The steel gates of the Twin Swords Guild burst open with a loud crash.
"Bang!"
A body was thrown out of the guild courtyard and slammed face-first onto the stone road.
Dust scattered the moment the body hit the ground. The large bag on his back was flung to the side as well.
Several people walking along the main street of the neutral city immediately turned their heads.
"What was that?"
"Someone got thrown out?"
The attention of the passersby was naturally drawn to the commotion.
The young man who had been thrown out slowly lifted himself from the ground. His knees stung, and his palms were scratched from trying to break the fall.
His name was Evan.
He had not even managed to stand properly when a heavy voice came from the gate.
"You're being noisy."
A large man stood there.
His shoulders were as wide as a wall, and his arms were as thick as young tree trunks. It was obvious he was the one who had just thrown Evan out of the guild.
Evan hurriedly stood up.
"W-Wait a moment!"
He stepped forward with a panicked expression.
"Please reconsider! I can work hard! I won't be a burden!"
The large man looked at him with an annoyed expression.
A cold gaze, as if he were looking at something unworthy of wasting his time on.
He snorted.
"Go back to being a farmer."
The words came out without hesitation.
"That suits you better."
Evan fell silent.
The man didn't even wait for a reply.
He pushed the guild gate shut.
"Thud!"
The sound of the steel gate echoed faintly along the street.
Evan stood in front of the now tightly closed door.
Some people nearby began whispering.
"Rejected again?"
"Pretty bold trying to enter Twin Swords."
"Just look at his clothes. Clearly some village kid."
A few people even chuckled before continuing on their way.
Evan said nothing.
He simply lowered his head.
His hand was gripping something tightly.
When he opened his palm, a worn and crumpled sheet of paper could be seen.
A guild application form.
The corners were even slightly torn from being squeezed too hard.
Evan stared at the paper for a long time.
The afternoon wind blew gently along the main street of the neutral city.
'The third guild…'
He let out a quiet sigh.
'This is already the third guild that has rejected me.'
On the street, explorers continued walking as usual.
Some wore armor full of scratches. Some carried long spears on their backs, while others held bags filled with monster parts taken from the dungeon.
A world completely different from the one Evan knew.
Evan slowly sat down by the roadside.
His eyes stared blankly at the ground.
'How did everything end up like this…'
His thoughts slowly drifted back to a few days ago.
*****
A few days earlier.
A small village stood quietly in the middle of vast fields.
The midday sun shone warmly over freshly tilled soil.
"Swish!"
The sound of a hoe cutting through the air.
"Swish!"
Evan stood in the middle of the field holding a hoe.
But the way he swung it did not resemble that of an ordinary farmer.
His movements looked more like someone swinging a sword.
The hoe spun through the air before striking the ground.
"Swish!"
Evan paused for a moment and adjusted his breathing.
Sweat dripped down his forehead.
'If one day I can really hold a sword…'
He swung the hoe again.
"Swish!"
"Evan!"
A woman's voice called from the direction of the house.
His mother stood by the door, waving her hand.
"Lunch is ready!"
Evan raised his hand.
"Okay! I'm coming!"
He planted the hoe into the soil and walked toward the house.
The wooden house was simple, but warm.
Lunch was already set on the small table.
His mother smiled when Evan sat down.
"Practicing with the hoe again?"
Evan laughed softly.
"Just a little."
His father sat across the table, pouring soup.
After eating in comfortable silence for a while, his father spoke.
"Evan."
The young man looked up.
His father looked at him calmly.
"So… you really want to go to the neutral city?"
Evan fell silent for a moment.
Then he nodded firmly.
"Yes."
His eyes shone with determination.
"I want to become an explorer."
His mother paused her meal for a moment.
His father continued to look at him calmly.
Evan spoke with excitement.
"I'll join a guild. I'll explore dungeons and become a successful explorer."
He clenched his fist.
"I want to see a bigger world."
A few seconds of silence passed.
Then his father smiled softly.
His mother also smiled gently.
"If that's your decision," his father said, "we'll support you."
Evan blinked.
"Really?"
His mother nodded.
"Of course. You're our son."
*****
The next morning, the air in the village was still cold when Evan stood at the doorway of the house.
He was wearing the best clothes he had.
A large bag hung from his back.
His mother adjusted the collar of his shirt.
"Take good care of yourself."
His father patted his shoulder.
"If anything happens, call us."
Evan nodded.
"Okay."
A taxi stopped in front of the house.
Evan got into the vehicle with a confident face.
As the car began to drive away, he saw his parents still standing in front of the house, waving their hands.
A wide smile appeared on his face.
'I will definitely succeed.'
*****
The memory slowly faded.
Evan once again looked at the stone road in front of the Twin Swords Guild.
He was still sitting in the same place.
Some passersby glanced at him while laughing quietly.
"A village kid trying to become an explorer."
"How amusing."
Evan lowered his head.
His hand still tightly gripped the crumpled form.
'Was I really too naive…'
He took a long breath.
'Maybe… I should just go home.'
At that moment, a shadow stopped in front of him.
Evan raised his head.
Someone was standing before him.
A thin man wearing simple but neat long robes in an eastern style.
His black hair fell beside his face.
The man's eyes were closed.
Not merely shut.
His eyelids truly never opened.
Another thing immediately caught Evan's attention.
The man only had one arm.
His left arm.
His right arm ended just below the shoulder.
Yet somehow, despite his simple appearance, there was a calm aura about him, like that of royalty.
The man extended his hand.
"If you don't have a guild…"
His voice was calm.
"Do you want to join mine?"
Evan blinked.
"Huh?"
The man tilted his head slightly.
"Our guild happens to be looking for a new member."
Evan didn't think for long.
Not even for a second.
He immediately grabbed the hand.
"I do!"
The man smiled faintly.
*****
A few minutes later, they stood in front of a small building.
Above the door hung a simple wooden sign.
It read: Eyeless Guild
Evan looked at the sign with sparkling eyes.
"This… is our guild?"
The man beside him nodded casually.
Inside the small building there was only a wooden table and several chairs.
The man took the worn paper from Evan's hand, turned on the computer on the table, and typed something.
Not long after, a square card came out of the explorer identification printer.
The card was still warm when it was handed to Evan.
"This is your explorer card."
Evan looked at the card with shining eyes.
He held it carefully.
Then without realizing it…
he brought it closer to his nose.
"Sniff…"
He sniffed the card with a happy expression.
The man in front of him was silent for a moment.
Then he spoke in a flat tone.
"Don't eat it."
Evan flinched.
"That's not food."
Evan's face immediately turned red.
"I-I wasn't planning to eat it!"
He hurriedly put the card away.
Suddenly he realized something.
"Ah!"
He pointed at the man nervously.
"We haven't even introduced ourselves yet!"
"My name is Evan!"
The man smiled faintly.
"Jin."
He nodded slightly.
"Welcome to the guild."
Evan looked around the room.
Silent.
There was no one else.
He scratched his cheek.
"Um… Jin."
"Yes?"
"Where are the other guild members?"
Jin was silent for a moment.
Then he raised a finger.
Pointing to himself.
"Me."
Evan blinked.
"No, I mean the guild staff."
Jin continued pointing at himself.
"Me."
Evan's face began to turn pale.
"Then… who's the guild master?"
Jin was still pointing at himself.
But this time he smiled happily.
"Me."
Evan felt the world stop.
A few seconds later his face turned completely pale.
"I…"
He slowly sat down on the floor.
'I… got scammed…'
His head spun.
And for the first time since arriving in the neutral city… Evan truly felt like he might faint.