Aldoria: Am I a hero...or not?

{{Duskban – On the Way to the Guild}}

Jin and Tristan walked through the bustling streets of Duskban, the fortified city known for its elite adventurers and sprawling trade markets.

The Ironclad Adventurer's Guild loomed ahead, its massive stone structure standing as a testament to the strength of those who sought glory within its halls.

Despite the earlier embarrassment, Tristan had recovered and was now brimming with excitement.

"So!" She grinned, looking up at Jin. "Since we're officially a team now, we should come up with a party name!"

Jin groaned. "We don't need a name."

"Of course we do! Every great adventuring party has one! What if we become legends one day? We need something cool!"

"…No."

Tristan ignored him. "Ooooh! How about 'Blazing Phoenixes?'"

Jin deadpanned. "We're two people, not a flock of birds."

"Fine, fine. What about… 'The Indomitable Duo!'"

"No."

"'The Thunderstorm Twins!'"

"…We're not twins."

Tristan tapped her chin. "Okay, okay. How about 'The Troublemaker's Guild!'"

Jin shot her a glare. "Do you want to get banned from the actual guild?"

Tristan giggled. "Alright, Mr. Party Leader, what do you suggest?"

Jin exhaled. If they were going to do this, they needed something that didn't make them sound ridiculous.

"How about… 'Blue Moon'?" he finally said.

Tristan blinked. Then gasped. "Ohhh, that's actually really good!" She patted him on the back. "Nice job, Party Leader~"

Jin instantly regretted his decision.

{{Duskban – Ironclad Adventurer's Guild}}

The Ironclad Adventurer's Guild was packed with warriors, mages, and mercenaries, all gathered to take on various quests.

The wooden counter stretched across the hall, where guild clerks processed requests and assigned missions.

As Jin and Tristan approached the front desk, a seasoned guild clerk, Marcus, glanced up from his paperwork.

His sharp eyes immediately landed on Jin's chest, where his Platinum Medallion gleamed under the lantern light.

Marcus raised an eyebrow. "Huh. Back already? Did you finish that high-ranked request?"

Jin shook his head. "No, I'm here for something else."

Marcus sighed, rubbing his temples. "Don't tell me…"

His gaze flickered to Tristan, whose Silver Medallion hung loosely from her neck. His expression turned skeptical.

"You're not seriously forming a party with her, are you?"

Tristan puffed out her cheeks. "Hey! What's that supposed to mean?"

Marcus folded his arms. "Jin, you're a Platinum-ranked adventurer. She's Silver-ranked. If you form a party, you won't be able to take the same high-difficulty quests as before."

Jin frowned. "What's the quest restriction?"

Marcus sighed and reached under the counter, pulling out a guild ranking chart. He tapped his finger against it.

Guild Medallion Ranks & Quest Eligibility:

Copper Medallion (Rank F - E Quests) – Basic gathering, pest extermination, and low-tier monster hunts.

Bronze Medallion (Rank E - D Quests) – Stronger monsters and small-scale escort missions.

Silver Medallion (Rank D - C Quests) – Capable of handling goblin hordes, low-tier beast packs, and solo missions.

Gold Medallion (Rank C - B Quests) – More dangerous missions, orc hunts, high-value escorts.

Platinum Medallion (Rank A - Lower Rank S Quests) – Capable of fighting elite monsters, large-scale threats, and high-risk assignments.

Mithril Medallion (Rank S - SS Quests) – Reserved for elite adventurers who can handle disasters and region-threatening monsters.

Adamantite Medallion (Rank SS - SSS Quests) – Legendary warriors who stand at the pinnacle of adventuring.

Marcus tapped the Platinum Medallion symbol. "Normally, you can take Rank A to lower Rank S quests, but because your party is now mixed with a Silver adventurer, the system automatically lowers your available quest range."

His finger slid down the chart to Gold Rank. "You're now restricted to Rank C to B quests."

Tristan's face fell. "Oh…"

She turned to Jin, guilt flickering in her eyes. "I'm sorry. I'll train harder, I swear. I don't want to hold you back."

Jin sighed. "It's fine. You just need experience."

Marcus studied him for a moment before smirking. "Heh. Well, this is unexpected. I never thought I'd see The Platinum Medallion Jin actually forming a party."

Tristan grinned. "Oh, don't worry! I'll make sure he doesn't regret it!"

Jin had a bad feeling about that.

Marcus chuckled and stamped the paperwork. "Alright, Party 'Blue Moon' is officially registered. Try not to die."

Jin sighed. "No promises."

{{Forest}}

The duo set out into the Western Forest, taking on a Gold-ranked monster extermination request, eliminating Vampire Wolves, vicious nocturnal beasts known for their speed and cunning.

Jin activated his bladeless sword, his Light Red Aura forming a glowing blade. "We'll take them out quickly. Stick close and watch my back."

Tristan smirked. "Got it, Boss."

The first Vampire Wolf lunged from the shadows of the towering trees, but Jin's aura-forged blade flashed, cutting it down in one precise movement.

Tristan conjured fire runes, incinerating another beast mid-air. "Ha! Take that!"

The battle raged on, their teamwork gradually improving. By the time the last wolf fell, Tristan wiped sweat from her brow, grinning.

"That was awesome! We make a great team!"

Jin exhaled, sheathing his bladeless sword, the aura dissipating. "Let's gather proof for the guild."

Tristan suddenly gave him a mischievous look.

"…What?" Jin asked warily.

She pointed at the corpses. "Alright, how do we claim the rewards?"

Jin paused. "…No idea."

Tristan blinked. Then started laughing.

"You're joking, right?!" she cackled, clutching her sides. "You—you're a platinum medallion adventurer, and you don't know how to turn in monster kills?!"

Jin's eye twitched. "I usually don't fight monsters for rewards."

Tristan wheezed. "Oh, this is golden!"

Jin crossed his arms. "Just tell me what we need to do."

Tristan wiped away a tear. "Alright, alright, Mr. 'Platinum Adventurer Who Doesn't Know How Quests Work.'"

She crouched down and sliced off one of the Vampire Wolf's ears. "We take proof, like ears or fangs, and turn them in for rewards."

Jin sighed. "Fine. Let's get this over with."

As they gathered the remains, Tristan continued snickering. "This is going in the party records, by the way."

Jin groaned. "You're the worst."

Tristan beamed. "And you're stuck with me now, Party Leader~."

Jin was starting to regret everything.

Again.

{{Elsewhere in the Forest}}

While Jin and Tristan were collecting proof of their hunt, deep within the forest's shadows, a lone figure stood beneath the trees.

A towering man with a massive greatsword strapped to his back watched them from a distance. His sharp eyes gleamed with recognition as he spotted Tristan.

He exhaled.

"…So," he muttered, gripping the hilt of his blade. "She's here."

The wind howled through the trees, carrying his ominous words into the night.