Tutorial Boss Delivers News of Troll Appearance - City Gates Street
City gates, morning. The sunrise cast long shadows over the walls, shading the street ahead. Merchants' wagons lined the road from out of town, while porters darted between them, trading goods with the street vendors clustered before the gates.
The area around the walls had been cleared of trees for visibility, stretching out into wide fields. Inside the walls, the city was too cramped for living space, so groups like adventurers' clans gathered outside. Clan adventurers trained on the street, drank heavily, and drew in peddlers, forming a bustling makeshift market.
Each clan had its own training grounds—some military-style, others owned by the guild.
Elena arrived at the guild's training ground. Her party members were already waiting: swordsman Hans, archer Mira, and shield-bearer Duke. All three looked tense.
"Did I keep you waiting?"
"No, ma'am!"
Elena stood before her party. Facing their rigid discipline, she pulled out the speech she'd prepared.
"Before we head out, let's check our gear."
She inspected Hans first.
"Weapon, canteen, rations—all good?"
"All set," Hans replied, ticking them off on his fingers.
Elena nodded and turned to Mira.
"Bow and arrows?"
Mira patted the quiver on her back. "Bow's fine, thirty arrows packed."
"Potions?"
"Two low-grade healing potions. Right here." Mira opened the pouch at her waist, revealing two flat glass vials.
"Duke."
"Yes, ma'am." Duke ran through his shield and supplies the same way.
Elena scanned all three once more. Nothing missing.
"Looks good... Let's move out." She pointed awkwardly toward the forest and started walking. The party followed.
The paved road gave way to dirt paths, leading quickly to the forest entrance. Elena took point, the footsteps of her three companions trailing behind. No one spoke. It felt awkward.
She'd never led a party before—had no idea what to do. And with the old man's warning ringing in her ears, 'Don't trust your party members,' she couldn't find the right words.
"Hey."
Elena glanced back without breaking stride.
"Relax a bit."
"......"
All three faces twisted subtly. It only made things more awkward.
Hans spoke first. "So... what's the deal with you and Eck?"
"Huh?"
Elena stumbled, snapping a twig underfoot. The crack echoed through the trees.
"W-why ask that out of nowhere?"
"Well, Eck's A-rank, right? One of the top adventurers in Leator, no party affiliation, no noble ties—a real oddball. No one knew why he holed up in the guild... until you showed up." Hans scratched his head. "His face hasn't been around much lately. He's been crazy busy this past month."
"He's just teaching me the adventurer ropes."
"For 'just that,' the gear you're wearing—ogre leather, yeah?"
"This is ogre leather?"
"A-rank monster. Stupid strong—only A-ranks or rich B-ranks can afford it."
Elena looked down at her lightweight armor. She'd known it was pricey, but not this exclusive.
"That's why I wondered."
"Wondered what?"
"If you two were... you know, dating."
"N-no, we're not!"
"Oh?"
Elena waved it off defensively. "The old man said he needs someone to look after him after he retires. He figures since I owe him, I'll repay it forever."
Hans blinked, exchanging glances with Mira and Duke. He whispered, "Even so, he wouldn't splash out that much cash for that."
"The gear alone could hire a maid for life."
"Yeah."
The party nodded in agreement.
"So, you think our relationship's weird?"
"Ahem." Hans reminisced. "When my dad taught me swordplay, he nagged me—the baby of the family—to grow up strong and take care of my big bro."
"Really?"
"Yeah. Felt unfair at first, but after I ran away, I realized it was just his excuse to force-feed me skills for life. Wish I'd stuck it out and learned more—my life's better if I had." As an F-rank scraping by, regret always hit hard. "Eck might be the same."
"You think the old man's lying to use me?"
"Uh... maybe not? His usual personality screams 'hired help,' but he's too devoted..." Hans sensed the contradiction with the Eck he knew.
It muddled Elena too. Forest wind rustled the leaves. Her steps slowed.
"It's not like your dad cared for you."
Her voice slipped out low.
"Well..."
"So what do you think it is?"
Hans started to reply, but Mira cut in.
"...Dunno."
Elena couldn't fathom why the old man treated her so well.
"Anyway, get ready." Unfurling the map he'd given her, they entered the orc zone. Elena raised a hand, halting the party.
Crushed underbrush formed an animal trail strewed with bones—deer bones, like her dad used to bring home. Flesh still clung to them.
"Fresh kill."
"I'll scout." Mira whispered, vanishing into the brush. She returned swiftly, finger to lips, pointing ahead.
The party crept silently after her.
"Gahk."
"Gugugaga."
Orcs. Green-skinned humanoid monsters clustered before a cave—bigger than grown men, heads towering over Elena. Their arms thicker than her thighs. Crude clubs and rusted axes in hand.
Two.
Two stood sentry at the cave mouth; it wasn't deep enough to hide the interior.
──Splash.
──Splash.
──Splash.
Two more inside, violating someone. Orcs were all male—the answer lay within.
The 'prime spot' on the map... was this?
The old man had marked easy-hunt points. Orc patrols moved in fours; here, halved.
Elena signaled the party close.
"I'll take one. You three block the other. Just hold it—I’ll back you up. Buy time."
They gripped weapons tight. Elena drew her sword.
"I'll start with the left one. Go."
They closed in. Elena kicked off—the moment she lunged, Mira's arrow thwacked the right orc's shoulder.
"Guuk?!"
"Gaaak!"
Orcs raised arms. Hans charged sword-first, Duke shield-bashing the axe-wielder. Hans stabbed the gap. The arrow-pinned orc flailed weakly; Mira's next shot pierced its brow, dropping it.
"Now help Elena—"
"Get ready."
Hans turned to assist, but the left orc lay dead. Elena already eyed the cave pair.
I tilted my beer mug, counting the days left. Five until the Red Moon. Monsters tainted by its aura dropped rare red materials. They grew frenzied and stronger—no big deal. The issue was priorities.
Lijet's birthday was nearly a year off, but gear prep started sooner the better.
What was Lijet's event spec again? Not my favorite gear—memory fuzzy—but the collection targets stuck.
I chugged my beer.
Felt it hunting ogres: I'm strong now.
Eck was powerful. A-rank caliber. Physically, he outmatched mid-game Elena; even late-game, he held as a tutorial boss—forced-loss elite.
I remember every mob pattern.
Seemed like Elena was optional. But she wasn't.
Gathering materials is easy.
Hence the dilemma. Easy for me, but it stunted her growth. Boss mobs she needed—for physical and experiential gains. Like in-game: bosses were one-offs till new runs.
"Hm..."
Bosses to Elena, naturally. That set Red Moon priorities.
Then—the guild door opened. Familiar footsteps headed my way. A thud as the material bag hit the table.
"Old man, got 'em all."
Hunt-complete Elena sat opposite. I counted orc fangs in the bag, pulled prepped silver coins.
Thud.
"25 silver for four. Good work. How's leading a party?"
"Better than I thought."
Her eyes lingered on the coins. But not all hers.
"Don't forget to split with your team."
"Oh... how much?"
"Why ask me? Party leader's call."
Elena glanced at Hans, Mira, Duke. The rookies froze under her gaze. Pre-departure, they'd eyed me; now, her.
Shocked by her skill, no doubt.
Scripted.
Elena clutched the coins, head steaming with math. I gave her one bit of news.