...What.

No, hold on, I can't-,,

"Sir," I lean forward in my little seat, "...What kind of danger does a B-rank monster pose?" I had to ask it. I really just had to. After all, I need to know. There's no doubt that my next evolution, the one that'll happen in two levels, will allow me to become a B rank, at the very least. That would only be logical.

...But I'm not sure if I'll want to evolve. As odd as it may sound, I'm... kind of happy like this. Well, I was. Unless I gain a fully human form by evolving, I'll have to put it aside.

The Guildmaster lets his heavy eyes fall upon me. What he said before was right. If somebody in here is scared, it's him. I can see it, deep in his soul.

"-That would be... danger to a nation. Capable of reducing an entire population, a culture spanning a hundred years, into cinders," he said, folding his hands above each other. Alright, there we have it; no evolving. I don't-,, I don't want to become anything near that powerful. Jesus Christ. "That look in your eye better not mean anything unsavoury."

"No, sir, merely thinking," I replied off the top of my head. Hopefully, he didn't take it as an affirmation.

Suddenly, the Guildmaster sighed, relaxing noticeably. "Sonny, don't worry about it. We're not going to chase you out, Dark God be damned, if you decide to join this little party, we'll be all the richer for it! Don't look so glum, we'd be glad to have a powerful asset such as yourself on our side!" the Guildmaster said, his face lighting up in a tender smile, the first smile I've seen on him since I've met him.

"Dude, seriously? He can stay??" Todd exclaimed, smiling brightly as he rose from his stood with such vigour that it almost fell over. Such a movement brings attention, and as soon as he finished it, I met Mal's eyes, who sat on the other side of Todd. Was it just me, or did his eyes seem a bit dark-?

"Yes, seriously. Before you hop off to do all your avdenturin', I'd like to present you with a... let's say, 'special' quest," the Guildmaster said, leaning down to fiddle with his drawings.

"A-, a special quest-?" Todd stammered, and I could see his eyes shining up in radiating curiosity. No suspicion here.

"Indeed," the Guildmaster opened one drawer, grabbed a key, unlocked another, removed a key from a hidden compartment, took a key from said compartment and unlocked another drawer, grabbed a bundle of papers within, flipped through them until he found a certain specific one, "-we've been saving it for a higher-ranking Adventurer."

The piece of paper in question had a large, simple drawing of a rat on it, sharp-fanged and angry, with a lot of words above and underneath.

Quest:

Purge the Sewer Rats

(C-)

Rumours of red eyes in the dark and evil chantings at night have called for an investigation, which revealed that the sewers have been infested by Scutter Rats(F+) and Screechers(E). The problem has gone on for too long. Explore the sewers, find the breeding grounds and burn the corpses. Not a single rat must be left alive.

Reward(s):

2 500 EXP

50 Gilliards

Spellbook(Call Rat)

Tome

...

"-You may be wondering why the rank is so high despite the enemies being weak. It is a simple fact of quantity above quality, along with a general danger to the populace. An unpurged hive of Sewer rats can easily bring down a city, if Klipptima is anything to go by," the Guildmaster explained, pushing the paper closer to us.

Makes sense to me. Even though I can't understand what the rewards are supposed to be, it does feel a quest we can do.

"Hell yeah, let's do it!" Todd said, removing the armoured glove on his right hand.

"Ah, hold on. Take it easy, Todd, and do mind the language. We still have unfinished business," the Guildmaster said before stretching out his hand and resummoning his blue stone. "One point of mana each and the system will register you as a party. Oh, and don't forget to come to me if you wish to have your status engraved, although you'll hardly need it, returner."

Oh, ohhhh, wait, so that's what those stone tablets are? Just the statuses of adventurers-?

Mal and Todd reached out towards the stone, so I quickly did the same. One point from Mal, one point from Todd, and one point from the. The stone turned purple, and a blue screen popped up in front of it.

Party has been formed between Mal, Tobiath, and Johnny Fowl

Would you like to name Party?

-Name? Oh, yeah, Gus had said his party was called the beowolves or something, right?

"-Name: the Red Fro-,"

"Hero, cease that! Such a name is hardly befitting this party!" Mal interjected, blocking Todd from the stone with his arm.

"Hey! Frogs are damn cool!"

"Todd, language."

"As the prestigious party containing both the Hero and Villain, our title should be nothing less grand than the Serpent Two!"

"Serpent Two? Like, what, two snakes?"

"...I shan't explain it to you. Strength is your virtue, not wisdom."

"Hey, was that an insult 'cuz it kind of sounded like one but I'm not sure-??"

"Todd, that was an insult," I commented, but I'm pretty sure neither of them heard me. When Todd turned to me, it was proven that I had actually, unlike my expectations, been heard. ...Something about the way he was looking at me made me uncomfortable.

"-Alright! System! Register name: Firefly and the Buzzers!"

"Hero, what-,"

Party name (Firefly and the Buzzers) has been chosen

Confirm, Y/N

"N-,"

"YES!"

Party name (Firefly and the Buzzers) has been confirmed. Please grow strong, and defeat all monsters.

And so, our party name was chosen.