Chapter 40: E Tier

Chapter 40: Chapter 40: E Tier

"Excellence is not a skill. It is an attitude." — Ralph Marston

The winter chill was still biting, but inside the Adventurers’ Guild, the air was thick with the smell of roasted meat, cheap ale, and the boisterous noise of dozens of adventurers.

Laughter and arguments filled the hall. A group of mercenaries crowded around one of the long tables, loudly recounting a hunt that had apparently gone far better than expected. Near the fireplace, a few exhausted adventurers ate in silence, their weapons and armor piled beside them.

Riven stood near the edge of the bounty board, his black cloak pulled tightly around his shoulders.

He had spent the morning finishing his usual chores for Aiden. The work had been tiring, but it was nothing compared to the first few weeks of training. His body had grown accustomed to the routine, and he no longer struggled with every task.

That didn’t mean the work had become easy.

His shoulder still ached occasionally, particularly after lifting the heavier equipment, and the scar across his right palm remained sensitive. However, he had learned to work around both injuries.

More importantly, his movements had changed.

A month ago, he had entered the Guild as a desperate child who barely knew how to hold a sword. He had survived his first fights through luck, desperation, and a willingness to do whatever was necessary.

Now, he stood with his weight balanced evenly over his feet. His shoulders were relaxed, and his eyes moved calmly across the crowded hall.

He no longer felt the need to constantly look over his shoulder.

He was still cautious, but his caution had become deliberate rather than fearful.

Riven glanced down at the plain iron token hanging from his belt.

He had spent the past month gathering herbs, performing odd jobs, and training under Aiden taking a break from dangerous jobs.

He was ready for something more.

Riven turned away from the bounty board and approached the reception counter.

The elven receptionist was busy sorting through a stack of documents. Her blonde hair was braided neatly over one shoulder, and her expression was as professional as ever.

When she noticed him, she paused and offered a small smile.

"Morning, Riven. Back for more moon leaf gathering?"

"No."

She raised an eyebrow.

"I’m looking for an E tier evaluation contract."

Her quill stopped moving.

For a moment, she simply stared at him.

"An evaluation contract?"

Riven nodded.

The receptionist leaned back in her chair and studied him. He was still small, barely tall enough to see over the counter, but something about him was different.

His posture was noticeably better than it had been a month earlier. He stood without fidgeting, and his expression was calm, more so he had done enough jobs to qualify for the evaluation contract.

She remembered the little boy who had first walked into the Guild carrying an oversized sword and wearing clothes that looked as though they had been dragged through the mud.

He had been injured, exhausted, and clearly unfamiliar with the environment.

Now, he looked considerably more composed.

"Have you been training?" she asked.

"Yes."

"With someone?"

"Aiden."

The receptionist gave a small, knowing smile.

She glanced down at her ledger and flipped through a few pages.

"All right. Let’s see what we have."

She ran a finger down the list of available evaluation assignments.

"Most E tier assessments involve a supervised field assignment. We need to make sure you can handle yourself outside the safety of the Guild."

She paused at one particular entry.

"There’s a problem in the eastern drainage tunnels beneath the settlement’s outer wall. Iron fang rats have been nesting there."

Riven listened carefully.

"They’re about the size of large dogs," she continued. "Their hides are tough, and their teeth can break through leather armor. They usually hunt in packs, so you shouldn’t underestimate them."

"How many?"

"We don’t know exactly. The reports suggest a small nest, but the tunnels are difficult to inspect."

She turned the ledger toward herself.

"The standard assessment is to clear the nest and bring back their iron fang incisors. You’ll need to retrieve the proof yourself. If you complete the assignment, you’ll receive your E tier rank."

Riven considered the details.

The tunnels would be narrow, and fighting multiple enemies in a confined space could be dangerous. Still, he had spent the past month learning how to move without losing his balance.

He had also practiced using Shadow Veil while attacking.

This would be a chance to test what he had learned.

"I’ll take it."

The receptionist hesitated.

