Ishmael awoke to the sound of someone knocking on his door. Instinctively he reached out for his AK that was propped up against the bedframe.

"Ishmael." the voice behind the door said.

Ishmael recognized the voice, it was Crassus.

"We need to go to the administration guild before it gets crowded, I'll be waiting for you downstairs."

the sound of wood creaking got softer and softer as Crassus walked away from Ishmael's door.

Ishmael glanced out of the window. The sun had just started to peak above the horizon, bathing the town in a beautiful orange glow. It was nice to occasionally sleep like a normal person. During his time in the Northern Liberation Front, he would often sleep during the day and march during the night. It was the safest way to travel.

He put on his jacket and chest rig, still reeking of dried blood and riddled with holes. He really needed to get something new to wear. Thankfully his backpack was spared from any damage and did not need any replacing.

Sitting down on the bed, he put on his most prized piece of equipment. A pair of well-worn Leather boots. Unlike most of his other gear which were either 40-year-old surplus soviet gear or mass produced in a Chinese factory like his backpack, His boots were hand made.

They were a birthday gift from Nasir, hand made by a cobbler in a village nearby their base of operations. A guerrilla fighters most important asset is their legs. The ability to maneuver and travel long distances through rough terrain is a matter of life and death in guerrilla warfare. The boots were by far the priciest thing that he had owned barring the AK of course. Ishmael gave the room one last look to see if he had missed anything before heading down to the tavern.

It was early morning and the tavern was empty, the only inhabitants were some tavern staff cleaning the place and a few patrons that were still passed out from drinking the night before. In the middle of said tavern, beside a small round table was the comically contrasting figure of Gavin and Crassus.

"Did you sleep well?" Crassus asked.

Ishmael just nodded; a bit annoyed that Crassus was treating him as if he was still a child.

"Good, we should go to the Admin guild now and maybe do some shopping later with this."

Crassus patted a fat pouch of what sounded like coins.

"Gavin here will join us in the marketplace after we are done with the admin, He still has some business to take care of here. Plus, he hates the admin guild."

"And they hate me too, bureaucratic cunts." The crocodilian said before he poured the contents of a tankard into his gaping jaw. Even the way they drank was terrifying.

The trip to the admin guild, was like many other trips in this small town, short and uneventful. It barely took them five minutes from Gavin's inn before the arrived in a smaller yet more refined looking building. Unlike most building in town that were made of wood, this building was made of stone. Standing In front of the building was a helmeted man dressed in a thick blue coat, holding a spear. Attached to his belt was what looked to be a small axe and a small shield the size of a large plate.

"State your business."

The man said tiredly, clearly not a morning person.

"Adventure guild matters."

Crassus said curtly.

The man looked down on Crassus and then shifted his sight to Ishmael before nodding and letting them in.

The interior of Lardale's administration guild branch was simple. It had a few wooden benches for people to sit on while waiting before they are called to the wooden counter to speak with the representative.

Since it was early in the morning, there was nobody waiting in line. Crassus walked past the benches towards the counter with an aura of confidence, he had probably done this hundreds of times before.

"Please wait for us to ca-."

"There is nobody here except us."

Crassus cut off the lady manning the counter.

The brown-haired lady looked up to see who she was talking to and rolled her eyes.

"Oh, it's you" she said emphasizing the word 'you' with a bit of disdain.

"Hello Belia, long time no see."

Crassus gave her a friendly greeting that didn't seem to placate her mood very much.

"I hope you are not here to sell me one of your Investments again, I still haven't recovered from the last one."

"no, no. I am here strictly as a consumer of your services. No Investments I promise."

Crassus waved his little paw-hands in defense. Belia stared at him with her green eyes before shrugging.

"Whatever, just tell me what you are here for and go."

"Thank you, I would like to help this man sign into the adventurer's guild."

Crassus said as he pointed at Ishmael.

The girl blinked, not noticing that there was another man in the room. She gave Ishmael a brief look, before her eyes widened. Her posture changed into something more professional.

Ishmael raised his eyebrow at her sudden change.

"You wish to sign up for the adventurer's guild?"

Belia asked him as she took out some things from a drawer.

Ishmael nodded.

