Grey knew that the she-devil will take her time, and that the mage snack will not materialise anytime soon. So instead of sitting on his ass and pointlessly waiting, for a likely empty promise, he decided to take initiative.


    Currently, he was casually strolling on one of the main streets. It was only early morning but there were already signs of life all around. The earliest birds were merchants and vendors setting their stalls for an early customer. Selling all and everything from tools to food.


    While the food smelled great, Grey’s stomach was still full, however, it gurgled regardless. The culprit, actually, was his mana core; empty and devoid of mana – how unpleasant. He wanted to find the solution for that soon.


    He eyed the tiny morsel who was busy laying fruit on a stall. No, this will not satisfy his hunger. He went from stall to stall with no luck. Not even the faintest hint of mana. Then again, if anyone had the gift of magic they wouldn’t be peddling on the street, hence the exercise was pointless.


    Grey made a note of the amount of useless things these humans were selling. He understood tools and food but why were so many trinkets and jewellery; those had no real utility. He shrugged, the big city was indeed a wondrous thing.


    A particular stall caught his eye. There a beastly-looking man, presumably a hunter, was sorting various monster parts. There were fangs, wings, eyes, bones, skin and scales. Everything,


    “Monster parts?” Grey, out of surprise, asked a foolish question.


    “You don’t seem an alchemist type.” The hunter eyed Grey ignoring the idiotic inquiry.


    “I am not.” Grey grabbed a particular item of interest.


    The monster core was already crystalised, hence no longer of any value to him. Otherwise, he could consume it to replenish his mana.


    “If you aren’t buying it, put it down. It’s expensive!”


    Grey growled at the hunter. The man clearly had an attitude problem, this was no way to speak with the customer. The hunter just scoffed at the sound Grey had just made. Then Grey decided to be a bigger man and let the offence slide. The item was returned at its place.


    “Say, where do you hunt your monsters?” Grey asked.


    “The nearby forest where else. Why? Ah, you are interested in hunting some for yourself. You should have said so from the beginning.”


    Grey sniffed the air, no magic, yet the rude man had just read his mind.


    The hunter continued “The Guild could use someone like you. And I will buy the parts you don’t need.” He put his index finger into the air. “Also, I will pay better than the Guild.”


    “Guild?” Grey wasn''t quite sure of what the hunter meant.


    “Yeah, you know the Guild.” The beastly man gave Grey a wild look. “The GUILD. Every city has one! And I don’t mean the merchant’s guild, tailors gild, or farmers guild. I mean the Guild.”


    The man still wasn’t making sense.


    “Fucking Beastkin!” He swore. “How did you miss that one.” He pointed at the tall building in the distance. “Here take this. It’s a type of recommendation which will save you a few coins. Just remember to sell the corpses to me!”


    Grey took a tiny slip of paper. On it, there was an image of a bow and arrow and below some scribbles which Grey couldn''t read. Somehow the hunter, the slip and this Guild were all connected. If it meant access to monster hunting spots this was worth a shot. So he casually strolled towards the tall building.


    The ‘tall building’ turned out to be called a bell tower, also Grey was told that he doesn’t want to go to the bell tower but the building adjesant to it. How presumptuous of others to assume what he wants and what he doesn’t. Anyway, the guard was right, the actual guild wasn’t in a bell tower.


    There was a big sign with letters spelling out the word GUILD, below it was just as big of an entrance. The inside was bustling with activity. On the one side, there were tables set for people to eat and drink. Then, next by the wall, there were counters where people exchanged various goods for coins. And right in the middle was a big map of the surrounding area, it had various marks of importance and pins denoting this or that. Next to the map was a board loaded with paper posters, and next to it was a reception desk.


    Grey has been to a couple of smaller towns but has never seen anything like this. The map especially was useful, but not the biggest surprise. The air in the place was heavy with mana. The mages were here! He had found a jackpot. Grey began salivating at all the delicious smells. He wanted to go and nab himself a snack, but this was not the time nor the place. Too many people, too many capable people, who would put a good fight. Regardless Grey felt giddy like a kid in a candy store.


