Vague

Hars, a small city near the borders of Arth, is only slightly larger than most villages, yet boasts a significantly higher population and level of activity than many cities. Its prominence comes from its strategic location at major crossroads, making it a frequently used trading route.

In this city, where every business is war, a tavern stood out amongst it rivals. The residents of Hian called it Angel's lair.

The tavern was moderate, beer and services same as others. What made it stand out in just two years however, was none other than the presence of its gorgeous barmaid.

"Thanks for the tip, please come again" The barmaid, Ciare, appreciated. Her smile radiant, a simple curve of her lips enough to melt even the coldest of hearts.

"S-sure" the patron stuttered, slightly blushing. He continued to glance back at the beauty as he exit the bar.

A choruses of awe and excitement followed by a loud silence filled the room. Alerted Ciare scanned the bar, meeting the gaze of infatuated men.

The patrons, transfixed, could only stare, as if they were in the presence of an angel. A few wore twisted smirks, their thoughts crawling just beneath the surface.

"Pathetic" she thought, watching as the en fawned over her. "They'd squander their entire fortune over a simple smile. Men are just so pathetic."

The creak of the entrance door broke the silence. Attracting the attention of the whole cast. A man in hood walked in, every step echoing through the room. He approached the barmaid and pulled down his hood, freeing his bright red hair from its heat; it was the Red Devil.

"Take me to the boss" he demanded.

Ciare took a glance at him "The boss? who does he think he is?" She assessed him again "He's quite good looking though, but in the end he's just another man, he'll ..."

She was cut in thought by the devil's clear voice, "will you continue staring or answer me? also get rid of that 'smile' it's disgusting."

She was in shock, speechless. Disgusting was the farthest thing that described her.

"Hey" a deep voice from behind caught their attention.

The devil glanced back to find a angry mob, bloodlust clearly exuding from them.

"How dare you talk to our goddess like that" voice filled with fury, a bald huge man approached the devil.

The air grew thick with tension, the floor creaking under the weight of the gathered men. Red Devil's hand hovered near his sword, the cold gleam of the blade already catching the dim light of the tavern. Behind him, the mob stirred, their breaths heavy with fury and the promise of violence.

"That's enough!"

A sharp voice from above disrupted the tension, it was the tavern boss. He looks around fifty in age, moderately tall with grey hair and beards.

"We're closed for today everyone except the red one can leave" he declared, his voice firm and demanding.

The huge man clenched his fist "there's no way I'm leaving before teaching this punk a lesson." he opposed.

"Leave. Now. I'm not asking" the boss commanded, his gaze heartfreezing.

Startled, the huge man grit his teeth, and gave up. "I'll let you live for now. Make sure I don't meet you outside." He exited the bar followed by the gathering patrons.

The tension eased with the patrons' exit. "You are always getting into trouble everywhere you go." boss said, a smile across his old face.

"It trouble that comes lookin for me." the devil replied with also smiling.

"It's been a while Red"

"Yeah, Novick. It's been three years, I see you got a new face."

Lightly pulling the skin on his face which stretched like rubber. "It's the sixth since our last encounter" Novick replied, . "We brokers need at least this much to survive in this side of the world." he added. "If you are here then that means..." He asked, adjusting his face.

Red dipped his hand in his cloak and raised the Loz above his head, making it easy for the elder to assess. "I got it, mission complete." he said, grinning widely.

"This is not a proper place for discussion, come upstairs." Novick invited. He turned his gaze to Ciare "Clean up, lock everywhere, and get us something strong when you are done."

"Understood, master." She replied, slightly bowing.

The men left the lower floor.

"So that was the red devil, the only person master has ever praised. He's strong, different from other men just like master." Deep in thought as she tidy up the floor. Then, an idea flashed through her mind. "If i could bring him to his heel... If I could conquer him. Even master would have no choice but to acknowledge me." she smiled, plotting her next move.

