Level Up: Voidwalker

[Grishna's POV]

The next morning, Grishna woke up feeling refreshed and ready for the day ahead. She quickly prepared herself, eager to meet Throne and his harem at the Suncrest Train Station. As the sun rose, casting a warm glow over the landscape, she stood by the inn's window, taking in the serene view.

Letting out a loud yawn, she stretched and then checked her status.

[Experience: 4920/5000]

[Experience Gained: 4140]

[Health: 866→896]

[Mana: 2368→2490]

[Strength: 2050→2150]

[Stamina: 1368→1418]

[Charisma: 566→586]

[Intelligence: 360→390]

[Razorwind Blades: 0→1]

[Silver Shriek: 0→1]

'Nice! One more monster, then I'll level up,' she mused. 'Maybe I can kill Throne?'

Grishna started laughing before entering the bathroom and connecting to the room. Then, she started taking a bath while thinking about the Devil's Swamp Dungeon. She had heard from other adventurers that it was perfect for Rank G and below.

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While lying in the hot water, she pulled out her brown guild card and held it against the mana light. It had her name and the number of quests and dungeons she had completed. Next to that was a thumbprint that was used to connect it with the adventurer.

She knew her guild card would change color after completing fifty quests. With only eighteen more to go, Grishna planned to undertake one as soon as she was dressed. She still had a couple of hours before meeting Throne and his harem.

Ten minutes passed, and she dried herself before wearing her armor and readying her spear. Now that Grishna was ready, she left the inn and headed for the Adventurers Guild to look for a quick quest.

While walking down the road, minding her own business, Grishna noticed a dozen guards rushing toward the southern entrance, 'I wonder what's happened now? Maybe a Troll got to close to the city,' she thought.

Soon enough, she entered the guild and saw a flurry of adventurers doing business. Some were selling their hauls while others took quests. Grishna approached the quest board to find one that would suit her.

Going through the papers, she found one and picked it up.

[Raider Ant Extermination: Eliminate the Raider Ants that are plaguing the farming village south of Suncrest City - Reward: 5 silver coins on completion - Proof: Ant Mandibles or Monster Cores]

Grishna thought this quest was perfect for exercise and ripped it off the board before waiting in line to see a guild receptionist. It took her ten minutes to reach the front, where a blonde human woman with bright pink eyes sat with a welcoming smile.

The woman looked at her with wide eyes, ''Grishna! It's good to see you, girl; how have you been?''

''I've been fine, Callie. I'm here to take this quest before heading to the Everglade Kingdom with Throne and his harem,'' she answered with a friendly smile.

''You're traveling with the Slayers?'' Callie asked with a bewildered expression.

She nodded, ''Yes. Throne and Mia asked me to travel with them.''

''A strong party; the guild master sees them going far,'' Callie said while taking the quest notice. ''You should join them, Grish; they would help with your leveling up.''

''Shut up, Callie! I'm not joining his damn harem,'' Grishna declared with frustration laced in her voice.

The receptionist held her hands with an innocent smile. ''Okay, I forgot you're a lone wolf nowadays,'' she said before changing the subject. Now, hand me your guild card so I can register the quest. Do you know what to do?''

Grishna nodded as she handed over her card, stating, "Return to the guild with proof of the kill and the Guild Coin issued by the quest givers when they post the job."

''Perfect!'' Callie exclaimed with a smile. ''Seventeen more quests, then you can take the test, but you still need to explore a level 1 dungeon, which is nothing to you. Maybe you can hit up the Goblin Nest. Being an Adept, you can clear it in a few hours.''

''Interesting,'' the thought of leveling up and earning more coins was too much for the greedy Orc. ''Can you message the Slayers and tell them I'll be a few hours late?''

Callie laughed, ''Don't worry, Grish. I'll send a messenger sparrow to them once we're done here,'' she said while handing her card back.

Grishna nodded with a smile, ''I'll see you in a few hours, Cal,'' she replied before leaving the Adventurers Guild and heading toward the southern gate.

While walking, she passed the one person she didn't want to see. 'The blonde bitch is here! Dammit,' she muttered under her breath.

***

[Estelle Argonia's POV]

''What was her problem, My Lady?'' Maria asked while watching the Orc girl giving Estelle a dirty look.

