MTLNOVEL Chapter 8: Rank up
Chapter 7: Rank Up
The cold night air was still heavy around Renji as he stood amid the ruins, his body tingling with newfound power. He flexed his fingers, testing Phantom Step again. As soon as he willed it, his body flickered, his outline blurring for a fraction of a second before stabilizing.
A thrill ran through him.
This skill is going to change everything.
But before he could experiment further, a chime echoed in his mind, followed by a sudden blue glow in front of his vision.
[System Notification]
Congratulations! You have defeated a Higher-Grade Entity (Cursed Wraith).
You have earned EXP.
You have leveled up!
Renji's breath caught.
A level-up?
Another screen appeared, detailing his stats.
[Status Update]
Name: Renji Kurozawa
Race: Human
Level: 2 → 5
Class: None
HP: 150/150 (+50)
MP: 80/80 (+30)
Skills:
• Predator's Instinct (Unique) – Enhanced reaction speed, spatial awareness, and combat adaptability.
• Phantom Step – Allows brief bursts of ghost-like movement, improving speed and evasion.
• Death Claim (Unique) – Steal abilities from those you kill.
Renji's heart pounded in his chest.
Not only had he leveled up multiple times at once, but his stats had increased dramatically. His body didn't just feel stronger—he could feel the power coursing through him.
So this is how this world works… The stronger the enemy I defeat, the faster I grow.
If that was true… then he didn't just need to survive.
He needed to hunt.
But first, he had a quest to turn in.
By the time Renji made it back to Veydris, the city was alive with the night crowd. The scent of roasted meat, ale, and spices filled the streets, and groups of adventurers loitered outside taverns, swapping stories of their latest hunts.
Renji ignored the side conversations as he entered the Adventurer's Guild. The atmosphere inside was as chaotic as before, with rowdy men and women clashing tankards and laughing over their victories.
The auburn-haired receptionist from earlier, Selise, barely looked up from her paperwork as he approached the counter.
"Back already?" she said, flipping through her ledger.
Renji placed the Wraith's blackened core—a small, swirling orb of cursed energy—onto the counter.
Selise's eyes flicked up.
Her hand froze mid-writing.
The noise in the guild didn't die down completely, but the adventurers closest to the counter went silent, their eyes locking onto the dark, ominous crystal.
Renji raised an eyebrow. "Something wrong?"
Selise stared at him, then at the core, then back at him. "You actually killed the Cursed Wraith?"
Renji shrugged. "That was the job, wasn't it?"
Murmurs spread through the room.
"That kid took down a Wraith?"
"No way. That quest's been sitting on the board for weeks. No one wanted to touch it."
"Wraiths aren't even supposed to appear near Veydris… Where the hell did this guy come from?"
Selise snapped her fingers, and a nearby Guild Appraiser—a middle-aged man wearing a monocle—hurried over. He carefully examined the core before his face turned pale.
"This… this is real," he confirmed. "Not only is it an actual Wraith Core, but the energy inside it is stronger than expected."
Selise let out a long breath, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Great. That means it was at least D-Rank, maybe even C."
She looked at Renji again.
"You sure you're just Rank F?"
Renji smirked. "Guess I work fast."
Selise didn't return the expression. Instead, she sighed, reaching under the counter and pulling out a small silver token.
"Well, I don't know who you are, but rules are rules. Guild policy states that any adventurer who successfully completes a quest two ranks above their level is eligible for a direct rank-up."
She slid the token toward him.
"Congratulations, newbie. You're now Rank E."
The moment Selise stamped the promotion into the guild ledger, the murmurs in the room turned into full conversations.
"Two days as an adventurer and he's already Rank E?"
"That's insane. Even fast climbers take at least a month to hit E-Rank."
"Who the hell is this guy?"
Renji pocketed the silver guild tag, rolling it between his fingers.
"Appreciate it."
Selise gave him a look. "Look, I don't know what your deal is, but if you're ranking up this fast, people are going to start noticing. And not all of them will be friendly."
Renji tilted his head. "That supposed to be a warning?"
"Consider it advice. Some adventurers might see you as competition. And worse—the higher-ups are going to start paying attention."
Renji narrowed his eyes slightly. "The higher-ups?"
Selise glanced around, then leaned in slightly, lowering her voice.
"The Guild isn't just about adventurers doing random jobs. The upper ranks work closely with the kingdom. Rank C and above? They start getting assigned missions directly from the royal court."
Renji's mind clicked the pieces together. So the kingdom has influence over the guild. Makes sense. If I keep ranking up, I might not be able to stay under the radar.
For now, he would play it safe.
But eventually… he'd have to decide how deep he wanted to get involved.
As Renji turned to leave, he glanced back at the quest board.
Now that he was Rank E, new quests were available to him.
His eyes landed on one in particular.
[Quest: Subjugate the Ashfang Ravager]
- Location: Northern Highlands
- Difficulty: D-Rank
- Reward: 25 Silver Coins
- Notes: A powerful variant of the Ashfang Wolf has been terrorizing trade routes. It is far more aggressive and resistant to magic than standard beasts.
A strong monster.
A perfect opportunity.
Renji's fingers tapped against the Phantom Step ability now coursing through him. If this world had taught him anything so far, it was that he needed to keep growing.
And there was only one way to do that.
He tore the quest from the board and turned toward the exit.
It was time for his next hunt.