It had been less than four hours since they'd been… what? Teleported? Magicked? Dragged sideways through reality into this world? No one was exactly sure what had happened, but the pressure of the 24-hour deadline was looming over them like a thundercloud ready to burst. It crept into their posture, their words, even the way they looked at one another—sharp with tension, eyes flicking constantly toward the sun as if they could will it to slow down.

They were jogging back into town now, the same cobbled road that had seemed so quaint earlier now just another obstacle to navigate. Dust kicked up with every step, boots thudding in uneven rhythm.

Kai was the first to speak, his words breathless but insistent. "Our system doesn't tell us how much XP we get for killing… right? Or is that just because we were doing a quest here and that's why we got the readout?"

Bell, eyes scanning the buildings ahead for landmarks, didn't break stride. "Remember the flower quest? We weren't told how much XP for that either."

"Yeah, but we did level up after handing it in," Kai countered.

Lily, who had been unusually quiet for the last few minutes, suddenly spoke. Her brow was furrowed as if she were working through a difficult problem. "Do you think it's because our system is still… I don't know, initialising or something? Maybe we're not seeing everything yet."

Zane, trailing behind just slightly, glanced over his shoulder as if checking for pursuit. Or maybe it was just a habit now. "You know what's got me thinking? The guild master mentioned that it was always humans who turned up here from otherworlds. Does that mean there are other races?"

Bell raised an eyebrow at Zane. "That's a great question we should ask the guild master when we see him."

Then the conversation broke down into an argument about the pros and cons of different races.

Before they could come to any conclusions, they entered the gate into town. The change was almost immediate. The hum of distant conversation, the smell of cooked food, the soft clang of metal from the blacksmith's forge—all of it a stark contrast to the eerie stillness outside the walls.

And then Tarni spoke.

"Maybe we really should split up," he said, not for the first time.

The entire group turned to him in unison, each wearing the same deadpan expression. They didn't even have to speak—the "we've done that joke already" look was practically a team uniform at this point.

But Tarni held up his hands. "No, no, I mean it this time. Properly. I could go into the alchemy shop and try to get help making potions or brews. You guys could grab single-person quests."

They kept walking, but this time the silence was thoughtful.

"I've been trying to remember all the quests on the board," he continued. "None of the group ones had high rewards with a quick turnaround. Most were either too long, too far away, or required materials we haven't even seen yet."

Zane nodded slowly, scratching at his stubble. "So what, we each do our own thing? You hit the alchemist, one of us goes back to the notice board, someone else checks if the guild master will give us a better deal?"

Tarni shrugged. "More or less. I mean, there were a few C-grade quests that could help, but we'd have to convince the guild master to let us take them—and I don't think we've got time to negotiate."

Bell sighed and adjusted the strap on her shoulder bag. "It's risky. What if one of us gets jumped or needs backup?"

"We'll stay in town," Lily offered. "Keep within shouting distance. That way, if anything goes wrong, we're not far."

Kai, trying to be the cautious optimist, grinned. "Maybe we can all grab something quick and dirty. I don't care if it's pest control or bread delivery. Every bit of XP might help."

They stopped at the edge of the marketplace. The familiar guild hall stood just across the square, its sign swaying gently in the breeze. Somewhere behind it, the alchemist's shop leaned slightly to the left, cluttered and vine-covered.

"Well," Zane said, glancing up at the sky. "Sun's still got some hours left in it. Let's not waste any more time. We regroup here in an hour?"

Everyone nodded.

And just like that, they split up—not with tension or distrust, but with purpose. Each step taken alone now was in service of surviving the long game.

Because whatever world they'd landed in, one thing was clear: the clock was still ticking.

Tarni peeled off from the group, weaving through the cobbled streets toward the alchemy shop. It wasn't hard to find—just follow the smell of herbs and smoke.

As he approached, two women were stepping out, chatting in low, clipped tones. They looked him up and down—half curiosity, half distaste—before walking off. He had no idea what to make of that look, but he made a mental note to scrub the back of his neck better next time.

He double-checked that the others hadn't followed, then stepped through the wooden door.

Inside, the air was thick with scent—spice, sweat, and flowers mingling in a way that was oddly pleasant. The interior was dim but clean, jars of coloured powders and glowing liquids lining shelves from floor to ceiling. Behind the counter sat a large, rounded man, hunched over a massive ledger with quill in hand.

