After dinner Viers went back to his room, there were various assortments of no good bottles in front of him. He also brought a bucket, it was precaution should he end up needed to vomit.

Okay time to get this feast on the road, I am ready. This needs to be done anyway, so let’s get some.

Viers took a bottle that would cause him itchy rashes. Bottoms up, Viers thought before gulping the blue solution.

“Wow that actually taste good, like a sweet juice,” after drinking one poison, he waited. Before long he was bored and decided to do some sit-ups to spent his time.

25… 26… 27… Heyo Fat, howzit going my man?

40… 41… 42… Y’now, things are dull lately U get me?

58… 59… 60… Soo, U still chillin’ here? Not gonna move dawg?

81… 82… 83… Yea, so I drank some juice, did U feel som’thin?

98… 99… 100… Wazzat? Want some more? Me too.

This time Viers drank a poison that would give him mild ache throughout his body, then he did some push-ups.

11… poisons huh, Nakala said there were people who had poison element.

24… how’s that even work, there are so many kinds of poisons, acids, toxins, won’t it all be jumbled-up?

36… so they become poison-man? won’t their breath, sweat, skin, and waste become dangerous to other people?

43… anti-healing poisons could be my healing factor weakness, have to be extra on-guard if this world has something like that.

50… Alright time to wrap-it up, another poison incoming.

The silent night continued while a chubby boy filled himself up with poisons.

***

“Class, attention,” Nakala addressed the noisy class. The inside classroom period for today was over by now.

“Today I have good news for all of you, from now on you all shall be considered an adventurer! Yay, big applause to all of you,” Nakala said with a joyful mood and clapping her hands.

A moment of silence before the class exploded with joy and thunderous applause, but there was one among the whole classroom who didn’t have a splinter of excitement. His eyes were bloodshot and he didn’t sleep well yesterday night.

Hmph, a bunch of noisy kids… Viers grudgingly thought in his head.

“Alright, settle down now let me explain. Enrollment at the Training Centers will automatically make you an adventurer because the TC is a subsidiary body of adventurer’s guild as a whole. Today you will receive your adventurer’s tag then you are allowed to accept quests.”

“Of course you all will start at the lowest level ranking thus the quests you're allowed to take are limited reflecting your rank. Let me explain about the rank of adventurers. There are seven ranks, from the lowest to the highest they are, Glass, Obsidian, Iron, Bronze, Silver, Gold, and Diamond rank.”

Nakala said while she wrote the ranks on the blackboard.

“You all start at Glass rank but don’t worry, as long as your power is strong enough you will rank-up in no time. There are always quests to be done and not enough hands to complete the tasks.”

Because adventurers die all over like flies especially the lower rank ones, Viers thought.

“From Glass to Silver, these are the adventurers that usually roam the wilds. Gold and Diamond ranks are rare, testament of their power which befits their ranks. Rank 1 to 4 Path-seekers were usually among Glass to Gold ranks while only the most outstanding rank 4 and 5 path-seekers belongs to Gold and Diamond ranks.”

“The quest they accept were usually issued by cities or nations, the top class adventurers have the strength to resolve conflicts on the national scale. They also possess high status among nobles, royalties, and various important people who have their own territories.”

“But after you raised your rank above Glass, you are entitled to finish quests befitting your rank. There is a certain quota that must be met, should you fail to do so you will drop in rank. Besides the quota, there are also compulsory quests that the guild issues. Failure in this compulsory quests will result in heavy penalties. This system was implemented so adventurers do not stagnate and always moving forward resulting more adventurers possessing higher rank.”

There it is, the shackles of society and organization. What kind of nonsense this is? Society is about exploitation, the lower you are the more you are exploited. Adventurers and ranks, they are only tools for me to use. I shall use it as long it is convenient for me. As Viers heard Nakala's explanation about the adventurer’s system, his mood turned sourer by the moment.

“Remember, the higher rank you are as an adventurer you will receive more benefits from the guild. But it's still too early for you trainees, the reason the guild gives you your tags now is to provide you means of income. Most likely your parents provide you some money for the year you are here but for those who did not, there’s no need to be afraid. You can finish quests and received money.”

“Money or resources will be very important for us Path-seekers who walked the Path. Therefore adventurers and Path-seekers make a mutually beneficial relationship. Adventurers finish quests to get money, money could be used as resources, and resources are very important for Path-seekers to get stronger. The stronger you are the more lucrative quests are available to you.”

While the other kids’ face was beaming with anticipation, Viers’ grew darker. Nakala didn’t notice Viers’s bad mood and continued to clarify.

“The relation between Path-seekers and resources will be explained more in the future, as I was saying earlier from now on you can accomplish quests for rewards. If you have a source of income that means you can stand independently from your parents and proves you are a respectable adult.”