"Riven, I need to make something clear. This isn’t an ordinary gathering job. The Guild won’t be responsible if you get yourself killed." She remembered how he had returned last time he took a monster extermination job.

"I understand."

She studied him for another moment.

Then she sighed and pulled a contract from the stack.

"Fine. I’ll register you for the assessment."

She stamped the document and handed it across the counter.

"Don’t die, kid. I’d hate to rewrite my ledger."

Riven took the contract.

"I’ll be back."

The eastern drainage tunnels were located beneath the outer wall, where the settlement’s wastewater flowed toward a shallow stream beyond the fields.

A narrow stone entrance sat beside a maintenance building. An iron grate had been pulled aside, leaving a dark opening just large enough for an adult to enter.

Riven arrived shortly after leaving the Guild.

The area was quiet. A few workers passed nearby, but nobody paid much attention to him.

He checked his equipment before descending.

His short sword hung at his side, secured in its worn leather sheath. His spatial storage bag rested beneath his cloak, and he carried a small tallow lantern to illuminate the tunnels.

He had considered bringing a larger lantern, but the narrow passages made it impractical.

After checking the oil, he lit the wick and stepped into the darkness.

The smell hit him almost immediately.

Stagnant water, damp stone, and rotting waste filled the air. The tunnel walls were slick with moisture, and shallow streams of dirty water flowed along the uneven floor.

Riven held the lantern in his left hand and kept his right hand near his sword.

The passage descended gradually before splitting into several smaller tunnels.

He stopped at the first intersection.

There were scratches along the lower portions of the walls. Some were old, but others looked fresh.

Riven crouched and examined them.

The marks were too large to have been made by ordinary rats.

Iron fang rats.

He stood and continued forward.

He had fought creatures similar to these before, though not in such a confined space. The burrow rats in the old quarry had been dangerous because of their numbers, but these were different.

Their hides were tougher, and their teeth were capable of inflicting serious injuries.

A single bite could easily cripple someone who wasn’t wearing proper armor.

Riven didn’t intend to let that happen.

He moved slowly, keeping his steps quiet as he followed the tunnel deeper underground.

After several minutes, he heard something ahead.

A faint scraping.

Then another.

Riven stopped.

He raised the lantern slightly, illuminating the passage ahead.

Three pairs of red eyes stared back at him.

The rats emerged from the darkness one after another.

They were roughly the size of large hounds, with thick, dark gray fur and long, muscular bodies. Their front teeth were unusually large, resembling narrow iron spikes. Drool hung from their mouths as they lowered their heads and began growling.

Riven counted them.

Three.

He adjusted his grip on the sword.

The lead rat suddenly lunged.

Riven moved.

Slide. Pivot.

He stepped to the side, keeping his center of gravity low. The rat’s jaws snapped shut where his leg had been a moment earlier.

He didn’t retreat.

Instead, he turned with the creature’s movement and drew his sword.

A thin layer of dark mana spread across the blade.

Shadow Veil.

The technique formed smoothly, coating the steel in a faint, light absorbing darkness.

Riven stepped forward.

The second rat was already moving toward his flank.

He pivoted, using his hips to turn his body rather than twisting his injured shoulder. His sword followed the movement in a short, controlled thrust.

The blade pierced the creature’s chest.

It let out a brief squeal before collapsing into the shallow water.

Riven immediately withdrew his sword.

The first rat turned toward him again, but it hesitated when it saw its companion fall.

That hesitation gave Riven enough time to reposition himself.

He shifted his feet, keeping the narrow tunnel behind him clear. He didn’t want to become trapped between the rats and the dead creature.

The first rat lunged again.

This time, Riven moved forward.

He stepped off line, allowing the creature to pass beside him, then turned his hips and brought his sword across its neck.

The blade cut through the thick fur and flesh.

The rat collapsed before it could turn around.

The final rat backed away.

Riven watched it carefully.

It was larger than the others, with a long scar running across its snout. Its red eyes remained fixed on him as it slowly retreated.

Then it turned and ran.

