While Arion was walking down the street, drowning in the nightmare of the Sabertooth Beast quest, a huge man named Gorf—an infamous local bully known for robbing newbies—blocked his path.
"Hey you!" Gorf shouted. "You look like a lost rat."
Arion froze. "Damn it, just what I needed! A bully!"
He tried to ignore him, but Gorf lunged forward, raising his axe. At that moment—while Arion cursed his luck—his foot hit a damned pebble on the ground.
"Damn it! No!" he screamed in his head as he lost his balance. "My legendary reputation, ruined on day one because of a stupid rock!"
Thanks to his newly boosted agility, he somehow recovered at the last second with an accidental acrobatic spin, balancing on one foot before landing firmly.
From the bystanders' point of view, this wasn't a stumble—it looked like a masterful dodge.
"What?!" Gorf yelled. "How did you dodge my strike?!"
"Luck," Arion muttered, still stunned that he'd survived such an embarrassing slip.
"Luck?!" Gorf roared, taking it as an insult. "I'll show you luck!" He charged again, swinging his axe with all his might.
When Arion saw the blade coming at him, the mission window popped up again. The mix of shock from the quest, panic at Gorf's brute force, and embarrassment from his earlier trip collided with the Fake Boastful Aura.
Fshooooooooom!
The aura exploded around Arion like a tsunami of light. It was no longer a faint glow but a massive column of fake energy that nearly brushed the rooftops. His pounding heart—fueled by sheer terror—powered this catastrophic illusion.
Gorf froze on the spot, his axe dropping from his hand. He saw the gigantic aura and felt an overwhelming psychological pressure. "Wh-What is that?!" he screamed in terror.
"My gods!" someone shouted. "That's not an aura—that's a natural disaster!"
Gorf lost it completely. He dropped to the ground and started crawling away, screaming, "Monster! Stay away from me, you freak!"
Arion, a little concerned, stepped forward and reached out his hand to check if Gorf was okay. "Are you alright?" he asked.
But what people saw was something else entirely: the terrifying "magic knight" closing in on his defeated prey to finish him off.
Gorf shrieked even louder at the sight of the outstretched hand and massive aura. "Don't kill me! Please!" He scrambled to his feet and fled through the horrified crowd.
Arion stood there, arm still outstretched, staring at the stunned onlookers. A sarcastic smile spread across his face.
"Well...," he muttered to himself. "Looks like my reputation as a terrifying force just got cemented... all because of a stupid pebble, a fake aura, and trying to help a bully. What a joke!"
He stood frozen in the middle of the street, arm still raised like a statue of confusion. The crowd, whispering fearfully moments ago, now stared at him with a mix of awe and reverence. They had witnessed with their own eyes how just a glare and a terrifying aura from this mysterious adventurer sent the infamous Gorf crawling for his life.
"Oh man!," Arion whispered to himself as he slowly pulled his hand back under his cloak. "All I did was trip on a rock! How did this turn into an epic display of power? This world makes no sense."
Right then, the system window popped up again, adding insult to injury.
Ding~
[Quest Completed: Defeat Gorf the Bully]
Description: You scared Gorf so badly he might consider changing careers to selling flowers.
Reward: Random upgrade of an existing magic skill.
[Analyzing skills...]
[Selected Skill: Spark (Rank F)]
[Upgrading...]
Ding~
[Skill "Spark" has evolved into "Existential Threat Spark" (Rank F+)]
New description: Creates a tiny, pitiful spark of fire. However, due to the user's rapidly growing terrifying reputation, anyone who sees this spark will automatically assume it's the prelude to a city-leveling disaster. Causes mild psychological anxiety. Still nearly harmless.
Damage: 1 ( -4 ).
Psychological effect: Causes a sense of imminent doom.
Arion stared at the window, wanting to laugh and cry at the same time. "Are you kidding me? The system upgraded my weakest attack just to make it a psychological weapon that only works through pure misunderstanding? This... this is infuriating genius!"
Before he could process the full scale of his comedic disaster, Serena—the receptionist—burst out of the guild building, eyes wide with hysterical admiration.