“However you all must remember, monsters are dangerous and the world outside is treacherous. Being an adventurer means a small misstep could cost you your life, accept quest suitable for your ability and never take on more than you can chew. It may be your last mistake.”

“Let’s move on, wait here and for those whose name gets called shall go to the next room where guild employees will finalize your documents and your adventurer’s tag.”

Nakala went outside then the classroom transformed into a market. Before long, Nakala came back and one by one the trainees went to the next room. While waiting for their turn, the trainees were busy talking among themselves or bombard Nakala with questions.

“Viers,” Nakala called Viers’ name but there were no Viers among the trainees.

“Ms. Nakala, he went to the toilet earlier,” Terry answered.

“Again? It was for the third time today, is he sick?” Nakala asked.

“I dunno, he said he ate something bad yesterday night.”

***

Viers went out of the toilet, finished the adventurer’s guild formalities then received his Glass rank guild tag. It wasn’t really made of glass, just a look-alike material. Viers skipped pool training again today and went to the guild, along the way the thought about many things.

I consumed six kinds of poisons in a single night and only one of them was lethal. I was too hasty, I never thought the effect would emerge in such manner. Diarrhea was not a pleasant experience to have, my feces were rainbow-colored FFS, oh give me a break…

Thankfully it’s much better now, I hope the last episode will be the last emergency. I already emptied my stomach and didn’t eat anything since this morning so there should be nothing left. My physical condition is also returning to peak despite my lack of sleep, courtesy of the healing factor.

Well enough about that. Besides the runs, it appears my body really has some poison resistance so my plan to forage for biomass is alive and well. Even better now since I have the guild’s tag, I can also get some quest to complete along the way. The timing of this was good, I was lucky.

Viers arrived at the guild, it was still bustling with activity like yesterday. He went to the quest board and found dozens of quest papers. The difficulty rank was clearly labeled on each one, Glass-rank was obviously the most numerous. He browsed all of the quests to see the difficulty level and compare them with each other.

Not even one Silver-rank quest... only two Bronze-rank’s. One is to kill a high-grade monster while the other to find some rare ingredient. The boar’s subjugation quest got Iron-rank difficulty.

Pay-per-kill huh, make sense with this type of quest but I’m surprised its actually Iron-rank quest. Only level three from seven levels of difficulty. Should this turned out to be a crisis like Spring of Wisdom predicts, the hazard level isn’t that high so it’s probably safe... right?

Oh well, that has no relation with me. Over-worrying is not good for your mental health, time to pick my own quest. Hmnn what should I pick? Oh look, a classic goblin hunting quest. A standard first mission, but I won’t take it for now. I will take it in the future though, who went to another world but didn’t experience some goblin hunting? Psshh, it’s like to die without ever tasted wine.

Delivery quest from one town to another? Sounds familiar enough, should be cities though… would I ‘strand’ along the way? Possibly, but not suitable for me right now. What else, what else… Aha, this should do, gather medical herbs -Red Sorrel- ten batches of five leaves from outside the town, herbs area is in the northern direction, perfect.

Viers took the quest paper from the board and went to the receptionist, Viers met Sherry again.

“Mr. Viers right? Congratulations, from now on you are an adventurer,” Sherry said after looking at the tag on Viers’s neck.

“Thank you Ms. Sherry, I would like to take this quest please,” He gave her the quest paper.

“Confirmed, the herbs were in season right now so it should be easy to find them. Good luck Mr. Viers, please be careful during your quest,” Sherry said.

“How’s the boar’s situation Ms. Sherry?” Viers curiously asked.

“There were 23 Iron-ranked adventurers already went south and more are still coming, so no need to worry Mr. Viers, I’m sure it will be back to normal shortly.” After hearing the news from her, Viers bid Sherry goodbye then leave the guild.

Mmm, Mr. Viers doesn't sound good. Famous adventurers would get their own nicknames according to trend, what would be good for me? Vegetable Slayer? Veggie Slayer? Herb Slayer? Gosh, would someone actually use names like those?

A snicker appeared on Viers’s mouth, then he went out of town gates. No time like the present and it was getting tedious inside the town, I already bring all the necessary equipment... About six hours until sunset, I can get there in about thirty minutes walking, less if I run and I have the stamina to run. Some food and water, final equipment check… All green, time to go.

The weather was a bit cloudy but the sun was shining strong, it was a bit past noon. A few steps outside the town border Viers stopped and he looked at the sky, one hand covered his eyes from sunlight. A gentle breeze was carrying the smell of grass and earth blew softly through him, he smiled.

“The world is so vast,” so many things to see, so much to do, and so little time, the Coalition alone is as big as Australia. This world is so much bigger than Earth, so many exciting things waiting for me to unveil and experienced, I am ready.

I am a Herb Slayer, and I will slay some herbs.

Viers walked to the north alone, to the wilderness, his steps were light as clouds. He was like someone on a luxurious vacation.