The morning sun crept lazily over the rooftops of Orvelia City, casting warm stripes across my tiny apartment. I blinked at the ceiling, wishing for just five more minutes of sleep… and maybe a few more coins in my wallet. My coin pouch, however, was as empty as ever.
Mira was already up, pacing and sharpening her daggers with an almost alarming level of focus. "Kai, seriously. You're just sitting there like a sack of bread," she said, not looking up.
"Thanks for the encouragement," I muttered, dragging myself out of bed. My Limit Breaker tingled faintly, the magical energy reminding me that, yes, today would be anything but ordinary.
Tessa, meanwhile, was juggling tiny fire orbs above her head while singing a tune I didn't recognize. "Morning, Kai! You're awake! Time for adventure!" she chirped. One of the orbs bounced off the wall and singed a corner of the kitchen table.
I sighed. "Great. Another normal morning."
Before I could protest further, the system pinged.
[Quest Update: Hero Candidate Task #2 – Mid-Level Assignment Available.]
I groaned. Another debt-fueled assignment. The guild wasn't known for giving breaks, especially when it came to tracking Limit Breaker growth.
Just then, a flash of movement outside caught my attention. Something small and cloaked darted across the rooftops, carrying a glowing parchment. My curiosity outweighed my caution—briefly.
[Notice: Minor quest-related informant nearby.]
I opened the window just as the figure leapt gracefully onto the fire escape. She was small, wiry, with silvery hair catching the morning light. Her grin was mischievous—unsettlingly so—and her eyes sparkled with amusement.
"You must be Kai," she said, handing me the parchment with a flourish. "Information for your next assignment. Don't lose it."
"Uh… thanks?" I said, blinking.
Before I could ask her name, she twirled and vanished, as if she had never been there. Something about her—her grin, the lightness in her step—felt strangely familiar, like a memory I couldn't place. My Limit Breaker pulsed faintly in response, instinctive, alert.
[System Notification: Quest Details Loaded — Complete the mid-level guild assignment and report back. Reward: 500 G, Limit Breaker growth.]
I groaned, feeling the weight of another impossible-to-ignore task. At least the reward wasn't terrible. I glanced at my companions: Mira's grin suggested she was ready for combat, and Tessa looked far too excited to be dangerous—but then again, she was dangerous.
"Looks like we're off again," Mira said, swinging her daggers lazily.
"Just my luck," I muttered.
I unfolded the parchment. It was a map of Orvelia's outskirts, marked with "monster disturbances." A group of lesser goblins had been troubling villagers. Not life-threatening, but tricky enough to make it a mid-level assignment.
"Goblins?" Tessa said, tossing a fireball in the air. "Sounds easy!"
"Famous last words," Mira replied, rolling her eyes.
"Yeah…" I muttered, rubbing my temples. "Last time I said that, I ended up chased by a slime that could spell my death in six different ways."
Packing our gear took longer than expected. Tessa insisted on bringing every single spell component she owned, which included a small pouch of glitter that, according to her, could "summon the glitter of past heroes" or something equally ridiculous. Mira, ever practical, carried only weapons, potions, and a small journal. I brought my coin pouch, a single loaf of bread, and my Limit Breaker-infused gloves.
As we left the apartment, I caught sight of a baker's cat sprawled in the sun. "Morning, sir," I muttered. The cat looked unimpressed. I was starting to suspect that in Orvelia, even cats judged adventurers harshly.
The streets were bustling. Vendors shouted deals for fresh bread, vegetables, and questionable magical trinkets. A boy tripped over his own shoelaces, scattering apples in every direction. Tessa giggled and tossed a small fireball at one—careful to avoid anyone, of course—and Mira muttered something about "reckless chaos" under her breath.
Passing a fountain, I noticed a shimmer in the water. For a split second, it looked like a shadow of a figure I didn't recognize. My Limit Breaker tingled faintly, and I shook my head. Probably nothing, I told myself, though the déjà vu lingered.
We finally reached the outskirts: tall grass swaying, a few scattered huts, and the unmistakable sound of chaos. A trio of goblins was rifling through a vegetable cart, clearly proud of their "loot."
[System Notification: Enemy detected — 3 Goblin Thieves. Suggested tactics: Use Limit Breaker abilities wisely.]
I felt the familiar surge of energy. My past-life instincts—or sheer dumb luck—told me how to approach.
I vaulted over a crate, swiping the nearest goblin with a quick burst of energy. The other two spun around, startled.
"Nice one, Kai!" Mira cheered, twirling her daggers.
"Focus!" I yelled, dodging a flying cabbage.
Tessa, ever dramatic, laughed maniacally, tossing tiny fireballs that set a cart ablaze (fortunately, the goblins panicked more than the flames did any real harm).
[System Notification: Limit Breaker Growth +10.]
We chased the last goblin into a field of tall grass. It disappeared for a moment, and I could swear I felt a strange pull, like a memory tugging at the edge of my mind—an echo of some forgotten past life.
"Where'd it go?" Mira muttered.
"Right behind us!" Tessa shouted. She launched another fireball, which landed perfectly on a pile of stolen vegetables, making the goblin yelp and surrender.
Victory, chaotic as always, was ours.
The villagers peeked out from their homes, wide-eyed.
"Thank you! Our vegetables!" one woman exclaimed, hands trembling.
Tessa bowed dramatically. "All in a day's work, ma'am."
Mira smirked. "Some of us had to actually fight."
I wiped my brow, breathing heavily. "And that, ladies and gentlemen, is why being superpowered but broke is exhausting."
The villagers gave hesitant smiles and small gifts: a loaf of bread, a jar of honey, and one very confused chicken.
As we walked back toward the city, I couldn't shake the memory of the mysterious silver-haired messenger. Something about her felt important, though I couldn't quite place why. My Limit Breaker pulsed faintly, a reminder that today was only the beginning.
I glanced at Mira and Tessa. "Get ready. I have a feeling the next part of this day is going to be… complicated."
Mira grinned. "You say that every day, and I'm still surprised."
Tessa twirled a fireball above her finger. "Complicated is fun!"
I sighed. "I'm starting to suspect my past life was better at handling complicated than I am."
And somehow, I had a feeling the mysterious messenger—Lyra—would play a bigger role in the chaos to come.