''Jealousy Maria. Grishna Brokentooth hates that I'm better than her, and when she finds out that I've already become a Rank F adventurer, she will be angry,'' Estelle answered with a smug grin.

The group headed for the Suncrest Train Station, journeying to the Everglade Kingdom to run a dungeon. Estelle didn't know the way, so the Battle Sister Sophie was leading the way due to being their navigator.

Estelle watched the people pass by and spoke to the group's planner, Charlotte, a bookish blonde woman in her mid-twenties, ''Char, what dungeon do you suggest we start?''

''My Lady, I think we should start with a level 1, see how that goes, and move to a higher one,'' Charlotta answered. ''Rumors speak of many powerful monsters showing up. The Evergladian government has deployed the national guard to the dungeon entrances as a safe measure.''

''Okay, we will go with your idea,'' Estelle answered as she spotted the Morozov train station.

It was made of beautiful orange Sunshard Granite, which the federation took from the mountains surrounding the Blue Dune Desert on Aridonia. If Atlas had seen this building, he would have called it a Greek-looking building that belonged in Athens.

Beautiful light blue glass covered one side of the building, allowing people to see the ticket booths, waiting area, and the heavily armed Morozovian guards patrolling the inside and out. They carried high-ranked weapons ranging from swords to poleaxes.

Estelle stopped walking and examined the armor, which looked basic, but she knew it was the opposite. The helmet was shaped like a Frostfang head, while the armor was a dark grey with white trim.

White fur padded the armor and kept them warm in the colder climates. Estelle didn't like the Morozovians as they thought they had the upper hand against kingdoms. Rumors speak of the Achaemenidian Emperor Cryus the Great forcing the federation leaders to lower the prices and treat their clients fairly.

She shook her head and approached the entrance while the guards watched as they passed. Battle Sister Maria said, ''I will purchase the tickets for the ride.''

Estelle nodded and waited with the others while seeing what group of adventurers poured onto the platform, causing more Morozovian guards to appear and watch over everyone with narrowed eyes.

Sophie joined her on the bench, ''Do you think we'll find good dungeons in Everglade, My Lady?''

''Yes, we also can explore the Darkheart Jungle. Brother told me that he and his followers went there, and he leveled up ten times,'' Estella replied before turning her attention to Maria approaching them.

The older woman looked angry, but Estelle said, ''How much did you pay?''

''4 gold coins each, My Lady,'' Maria answered.

''They did lower the price like the Achaemenidians ordered,'' she said. ''I wonder why they listened.''

''The emperor said he would invade their homeland with his Immortals, and you know how they are,'' Maria replied.

Estelle and the others shivered at the thought of fighting those demons. She knew the Achaemenidian Immortals were the strongest fighters apart from the Saharaelian Warriors, but they didn't leave the Blue Dune Desert.

Even her father sent diplomats to the Western part. The officials returned, speaking of crazy religious fanatics speaking of a being named Azhar'Zul leading them, and the so-called Great Mother rejected their terms.

This confused Estelle as the Argonia Kingdom was strong in its own right and raised some of the best knights on the Astoria Continent. Soon after, she shook her head as they heard a loud horn.

An attendant appeared on the platform, informing everyone the train was coming and not to rush onboard. Estelle stood up as it pulled into the station; she was always amazed whenever she spotted the machine.

It resembled a locomotive train straight out of the Wild West but with a more modern and sleek design, matching the gray color of the Morozovian guard's armor. This machine pulled a dozen carriages with seats, offering a faster way for people to travel around Valoria than caravans or mounts.

As the train halted, the Battle Sisters made way for Estelle as she boarded. Making her way through the carriage, the blonde eventually settled on a group of seats to sit together. Taking a seat, Estelle gazed out the window, taking in the sights of Suncrest City.

Stone and wooden buildings lined the streets, with taller buildings representing the trade district, just beyond the homes and the noble district where the wealthy would build their mansions.

Estelle watched the people pass by while doing business and living peaceful lives. She could spot Mistveil Summit in the distance, covered in a thick fog that blocked the view of the mountain peaks.

She had heard of the horrors in that mountain range; her father told her that the Thalassian Emperor rewarded adventurers when they cleared the forest below of monsters that terrorized the local towns and villages.

While gazing out of the window, Maria said, ''We will arrive in the Everglade Kingdom in a couple of days, My Lady.''