The scene opened with Athena having just finished her guild ranking assessment at the Adventure Guild.
Suddenly…
"Well, well, well, what do we have here? A fresh little adventurer, huh?"
A bearded adventurer, flanked by his team, approached Athena and the others.
"my name's Reiss. B-Rank. I'm the captain of my party. Heard you took down the Beheaded, eh? Hard to believe… considering you're just a D-Rank," he sneered.
Other adventurers nearby glanced at Reiss from their seats.
"Tch, he's picking a fight with the new girl," one muttered.
"Yeah, typical of him," another replied with a shake of the head.
Lucia stepped forward, eyes narrowed.
"Listen up, Reiss," she snapped.
"Athena may be new, but she's already proven herself. So why don't you take that overinflated ego of yours and shove it somewhere the sun doesn't shine, yeah?"
Reiss scowled, his hand drifting toward the hilt of his sword.
"Watch your mouth, little girl," he growled,
"Or I might have to teach you some manners."
Nathan stepped between them, lifting both hands in a calming gesture.
"Hey, hey, calm down now," he said gently.
"No need for violence, especially not in the guild hall."
He turned to Reiss, his expression sharpening.
"Athena is a guest here. She deserves respect," he said firmly.
"So I suggest you mind your manners—or I'll report your behavior to the guild council."
"Relax, dude," Reiss replied with a smirk.
"Just saying hi to our new fella. Besides, my party's looking for new members. Maybe the D-Rank girl over there wants in?"
He jabbed his thumb over his shoulder, gesturing to his gang—rough, smirking men who leered openly at Athena.
"We're sick of seeing monsters all day. We need something pretty to look at. A sweet girl would brighten up the squad, right, boys?"
"YEAH!!" they roared.
"Ugh, what a scumbags…" Lucia snarled through gritted teeth.
"So this is how a B-Rank adventurer behaves?" Athena said.
The men fell silent, glancing warily at her.
"What did you say?"
"I said, is that how a B-Rank adventurer should act? Is it really appropriate for a forty-year-old man to speak that way to a young girl?" Athena replied, her chin held high.
Reiss's face darkened with fury.
"You dare talk back to me?" he growled.
"I'm a respected adventurer—I'll speak however I damn well please!"
He stepped forward threateningly, gripping his sword hilt tight.
"And if you don't like it, little girl, maybe I'll give you a lesson in respect."
Lucia's eyes flashed with anger, her hand reaching for the weapon at her belt.
"You wanna get down, old man?" she hissed.
"Lay one finger on her, and it'll be the last mistake you ever make."
The commotion had drawn the attention of the entire guild hall. Murmurs filled the air. Several adventurers rose from their seats, prepared to intervene if necessary.
Reiss stood only steps away from Athena, glaring down at her.
"Such a grumpy old man," Athena said with a bored look.
"I bet no one even likes you."
Reiss's eyes widened, teeth grinding.
"You know what, girl?" he said, voice low and menacing.
"I'll show you that being an adventurer isn't all fun and games."
Suddenly, he raised his fist, channeling Arcane Force into it, and swung it toward Athena!
BRAKK!!
Everyone jumped to their feet in shock.
But in a flash, Nathan—the red-haired man—stepped between them, catching Reiss's arm mid-swing.
The room filled with their clashing Arcane energies. Nathan's eyes bore into Reiss.
"You're causing a scene. Get out, Reiss," Nathan said coldly.
Reiss growled, trying to shake free.
"Let go of me, you self-important researcher!" he spat.
"I won't be treated like this—especially by a damn researcher!"
Nathan's grip tightened. His voice dropped to a dangerous calm.
"I said get the fuck out."
"Before I make you."
The hall fell silent. All eyes were on the confrontation. The tension was thick enough to cut with a blade.
Finally, Reiss backed down, yanking his arm away with a snarl.
"Fine," he snapped.
"But remember this, girl—you'll regret for not joining me when the monsters are tearing you apart."
He stormed out of the hall, his gang trailing behind him. The air gradually eased, tension dissipating like fog under sunlight.
Nathan turned to Athena, his expression softening.
"You okay, Athena?" he asked. "That was close."
"I'm fine," Athena replied.
"Dealing with someone like that isn't worth my time."
"Anyway… Nathan, you're stronger than you look. What's your rank?" she asked casually, a faint smile on her lips.
Nathan chuckled, lips curling into a sly grin.
"well, That's a secret—for now," he teased.
"But let's just say… I'm not to be underestimated."
"This guild's full of stubborn old fools like Reiss. It's refreshing to meet someone with a bit of intelligence and reason."
Mary leapt onto Athena's shoulder, grinning.
"Ooh, I like him!" she said brightly.
"He's got flair—and he's not afraid to stir the pot!"
Amyra smiled and nodded.
"Nathan's one of the top researchers in the Guild," she said.
"His work has saved lives and made our missions a lot easier."
But Lucia remained skeptical.
"Be careful around him, Athena," she warned.
"He might seem charming, but he's got a reputation… for being a bit unorthodox in his methods."
"Haha… I'll keep that in mind," Athena replied with a small laugh.
Nathan chuckled, he straightened his coat, brushing off imaginary dust.
"for now, I've got work to do. Research never sleeps!"
He winked at her.
"I'll be seeing you. Try not to stir up too much trouble, hmm?"
With that, he turned and walked out of the hall, his red hair trailing behind him like a flame.
Mary giggled, nudging Athena's shoulder.
"Woah, he's totally into you!" she teased.
"You're already collecting admirers, Athena!"
Lucia rolled her eyes, arms crossed.
"Forget it. Don't think too much. That'll just give you a headache."
"There's still work to be done. But first, I'm starving. Let's find something to eat!" Lucia declared.
Amyra nodded eagerly.
"I could go for a big, juicy steak," she said, licking her lips.
"Maybe we can check out the new blacksmith in town too. I've been dying to see what he's selling."
"Let's gooo! For steak and shiny gear!" Mary shouted.
As they crossed the street toward the restaurant, Athena glanced up at the orange-tinged evening sky.
This world… never stopped surprising her.
But one thing was certain—
She would never again let anyone treat her like she was nothing.
This was her first step…
Toward becoming something far greater than a D-Rank adventurer.