"Did Crassus talk you into this, you should be careful with him. He has a way with words."

"Hey!" Crassus complained.

I shook my head. "It was my own choice."

"Very well, the adventurer's guild charges a sign-up fee of a hundred guras and since you are communicating to them through our network, you will also be charged with a ten gura network fee."

Is nodded as I reached out to my repurposed grenade pocket to take out the coins I received from killing the [Minor Cyvern]'s. But before I took it out, Crassus handed her the fees.

"What's this? The mighty Crassus, paying for someone else from his own pocket?" Belia said as she counts the coins.

"Your words hurt me Belia. Even I, Crassus am not above paying my debts." Crassus said feigning injury. Belia gave a chuckle.

"All the fees are in order. What is your name?"

"Ishmael."

A small pause hung in the air.

"Ishmael Lukashenko."

Ishmael's voice cracked slightly as he said his last name. It had been a while since he had to say his family name. A family that he had seen taken away from him one by one. Crassus noticed his sudden change of demeanor but didn't say anything.

"Okay, prick your finger with this."

She handed Ishmael a small needle. Ishmael looked at Crassus who gave him a nod.

A small droplet of blood formed at the end of Ishmaels index finger; he was then given a small rectangular piece of metal by Belia.

"Now repeat after me, I swear in the presence of [The watchers] that I Ishmael Lukashenko swear by oath to follow the tenants of the adventurer's guild and to carry myself in a manner that does not bring shame to the guild or its members"

Ishmael was amused by the archaic method of initiation. Even the Northern Liberation Front who was very traditional had him sign a contract. Nevertheless, Ishmael repeated the words.

"Now, place your bloodied finger in the middle of the rectangle. You might want to sit down because it can get a little weird."

Belia said with a small pause before the word 'weird'.

Ishmael nodded and took a seat before pressing his index finger onto the surface of the rectangular object.

As soon as he did his body felt like it was on fire.

His vision flickered on and off. His brain felt like It was about to explode as he heard what sounded like a hundred people screaming in inside his head at once.

And suddenly nothing, the pain as if connected to a switch just disappeared without a trace.

He looked up at Belia and his eyes widened.

The word Belia floated above her head.

He turned towards Crassus and saw his name also floated above the ailurs head

[[Crassus Langenhom]]​

Belia giggled, she found amusement in his amazement.

"what is this?" Ishmael asked, still looking around the room for any other

"That is [The Sight]." Crassus answered.

"[The Sight]?"

"It is a very powerful spell created by Argis the all-seeing, the greatest mage to have ever lived" Crassus explained.

"Nearly 800 years ago a massive war broke out between the mighty Karledian hivemind and the Baltzar alliance which consisted of almost all of the other kingdoms in the world."

Ishmael furrowed his eyebrows, the story reminded him of the two world wars on earth.

"Even with the combined power of the kingdoms, the Karledian Hivemind proved to be stronger. All hope seemed lost as the Karledian armies marched through the lands, leaving once mighty kingdoms burning in their wake."

Ishmael nodded, he knew how it felt to fight overwhelmingly superior opponents, one could say it was in the blood of his people; the Ottomans Empire, the Mughal Empire, the British Empire, the Soviet Union, N.A.T.O and now extremists.

"It was then when Argis and a hundred of the greatest mages of their time casted the most powerful spell ever created. It was called [The Sight], a spell that allowed every sapient being the ability to see the invisible numbers that hide behind nature itself. The mages sacrificed their mortal being and their consciousness transcended to a higher realm and became beings known as [Watcher]'s."

"The ability to quantify and comprehend nature itself. That is the power of [The Sight]."

Ishmael was silent, he did not know how to react. It sounded surreal to him.

"Try looking at something and focus on it, as if you were trying to see it in greater detail."

Crassus said, Ishmael looked at the Casio watch on his wrist. Suddenly some text appeared above it.

[[Casio G-shock Mudmaster (fake)]]

[Relic]​

Ishmael frowned; he got this watch from a soldier who owed him some money after he lost to a gamble. The soldier said it was genuine.

"Pretty neat, isn't it?" Crassus said.

Ishmael looked at Crassus with more effort than he did before, suddenly new information popped up under his name.

