The Adventurer's Guild was louder than Grey expected.
Steel clanged. Laughter burst from one corner. A man with a bandaged arm argued with a clerk over reward discrepancies.
Above the main counter hung a massive crystal panel displaying names and ranks.
Lyra walked straight to registration.
Grey followed, quietly appraising people.
Levels ranged from 3 to 18.
One stood out.
Veteran Adventurer – Lv. 22Emotion: Watchful
That felt… distant. Powerful.
A clerk pushed forward a metal plate.
"Place your hand."
Grey hesitated.
Lyra nodded once.
He pressed his palm against it.
The plate warmed.
[Guild Registration Complete.]Rank: FAccess: Beginner Quests
The clerk slid over a small bronze tag.
"Lose it and you pay triple."
"Noted."
Lyra didn't register.
"I already am," she said simply.
The clerk didn't argue.
Grey noticed something then.
No tag.
No visible rank.
Strange.
They found a table near the side.
"Listen carefully," Lyra said. "This world operates on five foundational laws."
Grey leaned in.
"Every child learns them. Outsiders die because they don't."
He swallowed.
"Okay."
The Five Laws of Elarion
1. Power Reveals Itself.You cannot completely hide strength. Suppression skills exist, but high perception or artifacts can pierce them.
2. Skills Define Identity.Your abilities shape your societal role. Healers heal. Smiths smith. Combatants fight. Deviating from your growth path is difficult but possible.
3. Mana Obeys Structure.Spells and abilities require frameworks. Raw mana without control causes backlash.
4. Killing Transfers Potential.Experience is gained primarily through lethal conflict or extreme growth moments.
5. The World Watches.High-tier evolutions attract attention. From kingdoms. From ancient beings.
Grey stared at her.
"That last one doesn't sound like a children's lesson."
"It's not."
He glanced at his status.
Level 3.
Ten stat points still unassigned.
"What about races?"
Lyra leaned back slightly.
"Humans are adaptable. Faster skill acquisition."
"Elves?"
"High mana affinity. Longer lifespans. Slower leveling early."
"Dwarves?"
"Crafting bonuses. High endurance. Poor mana sensitivity."
"Orcs?"
"Natural strength. Growth through combat."
Grey nodded slowly.
"So humans are… balanced?"
"Yes."
"That's boring."
"It's survivable."
He finally assigned his points.
Three to Agility.
Two to Perception.
Three to Intelligence.
Two to Endurance.
His body sharpened again.
The world felt clearer.
A notification appeared.
[Perception has reached 10.][Skill Unlocked: Micro-Analysis Lv. 1]Allows detection of minute physical cues in targets.
Lyra watched him carefully.
"You leveled Perception."
"Yeah."
"Smart."
Her emotional state flickered.
Approval.
A board of quests caught his eye.
Slime Clearing – 5 copper per core
Herb Collection – 8 copper bundle
Escort Request – 2 silver
Grey frowned.
"What's the currency?"
"100 copper = 1 silver. 100 silver = 1 gold."
He mentally calculated.
"Starting small."
"Yes."
She stood.
"We'll take slimes."
As they approached the counter, a man stepped into their path.
Tall. Scar across his cheek.
Level 9.
Emotion: Contempt.
"New blood?" he said.
Grey kept his voice steady. "Looks that way."
The man smirked at Lyra.
"You're wasting time babysitting."
Lyra didn't respond.
Grey triggered Micro-Analysis.
The man's stance favored his right leg.
Old injury.
Grip tension indicated aggression but caution.
He wasn't stupid.
Grey smiled slightly.
"We'll stay out of your way."
The man snorted and stepped aside.
Lyra glanced at Grey once they were outside.
"You read him."
"Little bit."
She nodded once.
"Good. Information wins more fights than strength."
They left through the southern gate toward the slime fields.
Grey checked his skills again.
Luck Alignment.
Appraisal.
Emotional Insight.
Micro-Analysis.
Not flashy.
But layered.
He liked that.
As they reached the marshland, gelatinous shapes bounced lazily in shallow water.
Green Slime – Lv. 2
Grey exhaled.
"Okay. This I can handle."
Lyra stepped back.
"I won't interfere unless necessary."
"Comforting."
He picked up a fallen branch.
Not ideal.
But workable.
He charged.
The slime lunged.
He dodged clumsily—
And slipped.
Straight into another slime.
"Of course."
Acid sizzled against his sleeve.
Pain flared.
He swung wildly—
And hit a rock.
The rock bounced off the slime—
And struck a second slime mid-jump.
The two collided.
Compressed.
And exploded.
[Green Slime Defeated x2][Level Up!]
Grey lay in the mud.
Lyra stared.
Emotion: Surprise.
He slowly lifted his head.
"…Luck Alignment?"
She walked over, studying the two dissolved cores.
"That shouldn't have worked."
He grinned weakly.
"I'm starting to like this stat."
Far above them, clouds gathered.
Just slightly.
And somewhere, something began adjusting calculations.
Because probability had shifted.