Chapter 8: The Cabbage Hair Lady and the Heavy Pelt

  The morning sun struggled to pierce the dense, silvery canopy of the Whispering Woods, but the early light was enough to signal the start of a new day. The murmuring leaves above seemed to quiet down slightly, as if the forest itself was still groggy from sleep.

  In the rocky ravine, the campfire had burned down to a small pile of glowing red embers. Zeno woke up instantly, stretching his arms high above his head and letting out a loud, dramatic yawn that echoed off the stone walls. His body felt completely refreshed, his massive Tena reserves humming steadily beneath his skin. His base Endurance stat of 30 ensured that sleeping on hard rock didn't leave him with a single ache or pain.

  Lyra woke up a few moments later, groaning softly as she stretched her stiff back. She rolled up her frayed traveler's cloak and packed her gear with practiced efficiency.

  "Alright," Lyra said, splashing a little water from her canteen onto her face to wake herself up. "It's a two-hour hike back to the Oakhaven gates. The problem is the pelt." She pointed to the massive, rolled-up bundle of dark grey and black striped fur tied tightly with hemp rope. "It weighs about four hundred pounds. I can barely lift one end of it. We are going to have to drag it together, which means it will take us four hours, and we might attract every predator in the area with the scent."

  "Drag it?" Zeno tilted his head, walking over to the massive bundle. "Okay! I will drag it. You just show me the way to the duck restaurant."

  Before Lyra could tell him to wait, Zeno grabbed the thick hemp rope with one hand. He didn't activate his Tena. He simply relied on his raw Strength stat of 25. With a cheerful hum, he leaned forward and started walking.

  The four-hundred-pound monster pelt scraped loudly against the dirt and rocks, but Zeno moved at a brisk, incredibly fast walking pace, pulling the massive weight behind him as if it were a light wooden cart filled with feathers. He didn't even break a sweat.

  Lyra stood frozen for a second, watching the teenager casually drag the equivalent of three grown men up the side of the ravine. She had to break into a light jog just to catch up with him.

  "How are you doing that?!" Lyra demanded, jogging beside him, her emerald eyes wide. "You're moving faster than a draft horse! It's pure dead weight!"

  "I eat a lot of vegetables," Zeno replied simply, not slowing down at all. "Master Shifu says carrots make you strong. And they help you see rivers better."

  Lyra rubbed her temples, feeling a familiar headache building behind her eyes. "Never mind. Just... keep walking. If we maintain this insane pace, we can be at the Adventurer's Guild before the midday rush."

  The trek back to the city was uneventful. The wildlife in the Whispering Woods took one look at the towering pile of dead Giant Horned Badger fur being dragged cheerfully down the path by a teenager and wisely decided to stay completely hidden in the shadows.

  As they finally emerged from the tree line and stepped onto the wide dirt road leading toward the towering stone walls of Oakhaven, the sun was shining brightly in the clear blue sky. The morning trade traffic was in full swing. Farmers, merchants, and travelers crowded the road.

  When Zeno and Lyra approached the massive wooden gates, the crowd naturally parted. People stared in absolute awe at the boy dragging a monster pelt that was literally twice his size. The two guards stationed at the gate—including the bored blonde guard from the day before—stared with unblinking eyes. The blonde guard slowly lowered his halberd, completely forgetting to ask for the entry toll, simply waving them through in stunned silence.

  The streets of Oakhaven were bustling with vibrant life, but Zeno followed Lyra faithfully as she navigated through the winding cobblestone streets toward the central plaza.

  They pushed open the heavy double doors of the Adventurer’s Guild. The cavernous hall was just as packed as the day before. However, as Zeno walked through the doors, the loud dragging sound of the heavy pelt scraping against the polished stone floor caused the loud chatter in the hall to slowly die down into a confused, heavy silence.

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  Dozens of veteran adventurers turned their heads, their eyes tracking the massive bundle of striped fur. They immediately recognized the markings. A Giant Horned Badger was a Rank D threat. Seeing a scrawny, messy-haired teenager dragging its remains broke every rule of common sense.

  Lyra ignored the stares, holding her head high, though her cheeks were slightly pink with embarrassment. She led Zeno straight to the back counter.

  Elara, the receptionist with the pale, mint-green hair tied in a strict bun, was currently buried behind a massive stack of complex paperwork. She looked up, her piercing violet eyes locking onto Zeno. Her quill slipped from her fingers, leaving a large ink blotch on a very important form.

  "You..." Elara breathed, standing up slowly. "You are alive. And you didn't die on the main road."