    He took a big breath in. There were three distinct smells, meaning at least free mages. Grey sniffed out the closest one, unfortunately, this one was already out for the exit. Then he turned his nose to the other one, this one was a man; eww, males had that musky flesh. Grey wasn’t that desperate so he kept following his nose. The delicious fragrance led him to a female.


    Finally Grey had found his lunch and there was no need to rely on the half-elf. He will eat that she-devil for dinner, he no longer needed her.


    However, there was a hurdle to overcome. The mage in question appeared to be in a party of five. He could tail the party on their quest and maybe use an opportune moment to ambush them but victory was not guaranteed. Simply it was way too risky.


    So instead, he decided to linger in there and see what else comes up. Also, there was no need to aimlessly waste his time so he went to the reception desk. Over there a pretty human clerk was servicing it. She gave him a peculiar smile; it was only peculiar because he wasn’t used to humans smiling at him. Also, A smile wasn’t something a stranger gave at seeing Grey’s appearance and demeanour.


    “Welcome.” She greeted him warmly.


    Grey showed her the slip he had gotten from the rude hunter-merchant.


    “Ah, a new addition to the hunters. This couldn''t be better!” the clerk said cheerfully.


    Grey gave her an inquisitive look, she was odd.


    “Nowadays the recruits want only clean jobs. Like guarding a mansion, fetching a potion, tutoring a noble… So few are ready to get their hands dirty. I know that monster extermination quests don’t pay well but they are essential for the city!”


    Grey snorted, she was talking too much.


    “I know, right! As a hunter, you must understand the necessity of controlling the monster population. Anyways, let me take your details.”


    Grey was reluctant to reveal personal information to her, but apparently, all she wanted to know was his name specialisation and his experience. Grey had plenty of experience in hunting monsters but he had no proof for that. The clerk told him not to worry and marked it as a newbie.


    “Right, as of now you can’t take any higher-rank quests. You need to build your reputation first, but anyways you are here for monsters, those quests are almost always open for anyone willing. Have a look at the notice board, there’s the information on the locations and rewards.”


    Grey nodded.


    “Oh and this is your badge, don’t lose it.” She gave him a copper tag.


    Grey inspected the piece, it was a thin piece of metal with a number on it. The number seemed to be random and of no significance. The only feature of note was that the tag seemed to be enchanted with some sort of magic. It was faint, hidden even, but Grey could sense the magic embedded in it.


    He pocketed the tag and went to check the noticeboard and a map.


    The number of monster quests was staggering. The rewards varied depending on the monster''s strength or rarity. In his opinion, the pay wasn’t all that bad, but then again, he looked at it from a solo perspective. For a bigger monster, a party of six would be the norm.


    Grey spent his time looking at monster pictures and their locations on the map, memorising everything. Some monsters even looked delicious. Maybe, it was a good idea to check them out. As he was pondering this and that a pleasant smell assaulted the depts of his nostrils. He turned around in hopes to see the culprit.


    How strange. His nose told him it was there but his eyes failed to lock onto the target. Until a certain somebody punched him on his thigh; it tickled.


    Soon after came a frustrated voice “Hey, I was calling for you. Are you deaf?”


    Grey looked down at the bother. Ah, there it was, the source of the smell, almost right under him. It was a tiny runt of a human girl. She was so small, no wonder Grey failed to spot her.


    “Hello!” She shouted at him. “Don’t you know who I am!” She slammed her foot to the floor twice in a show of anger.


    Should he know who this miniature nibble was? Of course not! So Grey wiped his drooling saliva and replied “No.”


    “Hmmm!” The girl puffed up. “You will soon learn!” She stretched her hand offering a pouch. “Consider yourself lucky, you are hired!”


    She was offering him money but for what? “Huh?” Grey questioned the annoying snack.


    “You are my bodyguard for the day!”


    She didn’t need to be so loud, he could hear her all right.Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.


    “Hello!? Take the money and let’s go. Time is of the essence!”


    Grey shrugged and took the money. It seemed like the snack was jumping right into his mouth willingly. And just like she had said the girl seemed to be in a hurry and led him straight out of the building.


