The Mercenary Guild, Magic Guild, and Battle Guild were three of the major organizations on the Reno Continent.

These massive groups had branches in every major city.

But their headquarters were all located in the Imperial Capital.

After all, this was the heart of the Reno Continent.

At the reception desk of the Mercenary Guild’s headquarters, a silver-haired boy stared intently at a row of image crystals displayed on the counter.

His small, youthful hands brushed over the crystals one by one.

Images flickered into view, then vanished.

Lord Sima Luan Tong was growing impatient.

"Old man! Didn’t you say that kind of task appeared again? Where is it!"

"Hmm?"

Apsen grunted, his fist-sized pupils scanning the crystals.

"Seems like this one~"

Apsen slowly reached out his arm. Ryosuke instantly slapped it down. Apsen winced but pulled back, his face unreadable.

"Don’t touch anything! What if you break it? This great one doesn’t carry much money!"

Ryosuke grumbled like an old man. The receptionist could only force an awkward smile.

Ryosuke bent down carefully. Too far away and too short, he couldn’t reach the crystal.

The receptionist smiled slightly and handed it to him.

Ryosuke snatched it. She offered a gentle smile.

*She’s not bad~*

With an appreciative glance, Ryosuke’s eyes darted away. He swiped his finger across the glowing runes on the crystal. An image burst forth—

A lavishly dressed noblewoman appeared, tears streaming down her face.

"I beg you! Whoever sees this, please save my daughter! I am Koruru Kampel of the Kampel nobles. My daughter was poisoned by an Emerald Dragon’s breath in the Poison Fog Swamp. If we don’t get a dragon’s crystal within a month, my daughter…"

Her voice broke into sobs. The image shifted to a girl lying in bed.

Her skin was deathly pale, lips bloodless. She looked like she wouldn’t last much longer.

"In short!" The noblewoman reappeared. "Bring me the Emerald Dragon’s crystal! Save my daughter! I, Koruru Kampel, will repay you with anything!"

The image faded.

This request had sat on the counter for a week. Not ignored—just too risky. The reward was vague.

The Kampel nobles were influential in the Imperial Capital, with many clan branches. Who knew if Koruru was from the main line or a side branch? If side, it might all be for nothing…

As the image played, the receptionist turned to other mercenaries and adventurers. Anyway…

The result was always the same.

No one would take this quest.

The value didn’t match. Or couldn’t be matched.

But… the receptionist soon regretted that thought.

"I’ll take this task! Hahaha!"

The silver-haired boy laughed wildly, punching the air. His eyes burned as he gripped the unassuming crystal.

Lord Sima Luan Tong’s outburst drew stares.

Someone seemed to recognize the odd pair.

"Huh? That old man and kid look familiar."

"Familiar? More like infamous. Remember that quest for the Azure Wind Wolf King’s fang in Ash Forest? They took it."

"No way. The wolf king rules Ash Forest, protected by Kempfa. You can’t get its fang without hurting it."

"Who knows? They only take ‘simple’ quests tied to high-level monsters!"

"Seriously? If they pull those off, they must be high-level Adventurers!"

"Maybe even Abyss-level."

"Didn’t a new Abyss Adventurer just rise? Could it be them?"

"Doubt it. The Guild keeps Abyss Adventurer files secret—even the king can’t access them. How would we know?"

"True… But an Abyss Adventurer wouldn’t stroll around like this…"

"Good point…"

"Hey! Miss! Stop daydreaming! Hand over the contract crystal! This great one’s in a hurry!"

Lord Sima Luan Tong acted like second nature. The receptionist glanced deeply at the unmoving Apsen beside him. She took out a matching crystal—its runes inverted.

These crystals only did one thing: auto-match.

They’d fuse with their opposite-rune counterpart to form a new crystal.

"You’re sure about this quest?"

"Problem?"

If not for her earlier politeness, Ryosuke would’ve snapped, "None of your damn business."

"N-no~"

She dragged out the word. Ryosuke ignored her, pressing the two crystals together. Their runes touched. Soft blue light swirled around them.

Slowly, they merged into one.

Ryosuke stuffed it excitedly into his pocket.

"Will you register anonymously or by name?"

The receptionist asked politely. Ryosuke smirked mysteriously, making her feel uneasy.

"Is that even a question?"

*Of course by name. Anyone taking such a hard quest wants fame—especially a kid.*

She sighed, pulling out a tablet crystal.

Quest details were pre-loaded. Just swipe an ID card to log it.

"Please present your—"

"Anonymous."

Ryosuke’s lips curled up, cutting her off.

Her mind went blank. Stunned.

Ryosuke pulled out an ID card. The front showed Apsen’s face beside seven golden stars.

Ryosuke chuckled bitterly, swiping the back against the tablet.

"Let’s go, old man~"

"Alright~"

The pair walked out under the receptionist’s dazed stare.

Centuries later, when bards sang of the Iceflower Evil God Dragon’s legend, one line endured:

*When you think you know the evil god, you’ll realize you’ve only seen the tip of the iceberg…*

Suddenly, a clerk who’d fainted earlier materialized at the counter. His haggard face loomed before the receptionist.

"Ah!"

Thanks to him, she snapped back to reality.

"Shh!" The clerk made a silencing gesture, leaning in conspiratorially.

"Alert the Guildmaster—Abyss Adventurer! Here!"

"Ah!" She covered her mouth. "Where?"

"That old man and kid!"

"Ah! The kid too?!"

"Hah~" The clerk sneered. "Just some noble brat. The big old man beside him—that’s the real Abyss Adventurer!"

"Really…"

Doubtful, she turned to the back room. At a specific spot, she activated a comm-crystal. Her fingers traced its runes. An image appeared.

"Whoa! Kozi! You get more gorgeous every time I see you!"

The old man on-screen leered. Ryosuke would’ve been shocked—it was Bolong, Kempfa’s admissions director!

Five seconds later, Kozi slammed the back room door shut, activating a soundproof crystal.

A bloodcurdling scream erupted:

"What?! Abyss Adventurer?! Why didn’t you stop him?! Useless idiots! Gah! This old man’s furious!"

"…………"

"What?! You said he’s with a silver-haired boy? Handsome face? And he calls himself ‘this great one’?!"

The old man on-screen fell silent.

"Hmm… This calls for a proper investigation… Heh heh~"

Bolong chuckled lewdly, lost in thought.

Kozi shuddered. Abyss Adventurer files were sealed—even kings couldn’t pry. Let alone a Guildmaster… or her.

But then she remembered the image crystal. A sweet, hopeful smile spread across her face.

"Neruru’s illness… there’s hope now…"

Hands clasped in prayer at her chest, she whispered:

"Holy Dragon Lord Iceflower… please keep Neruru safe. Guide the Abyss Adventurer to succeed…"