  "Hello, cabbage hair lady!" Zeno greeted her loudly, dropping the rope. He reached into his leather backpack and proudly pulled out the small cloth sack, dumping nine glowing, pale blue Moonglow Mushrooms onto the polished wood. "I brought the shiny snacks! But I ate one, and it tasted like dirty rocks. I do not recommend them for lunch."

  Elara stared at the glowing mushrooms, then slowly moved her gaze down to the massive badger pelt on the floor. She looked at Lyra, recognizing the Rank E scout.

  "Lyra," Elara said, her voice strictly professional but laced with rising panic. "Please tell me what happened in the Whispering Woods. And please, by all that is logical, tell me this Rank F novice did not engage a Giant Horned Badger."

  Lyra cleared her throat, crossing her arms defensively. "We... teamed up. I tracked the beast, engaged it, and weakened it. Zeno provided the crucial final blow. We are here to claim the bounty for the Moonglow Mushrooms and sell the pelt and claws to the Guild's materials department."

  Elara closed her violet eyes, pressing two fingers against the bridge of her nose. "A Rank F. In a Rank D combat scenario. Do you have any idea what this means, Lyra? The paperwork... The sheer volume of paperwork! I have to file a Form 8-C for Unsanctioned High-Tier Engagement. I have to file a Form 12-A for Irregular Party Formation! I am going to be writing until my hand falls off!"

  "It was self-defense," Lyra argued quickly.

  Elara sighed deeply, a sound of profound bureaucratic defeat. She picked up a small wooden abacus and quickly calculated the values.

  "Very well. The Moonglow Gathering quest yields a reward of five silver coins," Elara stated, opening a heavy iron lockbox beneath the counter and pulling out five shiny silver pieces, sliding them toward Zeno. Zeno scooped them up happily.

  "As for the pelt and the claws of a Giant Horned Badger," Elara continued, her tone bitter. "The quality is excellent. The cuts are clean. However, there is no horn. The Guild will purchase the pelt and claws for a total of fifteen silver coins."

  Lyra’s shoulders slumped slightly, but she nodded. "I accept."

  Elara handed Lyra a small pouch containing the fifteen silver coins. The receptionist then pulled out a heavy metal stamp and pressed it firmly onto both of their Guild Cards, updating their internal records.

  Just as the metal stamped Zeno’s bronze card, a familiar blue window chimed happily in his vision.

  [Party Combat Experience Calculated.]

  [Shared victory over high-tier terrestrial beast.]

  [Skill: Heavy Punch leveled up to 4. Kinetic force output increased by 10%.]

  [Tena Control increased from E to E+.]

  They walked away from the counter, leaving the bewildered adventurers in the hall to gossip about the strange new duo, and leaving Elara to glare hatefully at a fresh stack of blank forms.

  As soon as they stepped out of the Guild and into the bright sunlight of the plaza, Lyra stopped. She opened her pouch and stared down at the fifteen silver coins. Her hands began to tremble slightly. Her emerald eyes widened as an intense, internal battle raged within her mind. She needed this money. She needed it for her rent, for her debt, for decent food. Giving away a third of it physically hurt her.

  She slowly reached into the pouch, her fingers curling around five silver coins. She pulled her hand out, moving at a snail's pace, her face contorting as if she were stepping on hot coals.

  "Here," Lyra squeaked, her voice tight and pained. She practically shoved the five coins toward Zeno, squeezing her eyes shut so she wouldn't have to look at them leaving her possession. "Take it. You did the heavy lifting. The scout code says I pay my debts. Just... take it quickly before the dark side of my soul wins and I run away with all of it."

  Zeno slowly took the coins, adding them to his heavy pouch. He now had twenty silver coins in total. He felt incredibly wealthy.

  "Thank you, Lyra," Zeno said brightly. "Are you sick? Your face is very red."

  "I am mourning," Lyra grumbled, opening her eyes and forcing a weak smile. "Now, come on. A fancy roasted duck costs ten silver. We have to budget. I know a street stall near the lower district that sells the best spicy chicken skewers in the entire city. One silver coin gets you ten huge skewers. It's the best food Oakhaven has to offer."

  Zeno’s amber eyes widened to comical proportions. "Ten skewers for one coin?! We can buy a mountain of chicken!"

  "We are not buying a mountain, you bottomless pit!" Lyra scolded playfully, the pain of losing the coins fading slightly at his genuine excitement. "We are going to eat a normal amount, and then we are going to look at the quest board for tomorrow. We need to find a quest that pays well and doesn't involve you destroying my loot."

  "Okay!" Zeno cheered, marching happily beside his new companion, his stomach rumbling loudly in anticipation. "But if a big rug tries to steal our chicken, I am definitely punching it."