Two Hours Ago — Gryphon District - Adventurer Guild

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[ Ding! ]

[A new mission has been issued.] The system's cold notification echoed in Sage's mind.

Snapping back to reality, bitterness flickered in his eyes at the sound of the System's announcement.

Rubbing his nose, Sage sighed. "System, can't you let me rest for a few more days before throwing another mission my way? I've been running around trying to make this Guild grow. My back hurts, and I think I might have arthritis."

[Host, the Guild currently has only two Adventurers. Let me remind you that ever since it was established, you have exactly been idle when it comes to helping it grow.] The system replied coolly.

"Well then, whose fault is that? You told me not to promote it myself and now you're blaming me for our lack of members." Sage rolled his eyes in dissatisfaction.

This time, the system fell silent as if acknowledging the validity of his point.

"Hmph, I thought so," Sage snorted. He leaned back in his chair and waved his hand dismissively. "Anyway, show me the Guild Status Panel."

Instantly, a translucent screen displaying the Adventurer Guild Status Panel appeared before him.

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[Adventurer Guild Interface]

Guild Master: [Sage Alistair]

Guild Rank: F [Unproven]

Guild Funds: [53 Gold Coins (50 Silver Coins)]

Reputation: 60 / 100 [Unknown]

Active Members: [2]

Guild Territory: [None]

Guild Facilities: [None]

[Guild Objectives]

Main Quest: [Establish The First Guild In The World Of Eldoria]

Side Quest 1: Register Ten Adventurers [0/10].

Duration: [3 Days]

Side Quest 2: Post 10 Missions [0/10].

Duration: [3 Days]

Punishment For Failure: [Castration]

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Sage scanned the panel and raised an eyebrow as a smirk crept across his face. There had been some changes, the Reputation Points had risen from zero to sixty, and he now needed just forty more points to complete this objective.

Another change was that there were now two Adventurers. Looking at this progress made him smile. "What a milestone! I've gone from zero to two Adventurers; I've really put in the effort."

[Host, these two Adventurers found this place on their own rather than vice versa.] The system's mocking tone echoed in his mind.

"Shut it," Sage retorted as he continued examining the panel. "I now have 53 Gold Coins and 50 Silver Coins."

He rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Let's say I need another 47 Gold Coins to reach my target amount, not counting the Silver Coins. Even if I do count them, I still need fifty Silver Coins to exchange for one Gold Coin."

With that thought, a smile crept onto his face. "Finally, it won't be long before I can upgrade the Guild to E Rank. I wonder what will happen once I do."

He couldn't shake off the excitement bubbling inside him. The prospect of upgrading the Guild filled him with anticipation about what new opportunities or rewards might come his way.

As these thoughts swirled in his mind, he turned his attention to the missions he had received.

"Hmm, let's see... the first mission says I need to register ten adventurers."

He leaned forward slightly. "That seems pretty easy, especially with that green-haired guy's help. And mission two requires me to have ten missions posted."

He tapped his fingers on the table and continued, "That should also be manageable as long as those flyers are done properly by Mr. Green Hair. It looks like he's somehow involved in both of these missions, what a lucky charm I've got!" His eyes sparkled with satisfaction.

"Wait a minute... what's this? A time limit?" Sage's gaze locked onto the three-day deadline, and he was taken aback. "System, when did you start adding time limits to missions? You've changed."

[To prevent the Host from being lazy and unproductive, the System has activated the time limit function. From now on, all missions will have deadlines; failure to complete them will result in severe punishment.] The System's cold mechanical voice echoed in his mind.

Sage's eyes widened in shock at the System's explanation. After a moment of processing this information, he erupted in anger.

"System! What do you mean I'm lazy? Weren't you the one who forbade me from promoting the Guild myself? How am I supposed to complete certain missions if I can't spread the word about adventuring?"

[Not my problem.] The System replied curtly before falling silent.

Sage felt as if an invisible hand had tightened around his throat; all words vanished from his mind, leaving him utterly speechless and flabbergasted.

"Damn! What a lousy system." He finally regained some composure and spat out angrily. Scowling at the last section of information, he paled upon reading about the punishment for failure.

"What?! You want to turn me into an eunuch if I fail both missions? How cruel can you be?" A cold chill ran down Sage's spine as sweat began to bead on his forehead; he clamped his legs together as tremors coursed through him.

[Host, this is merely a form of encouragement for you to work hard on completing your missions.] The System replied, its tone laced with what could almost be mistaken for dry amusement.

"Encouragement my foot!" Sage retorted bitterly. "What kind of encouragement is this? What kind of system wants to castrate its host just for failing a mission!"

[The kind of system that didn't want to be stuck with a Host who's utterly incompetent and trash.] The System shot back mockingly.

Sage felt as though an invisible arrow had pierced his heart when he heard the system's comment. His confidence took a serious hit, and he clutched his chest with a dramatic expression.

"Damn! This system is so ruthless with its remarks. Doesn't it know how to communicate? How can it mock me so blatantly? I'll get my revenge someday, just you wait."

Taking a deep breath, Sage composed himself and focused on the mission at hand, his mind racing with various thoughts. He had only three days to complete two missions.

The first one, registering ten adventurers, seemed manageable, especially if Gregor could rally ten of his friends.

Sage was confident that Gregor had more than enough friends, considering his personality. Although cynical and often foul-mouthed, Gregor's strength and charisma likely drew people to him.

In the dungeon ecosystem, warriors typically ventured in groups, so Sage believed Gregor would have no trouble finding companions.

Moreover, their deal meant that every time Gregor brought in ten people to register, he would receive three exclusive missions. That was a strong incentive for him to work even harder to recruit more adventurers.

So, the first mission didn't worry Sage too much. What truly concerned him was the second mission: posting ten missions.

His brow furrowed at the thought of this daunting task. "Completing the second mission is going to be tricky; three days is way too short for any buzz from flyers to take hold."

Although flyers were already circulating in certain parts of the city, it would take time for them to generate interest.

They merely aimed to create awareness about the Adventurer Guild, it wasn't enough to draw people in immediately. After all, trust issues ran deep among the people regarding such a unique and unfamiliar establishment.

Just thinking about all this gave him a slight headache. If he failed to complete the missions on time, he faced dire consequences, he certainly didn't want to think about being castrated! Even though he hadn't slept with any woman yet, that didn't mean he wanted to die a virgin.

"This is going to be really tough; three days isn't enough," he murmured as he clasped his hands under his chin and narrowed his eyes in contemplation. "Unless… an incredible opportunity arises…something that brings a flood of clients all at once...wait a minute..."

A thought struck him like lightning; excitement surged through him as he abruptly stood up from his chair, causing it to screech against the floor.

"Opportunity! I already have that opportunity... hahahaha!"

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