"It's the real deal." Novick affirmed, placing his lens on the table. His gaze shifted to the young man, now filled with suspicion. "However, this was supposed to be completed without harming the carrier."

"No one said anything about others harming him," Red defended himself, reclining freely on the soft couch. "I would have helped, but they were a bunch of assholes. They cursed me out even when I was being nice," he complained, voice tinged with mock frustration.

"You? Nice? That's completely out of character. It would have been epic to watch." Novick snickered.

Red chuckled. "Speaking of 'out of character,' I see you finally got a disciple. Though I have to say, your taste for talent is lower than I thought."

"Everyone's talentless when compared to a monster like you," Novick teased. "She may be lacking, but she's not far behind you."

"Anyway." Red sat up, fingers crossed, his tone shifting to serious. "I should have enough points by now, right?"

"No. Not yet. Maybe in the next five missions you will." Novick replied bluntly.

"Ehh, that'll take ages. Don't you have some backdoor or corners I could use?" Red implored, his voice filled with desperation.

Novick sighed. "There's no shortcut, but..." He stood up, approached a drawer, and brought out a piece of paper. "Here." He stretched it out to Red.

Interested, Red took the paper from him. His eyes widened as he scanned the contents. "This... this is a Black level mission," he gasped, his voice filled with excitement.

"Complete that, and you'll have more than enough points. But be careful—failure would have an equally adverse effect," Novick warned, his tone turning serious.

"You know my strengths. I don't believe you'd give me a mission I can't complete," Red replied confidently.

They heard a squealing sound and turned to the entrance as the door slowly opened. Ciare emerged, carrying a tray with cups and a bottle. "I apologize for the delay. The preparation took longer than expected."

"Better late than never. You don't mind, do you?" Novick asked, his tone light.

"As long as it's worth the wait," Red replied.

Ciare placed a cup for each of them on the table, then picked up the bottle and poured the liquor. Its strong, smooth scent was clear as day. After serving, she took a step back, standing silently, awaiting the next order.

Novick took his cup and swallowed its contents in one go without hesitation. "Nothing beats a good drink after long talks," Novick rejoiced, relaxing into his chair.

"Good. He won't suspect anything now," Ciare thought, her face a mask of perfect calm.

Red glanced at her briefly, then leaned back and crossed his arms. "You know what? I've changed my mind. I won't be drinking this."

"Huh, that's a waste. This is one of a kind. You won't find another bottle like it anywhere," Novick said, pouring himself another shot.

"It's tempting, but unlike you, my immunity to toxic substances isn't great. I still have somewhere to be, and I'd like to avoid anything that could delay me," Red declined, his voice casual.

"You don't have to worry about getting drunk. The effects are extremely short, no matter how much you drink," Ciare said, smiling sweetly.

"Who's talking about getting drunk?" Red's eyes sharpened. "I'm talking about the poison you slipped in."

Ciare's face froze, but her thoughts raced. He's bluffing. There's no color, no odor—how could he know? "What reason would I have to poison you?" she asked, her voice steady.

"Who knows? Maybe my first impression of you wasn't great," Red replied, his tone nonchalant.

Before Ciare could say another word, Novick interrupted.

"It's no use. It was over the moment he suspected something. Whether or not there's poison in that drink doesn't matter anymore," Novick said, his tone calm, as he took another shot. "Your control over your intent was perfect. You even used me as cover. If it were anyone else, you might have succeeded. But this guy..." He gestured toward Red. "He's something else. He's calculative but never ignores his gut."

Ciare's smile vanished, her expression now dark with defeat. "What gave me away?" she asked, her voice low but firm.

Red stood up, grabbing his sword as he replied. "You weren't natural. You probably thought I'd suspect you if you showed any emotion, so you did the opposite. Too calm. Too expressionless. Suppose you didn't poison the drink—wouldn't you have smiled?"

Ciare's eyes widened. She had never thought about it that way. Her master had always taught her to remain calm, but in this case, it had backfired. She had been outsmarted. "I apologize for my rudeness," she said quietly, bowing her head slightly.

