VIP System

Chapter 28 - The Ancient Curse (1)

You are now a Swordsman!

The notification flashed before Leo's eyes, and excitement coursed through him. He quickly checked his updated status.

Name: Leo

Level: 10

Class: Swordsman

Race: Human

His eyes glowed with pride as he smiled widely, feeling a new surge of power. Scrolling down, he saw a list of basic swordsman skills: Slash, Thrust, Parry, and Riposte. Memories of the first time he saw an adventurer filled his mind.

He turned to Ai, "Why do I only see basic skills?"

Ai, standing confidently beside him, explained, "Leo, only basic skills and abilities are initially available. New skills can be acquired through various means, such as completing special quests, achieving significant milestones, or receiving divine blessings," Ai said, her tone slightly arrogant yet informative.

"These skills are recorded and can be accessed by purchasing job skill books from the guild or merchants," Ai continued, a hint of superiority in her voice. "However, some skills are sold at high prices or are entirely unavailable if no one has discovered them or if the owners choose not to share the details."

"Thunder Strike, for example," she continued, "is a common swordsman skill that can be obtained by completing the 'Thunder Guard's Trial' quest."

Leo nodded thoughtfully. "I'll buy a swordsman skill book when we get back to the guild center."

The day before, a dragon had flown towards the capital. It was flying low, causing gusts of wind to whip through the streets below. As it reached the guild center building, the dragon stopped mid-air, its form glowing with an otherworldly bright light. The dragon transformed, dropping to the ground as a man. It was the Dragon Lord, he walked into the building with an air of arrogance, his steps confident and commanding.

Inside, the guild was lively with adventurers chatting, negotiating, and sharing stories. But as he walked past them, silence fell. People's eyes widened, and they quickly moved aside, recognizing the intimidating presence of the Dragon Lord. His gaze swept the room with a mixture of disdain and indifference.

He strode to the front desk, the crowd parting like water before him. Every step he took exuded power and arrogance, leaving a palpable tension in the air.

"I'm here for the Orc Dominion extermination quest scroll," he demanded.

The guild clerks exchanged uneasy glances. "The Orc Dominion has already been conquered," one of them replied. "The quest is no longer available."

"We don't know who did it," the clerk continued, her voice trembling slightly. "But based on the report of the Winter Warlock, no one there was capable of such a feat."

The Dragon Lord smirked. "It was me. That's why I want the quest scroll to claim my reward."

At that moment, Susan, who had been in a meeting with the guild center master, heard the commotion and stepped out. She approached the front desk and asked what was happening. The clerks quickly filled her in.

"Susan, please take him to the master's office," one of the clerks suggested, their voice shaky.

Susan nodded, her face pale. "Please, follow me," she said, leading him upstairs to the master's office.

Inside the office, the atmosphere was tense. The guild center master and Susan explained the situation. "Since the quest reward isn't monetary, that's why we need to draft an agreement," Susan explained. "It's in the quest details too."

They presented the agreement scroll and asked the Dragon Lord to sign it.

He sat down, draping himself arrogantly across the chair, his legs stretched out disrespectfully. Without even glancing at the contents, he grabbed the pen and signed the scroll with a flourish.

Susan quickly wrote a letter, obtained the master's signature, and sealed the scroll with a stamp. She then called the guild messenger and handed over the letter. "This is a class 2 summon request. Deliver it tomorrow morning."

The messenger nodded and left swiftly. The Dragon Lord followed suit, his presence lingering like a dark cloud even after he exited. As the door closed behind him, Susan let out a long, shaky breath, feeling a wave of relief wash over her. However, the intense stress of the encounter had taken its toll on her. She felt dizzy and unsteady, her body succumbing to the strain of the day's events. Unable to continue, she had to leave for home early, the weight of the Dragon Lord's visit pressing heavily on her.

The clerks, worried about her condition, decided to visit Susan early the next morning.

As dawn broke, the guild messenger made his way quickly to where Amanda was staying, his steps brisk with urgency.

It was early in the morning when someone knocked on their room door. Amanda, who was near the door and still hugging Ai, woke up. Ai was already awake and looked at her with concern.

"It's still early," Amanda said gently. "You should get some more rest." She tucked Ai back into bed and got up to answer the door.

Standing at the front door was a familiar-looking individual who handed her a scroll. She checked it and immediately recognized the seal from the guild center. A cold shiver ran down her spine as she opened it. Her face went pale, and her heartbeat and breathing quickened.

Composing herself, she returned to Ai, who was still watching her closely.

Amanda forced a smile. "I need to take care of something at the guild," she said softly.

Ai nodded, sensing the urgency but not pressing further. Amanda went outside and slowly closed the door behind her.

By noon, the messenger had returned to the guild center and reported to the guild center master that Amanda had reached the Dragon Lord's place. Leo, who was waiting nearby to collect the reward from a quest, overheard the conversation. His curiosity and concern piqued, and he quickly approached the messenger and the guild center master.

"Excuse me, I couldn't help but overhear," Leo said. "What happened with Amanda?"

He looked at him seriously. The guild center master noticed his name and sighed deeply, a hint of worry in his eyes. "Come with me to my office. We need to talk."

Leo nodded, feeling a sense of foreboding as he followed the guild master to his office. The gravity of the situation was clear, and Leo braced himself for what he was about to learn.