Riven didn’t immediately pursue.

He checked his surroundings first, listening for any other movement deeper in the tunnels.

Nothing.

He looked down at the two dead rats.

The fight had been short, but he could already feel the difference between this encounter and his earlier battles.

He hadn’t panicked.

He hadn’t wasted his strength swinging wildly.

He had moved deliberately, keeping his balance and choosing his attacks carefully.

It was exactly what Aiden had been trying to teach him.

Riven glanced at his sword.

The Shadow Veil had remained stable throughout the fight. He had used it for only a few moments, but he hadn’t lost control of it.

He felt a small sense of satisfaction.

Then he remembered why he was there.

There were still more rats to find.

Riven continued deeper into the drainage tunnels.

He encountered another group near a collapsed section of masonry. Two rats were feeding on something in the water, while a third watched from behind a pile of broken stones.

This time, Riven approached more cautiously.

He didn’t want to fight all three at once.

He waited until the nearest rat lowered its head, then stepped forward and struck.

The creature barely had time to react before his sword pierced its side.

The other two immediately turned toward him.

Riven retreated a few steps, drawing them into the narrower section of the passage.

The first rat lunged.

He sidestepped and let it pass, then struck its exposed flank.

The blade cut deep.

The creature stumbled, giving Riven enough time to turn toward the last rat.

It charged with its jaws wide open.

Riven raised his sword, but instead of trying to block the entire creature, he shifted to the side and thrust toward its chest.

The rat’s momentum carried it into the blade.

It collapsed at his feet.

Riven stepped back and examined the tunnel.

No more movement.

He took a moment to catch his breath.

His heart was beating faster now, and the mana in his core had noticeably decreased. He could feel the familiar fatigue beginning to settle into his body.

He didn’t want to waste any more mana than necessary.

There was still the rest of the nest to clear.

He moved deeper into the tunnels, following the tracks and scratches left behind by the rats.

The passage eventually widened into a small underground chamber. Several narrow openings led away from it, and the ground was covered in old bones, scraps of cloth, and bits of rotting wood.

This was their den.

Riven stopped at the entrance.

He could hear movement.

Several sets of claws scraped against the stone.

He raised his lantern.

More red eyes appeared in the darkness.

Riven counted as carefully as he could.

Four.

Possibly five.

He tightened his grip on the sword.

This would be the largest group so far.

He didn’t rush forward.

Instead, he watched the rats and waited for them to move.

The first one charged.

Riven stepped backward, drawing it toward the entrance. The narrow passage would prevent the others from surrounding him.

The rat lunged again.

He pivoted and struck.

The Shadow Veil coated sword cut through its neck, dropping it into the water.

Another rat immediately rushed past the body.

Riven shifted his weight and moved aside. Its teeth snapped against the stone wall, sending a sharp crack through the chamber.

He struck its exposed side.

The rat stumbled, but it didn’t fall.

Riven pulled his sword back and stepped away before it could bite him.

The creature turned.

He waited until it lunged again, then moved to the side and thrust into its chest.

It collapsed.

The remaining rats hesitated.

Riven used the moment to reposition himself, keeping the tunnel entrance behind him.

One of the creatures tried to retreat.

He let it go.

There was no reason to chase it blindly into another passage. He could deal with it later if necessary.

The final two rats attacked together.

Riven focused on his footing.

He stepped backward, then pivoted as the first rat lunged. Its body passed close enough that he could feel the movement of air against his clothes.

He turned and struck.

The blade caught the creature behind the shoulder.

It fell, but the second rat was already approaching.

Riven barely had time to recover.

He raised his sword and shifted his weight, keeping his body low. The rat leaped toward him.

He stepped to the side.

The creature landed beside him, and Riven brought his sword down in a controlled strike.

It stopped moving.

Riven remained still for several seconds, listening for any further movement.

The chamber was quiet.

He lowered his sword.

His breathing was heavier now, and his body felt warm beneath his clothes despite the cold water around his boots.

But he was still standing.

And he hadn’t suffered a single new injury.

