Next-day Morning,

Edmond and Ajax had some simple breakfast and went to the mercenary guild to register Ajax.

“Woahh”, seeing the mercenary guild building Ajax mouth wide opened.

It was the most beautiful and biggest building he had ever seen. It has more than 5 floors.

” oh, Captain Edmond, are you here for your mission submission??? “, asked the beautiful receptionist in her late twenties with a smile.

Recently, the Hazegrove mercenary squad took a mission, so she assumed that and asked Edmond about it.

” Yes, but before that please help me register a new bronze grade mercenary for him”, while pointing at Ajax, Edmond asked with a smile.

“Sure, please fill this form first”, taking a paper from the desk, she gave it to Ajax.

Ajax quickly filled the form and returned it to that receptionist.

” Since you have the recommendation of captain Edmond, you can directly obtain the bronze badge and no need to go through any further procedures. Please wait for some time, your badge will arrive quickly, until then you can check the mission board”, Said the beautiful receptionist with her usual smile and left with the form.

Edmond also gives her his spirit ring saying, “Please evaluate my mission completion”.

” Absolutely, sir Edmond “, taking the ring, she quickly left.

In the meanwhile, they went to the mission board which is fully crowded.

” Hey, isn’t it Captain Edmond “,

” Captain Edmond is coming here to take a mission, everyone moves aside”,

“captain Edmond do you remember me”,

…

…..

All mercenaries quickly gave away for Edmond with their random shouting.

“Bring 10 Black lotuses

Reward :- 10,000 Spirit stones (any of Fire, water, air, and earth spirit stones can be chosen by the mercenary)

Danger rating:- A

” Bring the mutated lightning serpent

Reward :- 10,000 spirit stones ( If alive)

6,000 spirit stones ( if dead)

Danger rating:- A

“Need claws and teeth of high-grade spirit beast heavenly crocodile

Reward :- 20,000 life element Spirit stones

Danger rating:- A

There Ajax saw many missions with their danger rating below it.

Soon he saw Edmond pick a mission from the mission board and left with Ajax to sit in the lobby.

But Ajax saw the mission details clearly

“Protect the Mason family’s caravan from Goldcrest to Coalfell

Duration of the mission:- 10 days.

Reward :- 10,000 Fire element spirit stones

Danger rating :- B+

Ajax didn’t ask anything about the mission to Edmond and just looked around with curiosity.

Soon the beautiful receptionist came towards them and gave Ajax a bronze color badge which has a symbol of ‘H’ on it.

“This is the bronze badge for Hazegrove mercenary squad”, Edmond explained about ‘H’ to ajax.

” Here, this is your reward for the completion of the previous mission, sir Edmond”, with a smile she gave the same previous spirit ring to Edmond.

Edmond just put it away without checking it and gave her the new mission paper he just took from the mission board.

“Add it to the name of Hazegrove mercenary squad”, Edmond said after giving it.

” Yes sir”, she took it and left again.

After she left, Edmond and Ajax also returned to their living residence.

…..

In the depths of the cursed wilderness

“Are we finally going to die here??? “, said a youth with scratches all over his body.

” No, we should try to escape from this beast, if we don’t Ajax’s sacrifice will be in vain”, said another youth with a bloody wound on his back.

“But, this damned beast is playing with us for the past 1 hour”, said the first youth.

Besides them, there is one youth who is unconsciously lying on the ground.

They are Ajax’s friends who ran into the cursed wilderness to escape from the assassin.

They survived in the cursed wilderness for five days based on their pure luck but now that luck is finally over as they became a playing toy for a beast.

Soon, as though the beast lost its interest in toying with them, it jumps at them in an attempt to kill them all at once.

However, before it even reached them, a shadow came from the ground and made a blood hole in it, and Killed it.

After killing the beast, it took the shape of a human silhouette and stared at them.

Just looking at it made them shiver unconsciously. But soon they heard a familiar voice, “Hey brats, what are you doing here”.

Seeing the familiar figure in the far made them shocked but finally, they heaved a sigh of relief.