[[Crassus Lagenhom]]

[Lv. 3]

[Traveling Merchant]​

"Now try thinking about yourself." Crassus advised.

Ishmael closed his eyes and thought about himself. Even when his eyes were closed, he could see a text appear in the darkness.

[[Ishmael Lukashenko]]

[Lv. 1]

[Beginner Adventurer]

[No new titles available]

[Ardor]

3/30

[Gifts slots available: 1]

[Gifts available]​

"What do you see?" Crassus asked.

"My name, it says I am level 1."

"What else?"

"It says I am a [Beginner Adventurer], also I have no titles. What is a title?"

Ishmael asked Crassus.

"A title is something you get for doing something impressive, say killing a king can get you the title of [Kingslayer]"

"What does it do?"

"Nothing, just bragging rights or you can intimidate people with it."

Ishmael paused, that doesn't sound very useful.

"What about [Ardor]? What does it do?"

"[Ardor] is the soul energy that is present in all living things. How many do you have?"

"three out of thirty."

"Can you guess where you got those three from?"

Crassus asked again.

Ishmael pondered on the question for a moment.

"The chickens that I killed when I saved you?"

Crassus nodded.

"Yes, the three [Ardour] were absorbed by you when you killed the [Minor Cyvern]'s."

"So, what do these [Ardour]'s do?"

"[Ardour] energy is needed by the [Watchers] to retain their consciousness and keep the spell going. You know, the one that allows us to use [The Sight]. They are also used as fuel when you cast a spell."

"So how do I cast a spell?" Ishmael asked again, a bit more excitedly this time.

"You have to get one first, you should be able to see a [Gifts available] correct?"

Ishmael nodded.

"Try Imagine opening a gift."

Ishmael imagined opening a parcel and before he could finish the thought a few new messages appeared.

[Gifts available]

[Lesser Headache Suppression]

Instantly allows you reduce the pain of headaches (does not get rid of the cause)

Cost of receiving gift: 1 [Ardor]

Cost of Casting: 1 [Ardor]

What? Isn't this just magical paracetamol?

[Cooking Instincts I]

You will instinctively know how when the dish you are cooking is done.

Cost of receiving gift: 2 [Ardor]

Cost of Casting: 1 [Ardor]

This also doesn't sound like it is useful.

[Lesser Internal Clock]

Tell the time with a margin of error of ± 10 minutes.

Cost of purchase: 1 [Ardor]

Cost of Casting: 1 [Ardor]

That is just my (fake) Casio but worse.

[weight manipulation I]

Temporarily Double or half the weight of any object weighing under 500 grams.

Cost of receiving gift: 3 [Ardor]

Cost of Casting: 1 [Ardor] / 3 minutes.

This is a bit more functional but still underwhelming.

To say that Ishmael was disappointed would be an understatement. He was expecting something flashier like shooting fireballs, or summoning lightning from the sky. Even Crassus's [Ethereal projection: Abacus] as useless at it was is infinitely more impressive than [Lesser Headache Suppression].

With a dejected sigh, Ishmael received the gift of [weight manipulation I]. as it was the most useful of the bunch. Any reduction of weight is welcomed prospect for a soldier.

[[Ishmael Lukashenko]]

[Lv. 1]

[Beginner Adventurer]

[No new titles available]

[Ardor]

=

0/30

[Gifts slots available: 0]

[Gifts owned]

=

[weight manipulation I]

Mastery: 0%

Cost of casting: 1 [Ardor]/ 3 minutes.​

Annoyed Ishmael opened his eyes.

"-We should build up your [Ardor] reserves first, okay?"

Apparently, Crassus was talking the whole time and Ishmael unintentionally zoned him out.

"Sorry, I wasn't listening. Can you repeat please?"

"As I was saying, do not receive any [Gifts] yet. The more [Ardor] you have the better [Gift] offers you get, it's well worth the wait to build up your [Ardor] reserves because you can never change a gift once you received it and you can only get 1 [Gift] slot per level."

Crassus said albeit annoyed that he had to repeat.

Ishmael on the other hand only gave him a blank stare and a one-word reply.

"Fuck."