Brin was nobody special.
He wasn't strong like Ruin or quick like Lari. He was just a normal goblin, green-skinned, average height, plain face, and quiet voice. In a village of over a hundred, it was easy to blend in.
But ever since Caelen made the guild and the cards, Brin felt something inside him stir. It wasn't courage or pride.
It was hope.
He stood outside the guild with a wooden shield strapped to his arm, a dull copper dagger at his side, and his Bronze Rank card tucked in his pocket.
"First quest," he whispered to himself. "Just three slimes."
His legs felt heavy as he walked past the other villagers. Some were already boasting about wolf kills or showing off new weapons. He lowered his head, ignored their laughter, and headed toward the southern fields where the slimes usually spawned.
The grass swayed in the breeze. The sun hung low in the sky, casting gold across the trees. He gripped his dagger tighter.
Then, he saw them.
Three green slimes, wobbling gently as they rolled near the river.
Brin swallowed hard. "You can do this."
He rushed in clumsily, raising his shield. The first slime bounced toward him. He smacked it with the shield and stabbed—but missed. The slime smacked into his leg. It burned slightly.
"Argh!"
He fell back, swiped again, and this time his blade sank into the slime's body. It trembled... then popped.
One down.
The other two bounced toward him fast. Brin rolled to the side, panting. He stabbed wildly, then raised his shield to block a hit. It stuck to the wood, jiggling.
He kicked it off and stabbed again, heart racing.
Pop. Two down.
The third jumped right at his face.
He closed his eyes and swung upward. The slime burst into goo on his shoulder.
Brin collapsed on the grass, breathing heavily, sweat dripping from his nose.
Then his card buzzed faintly.
[3 Slimes Defeated. +10 Coins. Skill: Light Stab Lv1 learned.]
He sat up slowly, reading the message again and again.
"...I got a skill?" He blinked. "I really got one?"
His hands trembled. He touched the dagger in disbelief. It didn't glow. It didn't feel special. But he had a skill now. It was real.
For the first time in weeks, he smiled.
That night, Brin returned to the guild. Lirae stood behind the desk, writing names and paying out coins. When he handed in his quest, she looked surprised.
"Brin, right? First time?"
He nodded.
"Well done," she said, passing him the ten coins and a tiny paper slip. "That's your progress log. Keep it safe."
He clutched it tightly.
In the corner of the room, other adventurers laughed and drank soup. Brin didn't join them. Not yet. He sat near the fireplace, holding the dagger close.
"I'll get stronger," he whispered. "One step at a time."
The next day, he took another quest. Four slimes this time. Then five. Then six. His arms grew sore, but his movements got quicker. He learned how to time his shield, how to keep his footing on wet grass, and how to breathe between strikes.
[Skill Upgraded: Light Stab Lv2.]
[New Skill: Roll Dodge Lv1.]
[8 Slimes Defeated. +20 Coins.]
Each time his card lit up, Brin's chest swelled with quiet pride.
He used his coins to buy better gloves and a leather chest piece from Dorgrim's shop. Nothing fancy, but enough to keep him from bruising.
Soon, other villagers started noticing him.
"Brin, right?"
"Hey, how many slimes did you beat today?"
"Can we team up next time?"
He always nodded politely. He still preferred working alone. He liked the silence, the rhythm, the focus.
A week later, Lirae called him up in front of the guild board.
"You've finished fifteen quests. Time for a check."
He stepped forward nervously. She tapped her ring to his card. A faint light shone above it.
[Bronze Rank Evaluation: Eligible for Copper Rank Upgrade.]
Lirae grinned. "Congrats, Brin. You're officially Copper now."
Some nearby villagers clapped. Brin gave a small bow.
Later, as he sat near the fire again, Ruin dropped down beside him.
"Didn't think you'd get this far," Ruin said, chewing bread.
Brin shrugged. "I just kept trying."
"You're quiet, but steady," Ruin said. "Reminds me of the old dwarf fighters."
Brin smiled softly. "Thanks."
Ruin grinned. "Next up, we go after those Greyfangs. You in?"
Brin thought for a second. "I'll try."
By the end of the month, Brin had over fifty slimes defeated, several Greyfangs, and a new skill: Shield Bash Lv1.
He still didn't speak much. Still didn't seek praise.
But whenever he passed the guild board, younger goblins looked up to him.
"Is that Brin?"
"He leveled up so fast..."
"I heard he soloed six slimes last night!"
He wasn't a legend.
But he was becoming something else.
Reliable.
One evening, as he sat under the stars, his card lit up on its own.
[Title Earned: Slime Slayer.]
He laughed quietly.
No one else was around to hear it.
But he didn't mind.