"Sir! Sir mysterious adventurer!" she called as she ran up to him. "That was amazing! You defeated Gorf with just a look! I've never seen anything like it!"
"Uh, I...," Arion started, scrambling for a believable lie.
"No need for modesty!" Serena interrupted excitedly. "Guild Master Valerius heard the commotion and wants to see you immediately! He sent me to bring you personally!"
Arion felt his legs turn to jelly. "The Guild Master?" he screamed inwardly. "Damn it! Now they'll find out I'm just a fraud with a fake aura and a pathetic spark!"
---
Into the Lion's Den (Or the Office of a Very Curious Old Man)
Serena led him through the guild's hallways to an ornate wooden door. Arion stepped inside to find himself in a spacious, elegant office. Behind a huge desk sat an old man with long white hair and a neatly trimmed beard—Valerius, Guild Master of Arcadia. He didn't look intimidating, but his eyes gleamed with sharp wit and curiosity.
"So, you're the mysterious hero causing all this uproar," Valerius said calmly. "Please, have a seat."
Arion sat down, trying to look calm and confident while his stomach performed an Olympic marathon of anxiety.
Valerius looked straight into his eyes. "I've heard fascinating tales—an aura that paralyzes foes, accepting an A-rank quest on your first day, then disciplining a notorious bully without lifting a finger. Tell me, boy, what's the source of this immense power? Ambition? Rage?"
Arion's brain froze. What do I say? If I tell the truth, he'll throw me out! If I lie, I might slip up! He desperately searched for something that sounded deep. He thought about his siblings, the impossible Sabertooth Beast quest, the hunger. Then the words slipped out without thinking:
"The motivation is... the urgent need to put food on the table."
Valerius fell silent for a moment—then broke into a wide, admiring smile. "Splendid! Truly splendid! You're not driven by glory or gold but by a noble duty! You fight not for yourself but to protect and provide for those you care about! Such humility! Such a true hero of the people!"
Arion stared at him, stunned. "Did... did he really interpret that literally? I was just being honest!"
"But," Valerius continued, more serious now, "words are one thing, actions are another. Would you mind giving me a simple demonstration of your power? Just a glimpse, a small spark, so I can gauge your control."
Arion felt relief wash over him. "A spark? I can do that! This is my chance to show him I'm not that scary!"
He extended his hand, focused, and used his new skill: Existential Threat Spark.
Fzzzt~
A tiny, miserable spark flickered at his fingertip—smaller than a match flame, barely visible. Arion felt so embarrassed he wanted to bury himself. "I'm done for. He'll laugh me out of the guild."
But Valerius's reaction was completely different. The moment he saw the spark, his eyes widened, and he leaned back in his chair. He felt it—that creeping sense of doom the skill described.
My gods! Valerius thought, cold sweat dripping down his back. This isn't weakness... this is perfect control! To contain city-destroying power in a single harmless spark—this level of restraint is beyond comprehension! He's not boasting about his strength—he's sending a clear message: 'I can unleash hell or just this spark. The choice is mine.' What a terrifying, elegant threat!
Valerius rose from his chair and applauded slowly. "Incredible... absolutely incredible, boy! I've never seen such precise control in my entire century of life. You've proven your worth."
He walked to a cabinet in the corner and pulled out a small box, handing it to Arion. "The Sabertooth Beast quest is dangerous. The guild believes in your abilities. Take this as a token of our trust."
Arion opened the box to find a small vial of shimmering silver liquid and a heavy pouch of coins.
[Acquired: Supreme Healing Elixir (1)]
[Acquired: 200 Copper]
Arion staggered out of the Guild Master's office, his mind still reeling. He'd walked in terrified they'd expose him as a fraud, yet he left with the title "Hero of the People", a rare potion, and extra money—because he'd "proven" his power with a spark that could barely light a candle.
Standing in the middle of the guild hall, he looked at the A-rank quest paper in his hand, then at the precious elixir. He let out a deep sigh.
"Alright, you ridiculous world," he muttered darkly. "Looks like this train of misunderstandings isn't stopping anytime soon. Next stop: fighting a level 25 monster when I can barely handle a bully... Let's see how long this nonsense lasts before I explode."