Kaito stood up, feeling the sting of his loss against Lai. Well, since I don't have a job, I'll need to find one, he thought. But what kind of job would that be? I remember Lai mentioning something about mercenaries... He wandered around, hoping to find a registration office. Then a thought hit him. What if I just ask the locals for help? That would be better than wandering the Capital like a fool.
With a new plan, Kaito went up to the people. He saw an old woman struggling to carry heavy luggage and rushed to offer help. But just before he could speak, she used magic to lift the luggage. Kaito froze, his eyes wide in surprise. It hit him suddenly—he wasn't on Earth anymore. This wasn't his world. He was in a new universe, and everything was different.
No one knows me here, he thought. I can be anyone. I can start fresh. The idea of leaving his old life behind felt liberating. Then, he sighed. Man, what I wouldn't do for a smoke. He reached into his pocket. Do I still have a pack? After a moment of searching, he found it. One left. Better than nothing.
He took out the cigarette, lit it with the lighter—surprisingly intact—and inhaled deeply. Kaito was only 18, yet smoking had become his escape. Watching his uncle, he'd picked up the habit, and in the chaos of his three jobs, it had been his form of relaxation.
Kaito approached a group of men enjoying their meal. "Would you fine gentlemen show me the way to the Mercenary Guild?" he asked politely. One of the men stopped, sizing him up before responding. "You're still quite young, boy. Do you really want to throw your life away? It's not a job for the faint of heart. Most people there will trick you into coming with them—just to use you as bait." Kaito wasn't too surprised. In one of his old jobs, his older coworkers had used him as an excuse to get out of trouble. They pinned almost all the blame on him to save their own skins.
"I'm grateful for your concern, sir," Kaito said, his tone steady, "but I know the dangers well. Both of my parents died at the hands of a monster. So as far as I'm concerned, any challenge is worth facing." The men fell silent, exchanging glances. After a moment, they nodded, showing Kaito the way without another word.
While walking to the guild, Kaito muttered to himself, "I pulled that lie right out of my ass, and they actually believed me. That's rare. I mean, part of it was true. I didn't even know there was such a thing as a Mercenary Guild. Guess my instincts are on point sometimes... And now I'm out of smokes. I wonder if they sell any here." With the last puff of his cigarette, he thought about how things might play out. He'd arrived in front of the guild. One thing was certain—it was either going to be a breeze to get registered, or it would be the hardest thing he's ever done.
As he opened the door, Kaito was greeted by the sight of several tables, crowded with people—both men and women. They were all dressed in shabby clothing, which Kaito assumed must be the unofficial "uniform" of mercenaries, given they didn't have the luxury of dressing fancy. The moment he stepped inside, every single pair of eyes turned toward him. The atmosphere shifted from one of noise and chatter to a tense, unnerving silence. A woman stood up from one of the tables, towering over Kaito. She looked down at him with a glare that could melt stone.
"Get lost, kid. This place isn't for weaklings like you," she growled, her voice like gravel. Kaito froze, his heart pounding. Not only was she much taller than him, but her muscles looked strong enough to crush his skull with ease. Fear gnawed at him, but deep inside, he knew one thing: If I show her fear, I won't survive here. He forced himself to stand tall, not breaking eye contact with the towering woman.
"I'm sorry, milady. I didn't mean any disrespect," Kaito stammered, his voice shaky. "I just came here hoping to avenge my mother and father by becoming a mercenary. Now if you'll exc—" Before he could finish, the woman grabbed him by the collar, lifting him effortlessly like a child.
"We don't care about your stupid family!" she snarled. "If we say you're not coming in, you're not coming in! Got it?" That was the final straw. Kaito's anger flared inside him like a wildfire, and without thinking, he activated his skill.
"Skill active: Determination."
In an instant, Kaito scrambled up the woman's arm and wrapped his legs around her neck, using all his strength to strangle her. She struggled, but Kaito held on tightly, his heart pounding in his chest. Just before she hit the ground, he released his hold and jumped off, landing lightly on his feet.
It might have looked easy, but inside, Kaito was screaming. His legs were shaking uncontrollably, his body screaming in exhaustion, but he couldn't let anyone slander his family's name. He stood tall, a fire burning in his eyes.
"No matter how strong the opponent," he said, his voice filled with pride, "if their guard is down and they think you're weaker, you can win any fight with ease." He straightened, his voice steady now, "Let me make myself very clear—I am Skinwalker or The Undead, and I shall be known by that name from here on!"
The silence that followed Kaito's speech was almost deafening. Then, slowly, a single person began to clap. Another joined, then another, until the whole room was clapping for his unexpected boldness. But beneath his courageous exterior, Kaito was trembling. His legs were shaking, and every fiber of his being screamed for him to stop moving. Yet, he forced himself to the front desk, where the receptionist was still asleep. How could someone sleep through all that noise?
Kaito tried to wake her, but she wouldn't budge, even as the room continued to scream like wild animals. Just when he thought he might lose his mind, the receptionist stirred and woke up. Instantly, the room fell into complete silence. Kaito couldn't understand it—how could a simple action like her waking up have such a dramatic effect on everyone?
"You look like a new guy," the receptionist said, her voice a little groggy. "Must be here for registration. Place your thumb here so we can scan your mana, and I'll give you your card. Stay right there; I'll be right back."
Kaito was left speechless. He had expected the process to be far more complicated. Without thinking, he placed his thumb on the scanner. Before he knew it, the receptionist had turned to leave, only to fall with a loud thud. The room barely reacted—apparently, this was a common occurrence.
