The group sat around a small, sturdy wooden table in the bustling guild hall, their faces lit with excitement and . After hours of brainst, debating, and even a little arguing, they had finally decided on a name for their newly formed team: The Rising Heroes. The name felt perfect, full of promise and hope, embodying their shared dream of being great adventurers.
Their first mission was a simple D-Rank task, suitable finners. The mission was to gather medial herbs from a nearby forest. It sounded simple, but there was a catch, the forest was known to habitat of goblins. While goblins were weak on their own, they were notorious for attag in groups, making them dangerous for inexperienced adventurers. The group khey had to tread carefully. Before they set off, Li took Zora aside he guild's front desk. She pced her hands firmly on her hips, fixing him with a stern look. "You're staying here," she said, her tone leaving no room fument. Zora, crossed his arms and frowned. "But I help! What if you run into trouble?" Li rolled her eyes and shook her head. "No. You'll just cause trouble. Stay here, and don't even think about following us." She then turo the guild receptionist, adding, "Please keep an eye on him for me." The receptionist, used to such requests, nodded with a small smile. Zora flopped into a nearby chair, pouting like a scolded child. "Fine," he muttered under his breath, but Li was already walking away, too focused on the mission to care about his sulking.
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The jouro the forest started out peacefully. The dirt path was lined with t trees, their leaves rustlily in the breeze. Birds chirped overhead, and the sun filtered through the opy, casting spots on the ground. Adrian, walking ahead, took the lead as he often did. His natural charisma and knack for leadership made it easy for the others to follow him. He spoke with enthusiasm, sharing everything he had learned about the forest and the task ahead. "The herb we're looking for has small blue flowers and usually grows near water sources," he expined, his voice fident. "As for the goblins, they're not to individually, but they're crafty and be a real threat if they swarm us. Stay alert and stick together." Li, ever curious, asked a stream of questions about the herbs and the goblins, while Sera walked quietly behind them. Though she didn't say much, Sera listened ily, mentally filing away every bit of information Adrian shared.
When they reached the edge of the forest, the group paused. The trees were denser here, their thick trunks and tangled branches casting deep shadows. The air was cooler, and the faint sound of running water hi a nearby stream. "Let's be quick but careful," Adrian said, leading them deeper into the forest. It didn't take long to find a patch of the medial herbs near a small, clear stream. Their vivid blue flowers stood out against the lush green bushes. Excited, the group split up to gather as much as they could. Everything seemed to be going smoothly, with the only sounds being the rustling of leaves and the occasional chirp of a bird.
But then Li froze. She heard something, a faint rustling in the bushes behind them. Her instincts kicked in, and her hand moved to her sword. Turning slightly, she tried to signal Adrian with a sileure, but he didn't seem to notice. "What is it, Li?" Adrian asked, his voice loud and casual, eg through the forest. Before Li could respond, the bushes burst apart with a loud rustle, and a group of goblins emerged, their yellow eyes glinting with malice. They carried crude ons, clubs, rusty knives, and jagged spears.
Chaos erupted.
One goblin charged straight at Sera, its knife raised high. Sera froze, her eyes wide with fear. Her hands trembled, and she couldn't move. Time seemed to slow as the goblin closed in, its snarling face filling her vision. Li, ag on pure instinct, swung her sword with all her strength. The bde sshed through the goblin, dropping it instantly. But her stance was unsteady, and the force of her swing caused her to stumble. Before she could recover, anoblin darted frabbing her sword and snapping it in two with a triumphant snarl. The goblin lu her with its knife, ready to strike. Adrian, qui his feet, stepped in just in time. His sword fshed as he intercepted the goblin, delivering a precise, strike that ehe threat. "Regroup!" he shouted, grabbing Li's arm and pullio her feet. The goblins began to surround them, their numbers growing. The group was outnumbered, and the tension alpable. Sera, still trembling, felt something stir within her, a surge of energy she didn't fully uand. Her hands began to glow faintly, and she whispered an intation under her breath, her voice barely audible. "Explosion." A massive bst erupted, shaking the ground and sending dirt, leaves, and goblins flying in all dires. The sheer force of the explosion killed several goblins ht ahe remaining ones fleeing in terror. When the dust settled, the forest was dead quiet. Adrian and Li stared at Sera in shock, their mouths slightly open. "That… was amazing!" Li excimed, breaking the silence. She rushed forward and threw her arms around Sera in a tight hug. Adrian joined in, grinning. "You saved us, Sera! That was incredible!" Blushing furiously, Sera stammered, "I-I just… d-did what I could…"
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When the group returo the guild, they were tired but triumphant. The herbs were safely stored in their bag, and the receptionist greeted them with a warm smile. As they entered, Zora rushed over, his face filled with . "Are you hurt? Did anything happen? Li, are you okay?" His eyes darted betweehree of them, sing for any signs of injury. "We're fine, Zora," Li assured him with a tired smile. "Everythi smoothly… mostly." Despite her words, Zora's worry didirely fade. "You're all safe, and that's what matters," he said softly. They handed over the herbs to the guild and received their reward—a small pouch of s. Sitting around a table in the guild hall, they began ting their earnings. Sera, still feeling shy but wanting to tribute, spoke up hesitantly. "Maybe… we could use this moo buy Li a new sword?" Li opened her mouth to protest, but Adrian immediately jumped in, cutting her off. "That's a great idea." He gri Li, leaving no room fument. "sider it an iment in our future missions." Before Li could argue further, Adrian and Sera were already discussing where to buy the sword, their excitement leaving her no choice but to agree. She couldn't help but smile at their thoughtfulness, her heart warmed by the growing bond they all shared.
Their first mission was plete, and The Rising Heroes had taken their first step treatness.