It took Riven less than twenty minutes to clear the remaining tunnels.

He checked every passage carefully, making sure there were no more rats hiding in the shadows. By the time he finished, the only sounds were the steady trickle of water and the faint hiss of his lantern.

He crouched beside the nearest carcass.

The Guild required proof of the kills, so he drew a small knife from his storage bag and began removing the iron fang incisors.

The work was unpleasant.

The teeth were firmly attached, and he had to cut through the surrounding tissue to remove them without breaking them.

He remembered the old slave’s lessons about harvesting monster parts.

Back then, he had been working in the quarry, surrounded by dead orcs and the smell of burning flesh.

Now, he was doing something similar for himself.

He continued until he had collected ten intact incisors.

Then he went for the cores.

After cleaning his knife, he placed the teeth inside a small pouch and stored it in his spatial bag.

He then examined the chamber one final time.

The rats had been nesting here for some time. There were signs of repeated activity, but no indication of a larger colony.

The Guild’s estimate had been accurate.

Riven extinguished the lantern and made his way back toward the entrance.

By the time he returned to the Guild, the afternoon crowd had begun to gather.

The hall was as noisy as ever.

Several adventurers were drinking near the fireplace, while others argued over the details of a recently completed contract.

Riven walked through the crowd without paying much attention to them.

His clothes were damp from the drainage tunnels, and his boots left muddy footprints on the floor.

He approached the reception counter.

The elven receptionist looked up from her ledger.

"Back already?"

Riven nodded.

"Finished the evaluation."

She blinked.

"Already?"

He reached into his storage bag and removed the pouch containing the incisors and cores.

When he emptied it onto the counter, the sharp teeth clattered against the wood.

The receptionist stared at them.

Then she began counting.

"One... two... three..."

Riven waited patiently.

She checked each tooth carefully, making sure none had been damaged beyond recognition.

"Ten."

She looked up.

"You cleared the entire nest?"

"Yes."

"How many did you find?"

"Ten."

The receptionist frowned slightly.

She examined him again.

His clothes were damp, but he wasn’t limping. There were no fresh cuts on his face or arms, and he wasn’t breathing heavily.

For someone who had just cleared a nest of iron fang rats alone, he looked remarkably clean.

She opened a drawer and retrieved a small bronze token and a handful of coins.

It was polished and stamped with the Guild’s insignia. Unlike the plain iron tag Riven had carried before, this one bore the mark of an official E tier adventurer.

She placed it on the counter.

"Evaluation passed. Your officially an E tier adventurer.."

Riven picked up the token.

It was heavier than his old provisional tag.

He turned it over in his fingers, examining the engraved insignia.

It wasn’t much.

Just a small piece of metal.

But it represented something he hadn’t possessed when he first arrived in the settlement.

Recognition.

He had entered the Guild with nothing but a stolen sword, a few coins, and the clothes on his back. He had been forced to rely on whatever work he could find just to afford food and a place to sleep.

Now, he had an official rank.

He had earned it himself.

The receptionist watched him slip the token into his pouch.

"Don’t get too excited. E tier is still the bottom of the ladder."

"I know."

"And it doesn’t mean you’re ready to take on anything dangerous."

"I know."

She sighed.

"You’re a difficult child to lecture."

Riven looked at her.

"Then don’t."

For a moment, she stared at him.

Then she laughed.

"Get out of here, E tier. Go tell that old bastard he actually did something right."

Riven turned away from the counter.

As he walked through the hall, he could hear the receptionist returning to her paperwork.

He passed the tables crowded with adventurers, the fireplace, and the bounty board where he had spent so many mornings searching for work.

Everything looked the same.

He stepped outside into the crisp winter afternoon.

The cold air struck his face, and he pulled his cloak tighter around himself.

His hand drifted toward the pouch at his belt.

The bronze token rested inside.

It was only the first step.

He knew that better than anyone.

But for the first time since escaping the slave camp, he felt that he had earned something rather than simply taken it.

And he intended to earn much more.