The sun hung low over the golden hills of Velderan, casting warm light across endless forests and winding rivers. The world looked like it had been handcrafted by a fantasy artist who took their job very seriously.
Lucian Kael, fresh off his "accidental divine glitch" reincarnation, was currently trudging down a dirt path toward the nearest human settlement with a wooden staff he found leaning on a bush.
"Okay," he muttered to himself, "goal number one: look poor, sound dumber, and pretend to suck at everything."
He examined the reflection of his new face in a small stream.
Soft black hair. Emerald-green eyes. Youthful but not too flashy. A face designed by the gods to scream: "Background NPC #12".
"Perfect. Generic Protagonist Face: denied."
He wrapped a basic brown cloak around himself, smudged some dirt on his cheeks for realism, and lowered his stats screen.
"Let's go be a nobody."
[Welcome to Everfall]
The town of Everfall was surrounded by sturdy stone walls and overlooked a glittering lake. Smoke drifted from chimneys. Children chased each other near the gates. Merchants yelled about carrots.
And the moment Lucian stepped through the gate...
He tripped over a rock.
Faceplant. In front of a horse cart.
The driver cursed, "Oi, ya daft twig! Watch yerself!"
Lucian got up slowly, coughed, and gave his best sheepish NPC smile.
"My bad. First time in town. Total noob."
The guard at the gate barely spared him a glance.
Success. He blended in perfectly.
(The Adventurer's Guild)
Lucian entered a large wooden building with a creaky sign swinging out front.
[EVERFALL ADVENTURER'S GUILD]
Inside, it smelled like beer, sweat, and disappointment.
A few rough-looking men sat at tables, boasting about kobolds and broken swords. On the far end, a tired receptionist sorted through quest parchments behind a counter.
Lucian approached with a slight limp (added for flair).
"Excuse me… I'd like to register as an adventurer. Bronze rank. Super weak. Might die from paper cuts."
The receptionist, a bored blonde elf woman named Talia, glanced at him.
"...Another dreamer, huh? Got any skills?"
"Tripping over rocks. Breathing. Occasionally thinking before speaking."
She didn't laugh. Not even a twitch.
"Fine. Fill this form. Pay one silver. Try not to die on your first day."
Lucian filled it out using his fake name: Luca Gray.
He dropped a silver coin on the counter, then received a worn leather tag with the bronze rank insignia: a simple copper triangle.
[New Quest Received: Join the Guild (✓)]
[Title Unlocked: Bronze Nobody].
"Hey, kid," a gruff voice called out.
Lucian turned.
A bulky man with a shaved head and a giant axe waved him over.
Brakk, a mid-level adventurer who looked like a gym membership got cursed with bad attitude.
"We're short one body for goblin patrol outside the west woods. You got legs and a stick—good enough. You in?"
Lucian considered. Easy mission. Good cover. No danger.
"Sure," he said. "Just don't expect me to do anything heroic."
"Didn't plan to," Brakk said, already walking off. "You're bait."
Lucian smiled.
"Works for me."
The group of four adventurers made their way to the woods. Lucian kept his mouth shut, his aura sealed, and pretended to suck at walking in mud.
They found a goblin camp. Five of them. Small, green, stupid.
Brakk charged in with a roar. The others followed. Steel clashed.
Lucian stayed back.
He watched one goblin break formation and sneak toward the rear.
Right toward him.
"Crap. What's the weakest spell I can use without looking cool…"
He waved his staff and whispered, "Light spark."
A tiny puff of golden particles flew from the tip.
It hit the goblin square in the chest.
Then—
BOOM.
The goblin flew ten meters back and exploded into green mist.
Everyone froze.
Brakk turned slowly. "...What the hell was that?"
Lucian blinked. Looked at his staff.
"...Uh. Beginner's luck?"
[Title Unlocked: Totally Not Suspicious]
They returned with goblin ears as proof. Brakk slapped them onto the counter.
"Decent run. And the new guy... might be cursed. He sneezes and goblins die."
Talia stared at Lucian. "You cast Light spark."
Lucian scratched his head. "Is that not how it's supposed to work?"
A few guild members started whispering. A few glanced at him curiously.
"Guess I'll just go... clean stuff. Or stab a rat. Real weak stuff."
He backed away slowly, face blank, inwardly screaming.
I messed up already?! This was supposed to be a low-key life!
Later That Night
Lucian lay on a creaky bed in a small inn room, staring at the wooden ceiling.
"Day one, and I've already unlocked three titles, vaporized a goblin, and became semi-famous among drunk axe dudes."
A soft ding sounded.
[Secret Achievement Unlocked: Mob Life... Kinda Failed]
Lucian groaned and pulled a pillow over his head.
"Tomorrow. Tomorrow I'll be boring. Totally unremarkable."
Outside, thunder rumbled in the distance.
The world of Velderan had just met its glitch.
And he had no idea how much he was about to mess up fate.