After a moment, she stood up, brushed herself off, and went to the back. She moved boxes around and eventually returned, tossing the card at him. "Now be lost. Go slay a Plant-Vex abomination and bring us proof. Only then will you be officially registered. Go on, shoo!"
Kaito stood frozen, his mind racing. The thought of dying flashed through his mind. One of those monsters had nearly killed him when he first arrived, and now he was being sent to face one again. But he wasn't about to just accept this treatment. He approached her, still furious but trying to keep his composure.
"Look here," Kaito said, his voice steady but tinged with frustration. "You'll answer me honestly. Why did you throw my card like that? Don't you have any basic etiquette? And why are you making me run off like a dog? What's your reasoning behind that?"
The woman took a step back, her face a mix of disbelief and anger. With a huff, she jumped up to the desk, glaring at Kaito. "For your information, Mister," she spat, her voice sharp, "I've been working since last night, non-stop! I deserve my rest! And the reason I threw your card is because I'm too lazy to hand it to you properly! People come here to register all the time, but no one has passed the task! I'm tired of pretending to be happy for everyone who walks through that door!"
Her words, though filled with frustration, were delivered with such force that it seemed to drain her entire energy. The anger drained away quickly, leaving her slumped over the desk, unconscious. Kaito stood frozen, guilt washing over him. Was he the cause of this? He didn't know what to do. His fear of the situation paralyzed him, but soon, several men from the crowd stood and moved behind the counter. They carefully picked the woman up, one of them speaking to Kaito with a voice that carried both empathy and authority.
"Skinwalker, please, go easy on her. She's been through a lot. She's the best we have here, and we all want the best for everyone, even if we look rough around the edges. You understand, right? You gave that impressive speech, so we know you can do the quest. After all, you can handle it, right?"
Kaito felt his heart sink. He didn't want to do anything. He didn't want to take on the quest—he was already close to death in the forest, and now he was supposed to willingly go back? He remembered Lai's warning, the one about staying out of the forest. There was no way he was going back there. He stood there, still unmoving, when suddenly, another voice spoke from behind.
"You must be wondering where you can find those wolves to fight," the voice said with calm certainty. Kaito turned, startled, and saw a woman with glasses standing there. Her green-blue eyes seemed to warp and pull him in, staring right through his soul. It was almost hypnotic. But Kaito shook his head, snapping out of the trance, and as he looked closer, he saw the badge on her collar: Guild Association - President of Receptionists.
Kaito quickly bowed his head and said without hesitation, "I am so sorry for the trouble I caused, Miss President! I didn't mean any harm to Miss Receptionist over there. I was just asking questions." He was eager to leave the tense atmosphere behind him. As he made his way toward the door, Miss President let out a quiet laugh, a tear slipping from her eye. "Don't worry about it, kid," she said softly. "I was here when I heard your glorious speech and how you knocked out Big Breatha. She was causing trouble, but deep down, she just didn't want to see another person die after so many failed the quest." She pulled out a chair with elegant precision, settling into it without even glancing his way. "That's the fate of a mercenary. We all face it. It's their own weakness that keeps them from completing the quest." Her words were heavy with experience, like someone who had witnessed death firsthand.
Kaito felt the need to leave immediately, but as he was about to close the door behind himself, she spoke again. "You'll find the wolves in the meadows," she said, her voice colder now. "But you'll need to go at night. They don't come out during the day. And make sure you're prepared." Her tone dismissed him, and with that, he muttered his thanks. "Well, thank you for your time. I best leave now before it gets too late."
Once the door shut behind him, Kaito let out a heavy sigh of relief. Now, it was time to use the money he'd gotten from Breatha's fall—after all, he had made the most of it. He purchased a dagger and a long red coat that looked sharp on him. It served no real purpose other than being a little extravagant, but with the extra cash, he didn't mind. After a satisfying meal, he decided to check his card and see what his status was before heading out on the quest.
"How much would that be for five nights?" Kaito asked the innkeeper, a kindly old man who ran the small, homely inn.
The man smiled warmly. "Since you're new here, I'll give you your first five nights for free. Go up the stairs and room 12 is on the right." Kaito was deeply grateful and thanked him profusely.
Once in his room, Kaito sat on the bed, gazing at his card. He noticed that it seemed to have scanned his entire body—height, weight, even his level. It was impressive, this technology from another world. He remembered the entity's words from when he'd first arrived. It had mentioned that he would receive a random skill, something that could be either good or bad.
"The system has acknowledged a hidden skill. Skill: 'Decipher' has been bestowed upon the user."
Kaito groaned inwardly. He had grown weary of the constant interruptions in his mind, the system shouting at him. But this new skill? It was a bit of a mystery. Would it help him survive the dangers ahead? Only time would tell.
"Let me check this skill out now... Skill Description – 'Decipher.' Okay, it says here: 'Any abomination killed by the user will inherit limited parts of the skills and features of the monster. Killing the same abomination again will not grant additional skills or features. The skills or features obtained are permanent. The user may utilize these features as often as they like, but switching to a different feature will incur a 240-second cooldown. This cooldown does not apply to skills.'"
I couldn't believe it. I rubbed my eyes, pinched myself, and even slapped my face lightly. Still, nothing changed—this was real. A skill like this could prove to be invaluable! Though it wasn't the one I was hoping for, it certainly had its benefits. With a deep breath, I muttered to myself, "From today onward, the rise of the Skinwalker begins!" I felt a surge of determination flood through me. This was just the beginning.