    “Let me educate you. I am the daughter of Von…”


    Grey didn''t care, he didn''t need to know the history of his food. “How long have you been a mage?” he interrupted her.


    “Oh, so you noticed my talents already. Four years! I know, I know I look too young but my genius budded early.” She said proudly.


    Grey was checking just in case. You could never judge a mage by their size, even the smallest ones could pack a good punch. Her, however, she was only an apprentice at best.


    “Where is your party?” Grey asked cautiously.


    “Eh? Party? What for? I am not sharing my kills with anyone. And with you to watch my back I don’t need one.”


    Oh, so that’s why she hired him.


    “Where are we going exactly?”


    “To the forest where else? You don’t seem too clever so let me explain how this goes…”


    Grey listened absentmindedly. In the essence, she hired him to protect her while she trained in the forest. It was clear that she was some sort of spoiled human noble with too much money and no supervision. Just how na?ve she had to be to hire a random stranger. Well, it was good that his food’s taste was not affected by their smarts but by their magic capacity.


    The two continued their walk towards the forest. The brat was annoying as hell. She kept talking about herself or other things of no importance. If Grey even dared to faze out she would call him on that and throw various offences at him. She was unbearable to be around with, almost to the point where his appetite got spoiled.


    Then they were near the border of the city a familiar scent began to tickle his nose. It was the she-devil!


    “Hey, I have finally found you!” the half-elf seemed relieved.


    Grey wondered how did she even find him, the city was big and he didn’t tell her where he was going. And what did she even want with him?


    “Who is this?” the she-devil pointed at the runt.


    “I am Elri the daughter of Von…”


    Grey couldn''t bother to listen for this tiny person so he dragged the elf to the side. “Why are you here?”


    “I have found a mage for you. Everything is arranged.”


    This was a surprise. His late-night show must have motivated the elf to behave. Unless she was trying to trick him again.


    “I am busy now.” Grey made an excuse.


    “But she is waiting. I can’t keep her waiting forever.”


    The urgency seemed suspicious. Grey didn''t trust this she-devil. “I already have my lunch.” He pointed at the mini-mage.


    “But… she’s just a teen.”


    “And?”


    “And I don’t think this is a good idea. She is a human noble.”


    Grey didn''t care. He pushed the elf aside, he wasn’t interested in her schemes, not now.


    “What did this woman want? Is she your friend or even lover perhaps? Ha ha.” The runt made a jab towards the half-elf, fully aware that no decent woman would date a beastkin.


    “She is nothing of importance. Just a bother.” Grey brushed it off.


    “Good! I have already paid you, you are mine for the day. Begone you scoundrel!” She shooed the elf.


    The she-devil however refused to go.


    “I am telling you she is trouble.” The elf replied while tailing the two then added “She ain''t worth it. Look how little she is.”


    “I am what? You wanna fight, bitch!?” The runt reacted, face red in anger.


    “You don’t know what you are getting yourself into kid!” The elf retorted.


    “Fuck you, I am no kid you old coot!”


    The two were causing a scene, which began to draw people''s attention. Grey couldn''t have this. He approached the she-devil and prickled her right in the face using his finger, using only a fraction of his force. “Know your place!” He scolded.


    The elf reeled back stumbling on her feet and falling on her ass. The runt grabbed her stomach and began laughing heartily.


    “Well done! Well done! Ha ha.”


    Grey grasped that the half-elf was trying to save the girl. It was unfitting for rogues to be so noble, hopefully, she had learned her lesson.


    The two left the flabbergasted elf behind and continued on their journey. The elf, however, stubbornly trailed them from a distance. Grey knew this since he could still smell her, but whatever, if she pestered him further he would punish her harsher.


    And finally, the runt found herself in the forest. They weren’t that deep but they were far away from prying eyes and any unwanted help.


    “Ok, now you will lure the beasties and I will try my spells on them. Do not hurt them, and especially don’t kill them or I won’t get any experience.”


    Yeah, not happening. Grey wouldn''t want his petite snack to waste even a sliver of magic, he needed that mage juice in his stomach. He approached the unsuspecting girl with his claws ready to snatch her.


