Rakki left the village gate behind him. The dirt road stretched toward a larger settlement—judging by the buildings and the flow of people, it was a trading village. Noise filled the air: merchants shouting their wares, the clang of metal being forged, the laughter of adventurers.
He had only taken a few steps into the marketplace when another sound caught his attention.
"Come on, don't be like that. Just come with us for a bit."
"Stop acting so hard to get."
The voices came from a narrow alley between two wooden buildings. Rakki stopped, his brow furrowing.
At the end of the alley stood a blonde-haired girl, backed into a corner. She wore simple clothes—a light brown robe and a small bag slung over her shoulder. Her expression clearly showed discomfort. In front of her were three men with larger builds, blocking her escape as they laughed quietly.
"Come on," one of them said as he stepped closer. "We just want to talk."
"I already said no. Please move," the girl replied, clutching her bag tightly.
Rakki let out a quiet sigh.
"So even in another world, guys like this still exist…" he murmured.
He stepped into the alley.
"Hey."
All eyes turned to him.
One of the men smirked. "What do you want?"
Rakki stood casually, hands in the pockets of his vest. His body was clearly smaller, his stats clearly pathetic—but his expression was calm.
"Harassing people isn't polite," he said flatly. "Leave."
There was a brief silence.
Then laughter erupted.
"Hah?" the second man laughed loudly. "This newbie wants to play hero?"
"Look at him," the third added. "So skinny."
Rakki glanced briefly at the girl. "Just step back."
She hesitated, but eventually took a small step away, her eyes never leaving Rakki.
The apparent leader stepped forward. "Listen, kid. This doesn't concern you."
Rakki shrugged. "It does now."
The man's face hardened. "Get him."
They moved at the same time.
The first man rushed in, swinging his fist—but his foot hit a thin puddle of water on the alley floor.
"W—!"
CRASH!
He slipped and fell flat on his back, his head slamming into the wooden wall.
"Ow—!"
The second man tried to attack from the side, swinging a short dagger. But as he stepped forward, the sheath caught on a loose rope lying on the ground.
"What the—AAAGH!"
He pitched forward. The dagger flew from his hand, spun in the air… and landed squarely on his own foot.
"IT HURTS—!"
The third man froze, his face pale. "What are you idiots doing?!"
He stepped back—and collided with a stack of old crates behind him. They toppled over, burying him under their contents. One struck his shoulder with a dull thud.
CRASH!
Silence.
Rakki had not moved from his spot. He hadn't raised his hands. He hadn't stepped forward.
He was simply… standing there.
The three men groaned on the ground.
"…Huh," Rakki muttered. "I didn't even start yet."
People nearby began to look over. A few passersby stopped, whispering among themselves.
"He took down three men by himself?"
"So fast…"
"That adventurer is strong…"
Rakki blinked. Wait, wait. This is a misunderstanding.
The three men finally staggered to their feet.
"Damn it…" one of them snarled, pointing at Rakki. "You… just you wait!"
"Yeah, yeah," Rakki waved lazily. "Watch your step."
They fled the alley, limping and cursing.
The alley grew quiet once more.
Rakki turned around.
The blonde girl was staring at him, eyes wide, her expression a mix of relief and awe.
"Th-thank you…" she said softly. "You saved me."
Rakki scratched his cheek, a little awkward. "Ah, not really. I didn't do anything."
"That's what makes it amazing," she said quickly. "They fell on their own… like you planned everything."
Rakki chuckled softly. "If I said it was just a coincidence, would you believe me?"
She smiled faintly. "For some reason… no."
She then bowed slightly. "My name is Hailey. I'm truly grateful. If you hadn't come…"
"Rakki," he replied. "My name's Rakki."
"Rakki…" Hailey repeated quietly, as if committing it to memory. "It's nice to meet you."
At the corner of his vision, something flickered.
[Affinity Increased: Hailey]
[Luck subtly alters first impressions]
Rakki looked at Hailey and let out a small breath.
"It seems," he thought, "this Luck stat… isn't just about item drops."
Rakki walked beside Hailey along the village's main road. The evening crowd had begun to gather—lanterns were being lit, and the smell of grilled meat drifted through the air.
"Hailey," Rakki finally spoke, breaking the silence, "in a place like this… where do adventurers usually get quests?"
Hailey glanced at him, a little surprised. "Is this your first time in a trading village?"
"Is it that obvious?" Rakki replied with a faint smile.
She let out a small laugh. "Most quests are gathered in the tavern. Information, village requests, even dangerous missions—you'll find them all there."
"A tavern…" Rakki nodded. "Figures."
"I can take you there," Hailey said quickly. "It's not far."
"Then I'd appreciate that."
A few minutes later, they stopped in front of a two-story wooden building. A large sign depicting a frothy mug hung above the door. Loud laughter and the clinking of glasses could be heard even before they entered.
Hailey pushed the door open.
Creeeak—
Warm air mixed with alcohol and smoke washed over them. The tavern was crowded—adventurers in armor, mercenaries, and mages filled the tables. At the far wall hung a large quest board, covered in parchment notices.
But the moment Rakki and Hailey stepped inside—
The atmosphere shifted.
Eyes turned toward them. Whispers followed.
"A newbie?"
"Look at that gear… just cloth."
"He even brought a girl."
Low laughter spread through the room.
"Hey, kid," called out a burly man with an axe strapped to his back. "This tavern isn't a playground. If you're looking for milk, go home."
Laughter erupted.
Hailey stiffened, gripping the edge of her robe. "Rakki…"
Rakki stopped walking.
His expression was calm—too calm.
But inside him, something stirred.
It's been a long time, he thought coldly, since anyone dared to look down on me.
In his old world, his name alone commanded silence. There were no mockeries. No laughter.
And now?
He was nothing more than a level-one beginner.
Rakki let out a slow breath.
"Hailey," he said evenly, "this is where you pick quests, right?"
"Y-yes," she answered hesitantly. "But maybe we should start with something easy—"
"No."
Rakki stepped forward, ignoring the stares and sneers, and stopped in front of the quest board.
"Hey, kid," someone scoffed, "you don't even have a party."
Rakki didn't turn around.
His eyes scanned the board.
Delivery requests.
Slime exterminations.
Merchant escorts.
Pathetic.
Then, at the very bottom—
An old, dark parchment sealed with red wax and marked with warning symbols.
[Rank: Extreme]
[Subjugation Quest]
Target: Black-Fang Direwolf
Status: Failed – Multiple Parties]
The tavern fell quiet as Rakki reached out.
"Rakki—!" Hailey grabbed his arm. "That's the most dangerous quest in the village! Even veteran adventurers—"
Rip.
Rakki tore the parchment from the board.
He turned to Hailey with a faint smile—not cheerful, but sharp. Challenging.
"I know."
Several adventurers stood up.
"He's insane."
"That level?"
"Suicide."
Rakki finally turned to face them. His gaze was piercing, utterly at odds with his simple appearance.
"If you've failed again and again," he said calmly, "what makes you so sure I will too?"
Silence.
For some reason, no one answered.
Hailey stared at him, her voice trembling. "Why… pick the hardest one right away?"
Rakki clenched the parchment in his hand.
"Because," he replied quietly but firmly, "I hate being underestimated."
A soft system chime echoed—heard by him alone.
[Quest Accepted]
[Luck reacts to reckless confidence]
Inside the tavern that had been full of laughter just moments ago, a powerless beginner
had just challenged something even veterans feared—
and for the first time,
people began to wonder:
Just who this kid, really?