heir of the cursed blood

The carriage creaked through a narrow forest trail, wheels crunching over dried leaves and gravel. Kael sat across from Eorun, his body sore but mind sharpened after his first taste of Aura. Outside, the distant chirping of birds clashed with the occasional groan of rusted signposts — the village they were approaching had seen better days.

"Why are we visiting a village?" Kael asked.

"Because you want to be strong," Eorun replied calmly. "And strength doesn't come from training alone. You need to see death. You need to face monsters — real ones."

The carriage came to a stop.

The air changed.

A Village Touched by Blood

The village was small — broken fences, charred rooftops, and trails of dried blood leading into the woods. A young boy ran past with tears in his eyes, followed by a healer bandaging a wounded farmer.

Kael stepped out, frowning. "This wasn't just a raid."

"No," Eorun said. "Orcs. Maybe worse. They passed through here two nights ago."

They walked to the local guild branch — a wooden structure more like a tavern than an official office. Inside, low-ranked adventurers gathered, murmuring about rumors and failed scouting missions.

Kael glanced around. None of them looked particularly strong.

A group of four sat at a corner table — rough leather armor, chipped weapons, half-full mugs.

"That's your team," Eorun said, nodding toward them.

"Wait—what?" Kael blinked. "I haven't even joined the guild yet."

Eorun walked up to the front desk, slamming down a black card made of enchanted crystal.

The clerk, a bored man with thick glasses, sighed. "Sorry, we can't let unregistered—"He stopped. His eyes widened.

"This is… an A-rank Adventurer card?!"

Everyone in the room turned.

Eorun spoke quietly but firmly. "The boy is under my watch. Assign him the basic orc elimination quest. He'll join Team Fenril for field assessment."

The clerk nodded immediately. "R-right. Yes. One moment."

Kael raised an eyebrow. "You had that card this whole time?"

"I didn't need it. You did."

First Blood in the Field

The party moved through the eastern woods under gray clouds. The team leader — a tall guy with a scar across his jaw — grunted.

"Just stick behind us, rookie. Don't do anything stupid."

Kael didn't answer. His hands were already wrapped tight around the grip of his training blade.

It didn't take long. The orc stepped out of the bushes, green skin pulsing with muscle, its crooked tusks dripping with spittle. It roared and charged.

The others prepared to engage — but Kael didn't wait.

He dashed forward.

The moment the orc raised its club, Kael shifted his footing and twisted his hips — the blade glowed faintly magenta as it cleaved through the orc's chest in one clean arc.

Blood sprayed. The beast dropped.

Silence.

"...You're E-rank?" one of the adventurers mumbled, eyes wide.

Kael wiped the blade and didn't respond.

Return to the Guild

Back at the guild, Kael placed the bag of loot on the counter — two tusks, an orc core, and its broken club.

The clerk stared, then quickly recorded the report.

"Well… congratulations, Kael. That's your first official quest. Welcome to the Guild. You're now a registered E-rank Adventurer."

Kael pocketed the token given to him, a thin metal plate stamped with a single star.

"One quest down," he murmured.

Eorun nodded from the corner, arms crossed.

"Don't get cocky. One dead orc doesn't make you a hero."

Kael turned to him.

"It doesn't. But it makes me real."