    The girl wavered at the sight of his grin. “What are you doing?” She asked confused.


    Grey was ready to leap and gobble up the delicious morsel but the skin on his back began to tingle. It tingled all over, something wasn’t right. He froze for a moment and then out of instinct leapt back and away from the girl. It wasn''t the human he was wary of, no.


    A huge beast landed in between the two. It had been aiming for the Grey, a second more and Grey would have found himself under it.


    The beast let out a roar of frustration and snapped its maw at Grey. The monster was a four-legged creature resembling a wolf, only that it had four yellow eyes and grey scales covering its body as an amour would. The eyes and the armour starkly resembled that of Grey’s but the two were not related besides the fact that both were a type of an aberrant monsters hunting for cores. Well, maybe only very, very distant relatives.


    Grey returned the challenge with his own roar. It was clear that the beast wanted the mage for itself. Grey wasn’t the target since, unfortunately, his core was empty, but he still was a threat to the canine monster. This will be quite a hard fight, the only good thing was that the monster didn''t snatch the girl first. But then again some monsters had more honour than an average human.


    Grey took the initiative and punched the overgrown wolf right in the nose staggering it. Before the monster recovered he landed a few swipes with his claws drawing the first blood. The monster clawed at Grey in turn, making him jump backwards and dodge.


    They were dancing like this for a while, neither was able to land a decisive blow. The monster was too fast for Grey, he had to keep backpedalling to avoid its lunges and swipes. At the unfortunate moment, Grey’s foot caught the uneven ground and he stumbled. The canine monster knocked Grey on his back and then jumped on top of him. It opened its maw full of razor-sharp teeth ready to bite Grey’s throat out.


    A ball of fire hit the monster’s head from the side, breaking its bite and dazing it. The few seconds were all Grey needed to break free and muster the counterattack. Being under the monster enabled him to aim right for its throat, so he grabbed it by the neck and bit into it. The tables had turned.


    The overgrown wolf tried to shake Grey off but he had a firm grasp. The monster’s neck was thick and Grey’s teeth were only able to sink so deep, regardless, the blood oozed from its neck. The monster trashed and turned, and finally managed to throw Grey off. He flew straight into the tree almost breaking it in two. The throw had hurt him but the monster was hurt more. Grey spat a huge chunk of monster meat.


    A torrent of blood was leaking out of the monster''s neck, it made the last ditch effort to lunge at stunned Grey. However, it was too slow and too weak. Grey recovered in time to roll away from its lunge. The monster collapsed choking on its own blood and soon after it died.


    “Fuck!” Grey swore in relief.


    This was way too close, if not for the well-timed fireball he would be dead. He looked at his saviour, of course, it was the stalking she-devil.


    “Why did you save me?” He asked between breaths.


    “Because I need you.” She replied flatly.


    Grey looked at her, she seemed flustered, even scared. He didn’t want to trust her words.


    “Maybe you knew that after me the wolf would go and eat you for a desert.”


    “Maybe. Or maybe you are more useful to me alive.”


    Grey shrugged. She had a chance to get rid of him and break free but in her infinite she-devil wisdom decided not to. A small part of him was grateful but the bigger part considered this woman to be a massive fool.


    “You’re an idiot.” He proclaimed in irritation.


    Grey turned his back away from half-elf and went towards the carcass of the monster. He needed something from the carcass, he needed his prize. With some effort, he ripped the wolf open and dug a monster core out. The orb was large enough to fill his palm pleasantly. Grey opened his mouth bit twice to break it and then swallowed the core. Soon after he could feel the energy radiating out of his stomach and going towards his core. There was a pleasant burst of warmth and a good portion of his mana was restored.


    The foolish elf was still there, observing him with disgust. Grey sniffed the air, the half-elf still possessed the taint of a mana potion in her blood.


    “You stink!” Grey complained.


    Aerith sniffed herself, becoming conscious of her smell.


    “Yeah? And you’re covered in monster blood and guts!” She retorted.


    Grey sniffed again, he was looking for the human runt who had disappeared. With a few more whiffs of the air, he caught her scent. He followed the fragrance, she couldn''t have run too far. Grey hoped that his lunch didn’t get eaten by another forest monster.


