Chapter 16: Stripped Bare
The first thing Ethan did after waking up was march straight to the inn counter and ask the owner one simple question:
"Is there a bathhouse nearby?"
The innkeeper gave him a puzzled look, eyes trailing over his clothes and face with a scrutinizing gaze. "You look clean enough," the old man muttered, as if confused why anyone would go out of their way for a bath. "Most folk just wipe down with a damp cloth. Water's not cheap, y'know."
Ethan blinked. What kind of place was this?
Still, the innkeeper eventually pointed him toward a public bathhouse just around the corner. "Ten copper coins for a soak," he said. "No funny business in there, mind you."
Ethan didn't hesitate. "Funny business" was the last thing on his mind. After paying the fee—an absolute necessity in his book—he slipped into the warm water and let out a breath he didn't realize he'd been holding.
The bath didn't just clean him—it restored something intangible. A sliver of his humanity, perhaps.
Unfortunately, the bliss didn't last. Soon he was back to chewing on the same tasteless brick of "bread" that passed for breakfast in this town.
Being poor is a sin, he thought bitterly.
After forcing the dry lump down with some cold water, he made his way to the Adventurer's Guild, hoping to pick up another job and perhaps something edible for later.
Just as he stepped inside, his eyes caught a familiar face—Brad and his party were gathered near the job board.
He was about to raise his hand to greet them when—
"Congratulations on your promotion to D-rank, Voren!"
Ethan paused.
Huh?
Wait… what?
Wasn't he already in a C-rank party…?
He stood there, blank-faced, thoughts spiraling into confusion.
Brad's loud voice cut through his trance.
"Yo! Ethan! How'd the pest control go yesterday?" he said cheerfully, walking over.
Ethan nodded slowly. "...It went fine."
"Yeah, those little bastards are more of a headache than you'd expect. Can't even sleep properly when they infest a place."
Brad chuckled, talking on and on about the common nuisances and how some villages once had to burn their whole barns down because of them.
But Ethan's mind was still stuck on Voren. That guy had just been promoted. Something didn't add up.
Eventually, he gathered the courage to ask, "Hey, Brad… what's the deal with Voren? I thought he was part of your C-rank party?"
Brad gave him a relaxed shrug. "Oh, that? They were undergoing a promotion quest. That escort mission you helped with? That was the quest. I was just overseeing them."
"…Overseeing?"
"Yep. Technically, I wasn't a full party member. Just there to monitor their progress. Though I did step in at the end to clean up the hobgoblins… they're upper D-rank, after all."
Upper D-rank?
Ethan blinked again.
Brad continued, "And since you took one down on your own, I bumped you up to E-rank. Fair and square. Why ask?"
"…No reason."
His thoughts buzzed like static. But before Brad could wander off, Ethan stopped him.
"Uh… Brad. Can I ask you for a favor?"
Brad tilted his head. "Yeah?"
Ethan leaned closer and said, just low enough to keep it private, "Could you let me… inspect your stats?"
Brad raised an eyebrow. "Inspect?"
"It's a skill of mine. It lets me compare myself to someone else. Party compatibility, relative strength… that kind of thing."
"Ohhh," Brad nodded. "Go ahead."
Ethan activated his skill.
For a moment, Brad shivered and rubbed his arms. "Okay—what the hell. Don't do that to anyone else, got it? Feels like someone ripped my clothes off."
But Ethan didn't respond.
He was too stunned.
Eyes wide, mouth slightly open—his shock was written plain across his face.
What he had just seen…
Was not something he was ready for.
[Inspect Activated...]
Target: Brad Walkins
Race: Human (Unawakened)
Age: 256
Class: Monk
Title: None
Level: 38
—
Strength (STR): 27
Vitality (VIT): 30
Constitution (CON): 29
Agility (AGI): 23
Stamina (STA): 26
Intelligence (INT): 21
Mana (MANA): 22
Ethan stood frozen.
Not because the numbers were absurdly high.
But because he never felt any of it from Brad.
This much power… and not a shred of pressure?
He had been talking, walking, laughing like any other casual adventurer.
No aura. No killing intent. No physical presence that hinted at danger.
Just a calm, easy-going man… who could obliterate monsters with his bare hands.
Ethan's lips parted slightly.
What the hell… what is this?
It didn't make sense.
This kind of strength wasn't something you could hide with a cloak or a smile.
It should've bled out with every step he took.
It should've sent chills down his spine the moment they met.
But it didn't.
Brad had buried it all so deep, so naturally… like it wasn't worth mentioning.
How long do you have to live… to reach this level and still treat it like nothing?
Beside him, Brad shook his arms from the inspection. "Alright, alright. That's enough. Weirdest sensation I've felt in months."
Ethan didn't reply.
He couldn't.
His entire perspective had been shaken.
Power didn't always shine.
Sometimes, it just smiled at you... and offered help like a friendly neighbor.
Brad raised an eyebrow at Ethan's expression and gave a knowing chuckle. "That look on your face... Yeah, I figured."
He crossed his arms and leaned in slightly. His tone was casual, but his words carried weight.
"Let me guess. You used that same little inspection trick on Voren and Doren yesterday, didn't you? Saw their stats, compared yours, and thought—'I'm special'? Hah... no, no, kid."
Brad tapped Ethan's forehead lightly with a single finger.
"You're not big. The world is big."
Ethan blinked.
Brad's smile faded, replaced by something older. Wiser.
"Listen carefully. And remember this—because no one's gonna repeat it for you."
His voice dropped into something quiet. Not threatening. Not boastful. Just real.
"There's always someone stronger. Always someone quieter.
And the ones you should be most wary of...
are the ones who don't need to show it."
He stepped back, stretching his shoulders with a yawn.
"Oh, right. Since you're curious, I'll feed that little head of yours some info. For an unawakened guy, promotion from C to B rank usually takes around fifty to sixty years. I took about thirty, give or take."
He scratched his chin. "Can't say how long it takes for awakened ones. Their road's different. Faster. Easier in some ways. Crueler in others."
Then he looked at Ethan one last time—no longer like a peer, but like a mountain speaking to a pebble.
"Be careful out there, kid."
He turned, raising a hand in farewell. "Alright. I've got work to do. See you around."
And with that, Brad Walkins walked away. No dramatic exit. No lingering presence.
Just gone.
Ethan stood still for a moment, staring at the empty space he left behind.
He opened his mouth, tried to speak—but only a quiet, uncertain "Yeah… see you," escaped.
The guild hall bustled as usual. Requests were being posted. Adventurers chatted and argued. Life moved forward.
But in Ethan's mind—
A storm was brewing.
Should I be lucky… that I didn't provoke him?
Or unlucky… to stumble upon monsters like him on my very first day in this world?
He didn't know.
But one thing was certain now.
He was small.
The world wasn't.
And he'd have to grow—fast—just to survive.