tyler moved towards Rebecca, passing Ian and Alec w