    Soon he could hear crying in the distance, he sprinted to catch up with it. The human girl was running and bawling like a brat, tripping and stumbling in a hap-hazardous sprint. With a quick swoop, he scooped up the girl in his arm.


    She looked at him in terror, her face snotty and cowered in tears.


    “A monster, no! Help!” She screeched struggling to get away from his grasp.


    She was so annoying! Grey was glad this will be soon over; another morsel in his stomach to restore his mana.


    “You! Let go of the girl!” There was a shout from the distance.


    A party of six ran out straight out of forest greenery. All six were humans, a mixed party of various professions but no mage.


    Grey growled in displeasure. He had just restored his mana and yet he will need to spend it if he wanted to put up a fight against these six.


    “Beatsman! Release the girl now!”


    Grey snorted angrily but dropped the kid; she wasn’t worth it. The brat ran crying to the nearest human.


    “What did you do?” the party leader, a human warrior in leather armour questioned him.


    Before Grey could tell the human to fuck off the she-devil jumped out of the bush interrupting “Can’t you tell? He fought a monster off to save the girl!”


    The warrior looked suspiciously. “So it’s the monster’s blood on you then?”


    “Of course, it is, what else?” the elf asked pretending to be offended. “Why? Did you think he did something to the girl’s party?”


    “Well, it kinda looked like it. Just look at him!”


    “Just because he’s a beastkin you confuse him with murdered?! There is a monster corpse, after you see it you will feel like an idiot.”


    “We would like to see this corpse.” A woman archer who was busy calming down the runt interjected.


    Grey glared at the half-elf, he didn''t need her to ‘save’ him again. “Follow then.” He ordered the humans.


    The corpse wasn’t that far.


    The party leader whistled to show his surprise. “You killed that?”


    “There might be more. We should leave!” An archer warned others, there was a sliver of fear in her tone.


    Grey sensed that she wasn’t the only one displaying fear. The party almost broke up in two, with those wanting to see the monster up close and others distancing themselves. While the leader and his mate went to check the monster the other four stared at Grey with eyes filled with caution and comprehension; they feared him more than the wolf monster.


    “I have never seen one this big. And you two killed it alone? Amazing!” The party leader explained inspecting the dead monster’s maw.


    Grey wanted to shout that he killed it on his own. He did! The she-devil deserved no credit. However, the humans annoyed him, they had snatched his lunch. “You have seen enough. Leave!” He replied.


    The warrior looked at Grey in surprise from his tone. “I guess we offended you needlessly. I am sorry for my actions, I hope you understand that this was only a misunderstanding. We don’t hate beastkin or anything like that.”


    Grey was about to ask them to leave the human girl with him, after all, he was her bodyguard, she only had confused him with someone else because of shock and blood; yes-yes, he could get it done.


    “Take the girl to her family, she had seen enough.” The she-devil waved off the party in a gesture for them to leave.


    “You!” Grey was inches close to slugging the half-elf for ruining his plans but refrained from doing so. He didn''t want to fight the six for a measly snack.


    The humans disappeared into the trees and Grey slugged the elf. “Never again speak for me!”


    He pulled his punch back quite a but even then it was enough to leave her nose bleeding.


    “You’re a fucking bastard!” the elf mouthed him off while grasping her nose. “I saved your life!”


    Grey was about to slug her again but stopped mid-punch. “I haven’t asked you!” He retorted bashfully.


    “Twice! This was a noble child you were after. Do you think if she disappeared they wouldn’t investigate?” She spat a glob of blood to clear her throat and continued. “Finding a giant grey man-eater wouldn''t be difficult either, you don’t exactly blend in the crowds. A half of the city guards would be on your ass!”


    “Really?”


    “You fucking bet, that’s how nobles are! You don’t mess with human nobles. Not like that.”


    Grey sighed, maybe she was right, maybe his hunger and pride had blinded him. Maybe he was too comfortable with thoughtless violence.


    “Duly noted. Now help me to carry the beast.”


    “You can''t expect me to… Whatever, let’s go.”