Red didn't reply. He picked up his cloak from the couch and headed for the door. "I'll be taking my leave," he declared, closing the door behind him.

After a moment, Novick turned to Ciare. "He's gone. You can raise your head now."

Ciare slowly lifted her head, her face still somber. "Master, I'd like to get some fresh air," she said softly.

Novick nodded. "Do as you wish."

Ciare picked up the cup she had filled for Red and downed it in one gulp, letting out a deep sigh. She walked out of the tavern, closing her eyes and tilting her chin upward to embrace the cool breeze. The sun warmed her light skin, and the wind rippled through her hair.

The only thing on her mind was the face of the man who had put her in her place.

"I was utterly defeated. Even though he's only a year older," she thought. But instead of bitterness, she felt excitement. This was a challenge. She smiled, this time with genuine warmth. "I'll definitely get him next time."

There are five regions restricted by the authorities of Arth due to the high level of danger found within them. One of the most dangerous is Morrow Woods, a place so lethal that every attempt at exploration has failed miserably.

The Est levels in Morrow Woods are terrifyingly high, altering the shape and nature of the plants and animals that dwell there. About ten years ago, this effect spread to the surrounding areas.

Now, an average of three times a month, groups of beasts rush out from the woods, causing massive property damage and loss of life. These weren't your average beasts; they had awakened due to the special conditions of their home. They were called Varsts.

The Varsts moved faster than the wind and could knock down buildings with a single strike. Their fur, scales, or skin served as armor, impenetrable by ordinary blades or arrows. Ordinary people or knights stood no chance against them.

To counter the disaster, the capital sent its imperial knights. Roy, who was a low-ranking knight at the time, played a vital role in defeating the Varsts with minimal casualties. His quick wit and skills earned him the rank of deputy captain.

To prevent further disasters, the capital opened the region for skilled Weavers to explore. A price system was created, rewarding hunters based on the strength of the Varst they killed. Discovering new locations or Varst species earned additional payment.

The region was divided into four zones: Outer Zone, Mild Zone, Danger Zone, and X Zone—with the danger increasing toward the X Zone.

"So you're the new recruit. Nice to meet you. I'm Chrome," said a green-haired man with a scar across his face, resting a spear on his shoulder. He smiled warmly at the black-haired girl walking beside him.

"Nice to meet you too, I'm Ale," she replied.

"I heard you were acquainted with the boss. He's gone pretty deep today. Stick close, we're already in the Danger Zone," Chrome advised, his voice serious.

Ale nodded. They continued down the narrow path, spotting carcasses of Varsts scattered along the way. They stopped at the base of a pile of dead Varsts, where someone stood atop it, drenched in Varst blood.

Sensing their presence, Ryan turned, his face brightening when he saw Ale. "Ale! I didn't know you'd arrived." He rushed down from the pile to meet them. "Why are you here, though? It's dangerous."

Chrome stepped forward, smirking. "Don't give me that look. She threatened to come alone. We had no choice but to oblige."

"It's true. I'm sorry for worrying you, I just wanted to see you and Daniel again," Ale said, her voice soft with regret.

Ryan sighed, relieved but still concerned.

"By the way, boss, you went a bit hard today. It'll take ages to carry this many out," Chrome complained.

"It's Daniel. He got excited for some reason and went loose. I had to clean up the aftermath once he fell asleep," Ryan explained, shaking his head.

"Speaking of Daniel, where is he?" Ale asked, scanning the area.

Ryan pointed to a broad tree beside the pile. "He's up there."

Sure enough, Daniel lay curled up in the branches, fast asleep.

"Such a troublemaker," Chrome snickered.

Ryan and Ale both giggled.

"Oh yeah, Roy told me to give you a message," Ale said.

"Roy? I haven't heard from him in a year," Ryan muttered, clearly offended. "He was supposed to train me for five... Anyway, what's the message?"

"Come to Adel. We found something."