Tarni wandered casually toward one of the shelves and reached for a small glass bottle filled with a deep violet liquid.

The man's eyes snapped up instantly, pinning him with a look so sharp it could've peeled paint.

"Can I help you?" the man asked, his tone as flat as a tired doormat.

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Tarni quickly turned, flashing his most charming grin. "G'day! Mate, this is a great shop you've got here."

The man's face flickered through a storm of micro-expressions—confusion, annoyance, weary disdain—and then returned to its original, emotionless state. "Yes. It's my pride and joy."

Right. Charm wasn't going to cut it here.

Tarni took a mental step back, shifting gears. This wasn't a pub in Darwin. He'd have to play it smart—straight talk, honest intentions. He wanted potions. He wanted knowledge. And, more importantly, he wanted a foot in the door with this world's alchemists.

The other four headed straight for the Guild Hall, their minds ticking like overworked clocks.

"I'm going to find the Guild Master," Bell said firmly as they reached the cobbled entryway. She was already halfway up the steps before she paused and pointed at Lily and Kai. "You two talk to the other adventurers in the common room—ask questions, see what they know, anything useful."

Both nodded, already scanning the building's front windows to get a sense of the crowd inside.

Bell turned to Zane last. "I want you to read everything on the board—top to bottom. And talk to the receptionist, make sure there aren't any hidden quests or quick jobs tucked away behind some bureaucratic nonsense."

Zane gave a tired half-smile and a nod. "Got it."

He held the door open as the others filed in, and immediately the sounds of the Guild Hall washed over them—clinking glasses, murmured conversations, and the occasional shout of laughter.

There were about three dozen people scattered across the common room. Most looked up as the group entered—just long enough to size them up—before returning to their drinks, meals, or arguments about sword technique.

Bell didn't slow, heading straight for the stairs that led to the Guild Master's office.

Zane peeled away toward the job board on the far wall, eyes already scanning the lines of parchment for high-reward keywords.

Kai and Lily shared a glance, shrugged, and started weaving their way through the room, looking for any group that didn't immediately radiate 'we hate newcomers' energy.

They had a Level to get. And only 20 hours left on the clock.

Bell took the wooden stairs two at a time, her spear gun bumping gently against her back with every step. The Guild Hall was a blur of noise and movement below, but up here the air shifted—quieter, heavier. The scent of old parchment, drying ink, and something faintly metallic—blood or fresh coin—lingered in the timbered hall.

She didn't knock.

The Guild Master's door creaked open to reveal a well-furnished office... but no Guild Master. Bell froze in the doorway, one hand on the frame. The room was lit by late-morning sun filtering through high windows, casting long stripes across cluttered shelves and a wide desk.

Empty. What now? Should I go back downstairs and ask at the front?

Before she could turn the thought over, a soft cough behind her made her spin, one hand instinctively rising toward her weapon.

A man stood there, tall and lean, with close-cropped blond hair and a jagged scar that ran from temple to cheekbone. He wore a smile that seemed a little too knowing, like he was always half a step ahead in a conversation no one else knew was happening.

"Hmm. You're new," he said, eyes flicking to the badge pinned to Bell's tunic.

"Yes," she answered, flat and to the point.

The man chuckled. "Sorry—where are my manners? Garrick Thorne. Assistant Guild Master. Though between us, I might as well be the actual Guild Master. The old man's never around."

Bell latched onto that detail like a drowning swimmer finding a floating plank.

"Right. My team and I spoke with the Guild Master earlier today—he said you could help us find some high-XP quests with quick turnarounds."

Garrick's easy smile twitched, but he gestured toward the room behind her instead of answering. "You'd better come in."

Bell followed him inside. The space was even more cluttered up close—maps, scrolls, and books piled high like they'd grown there. The assistant guild master swept a few loose parchments off the desk before sitting behind it. Bell closed the door behind her but didn't take the offered seat.

"I'm Bell Rider," she said. "Thanks for seeing me."

"Straight to the point. I like that. Sit, if you like."

She didn't.

Instead, she started pacing, words spilling out with urgency. "We've got a problem. My group—there are five of us. We're not from around here. We have less than twenty hours to level up or the System's going to… well, we don't know. Kill us? Delete us? Whatever it does, it's permanent. No retries."

Garrick's posture shifted slightly, his interest sharpening. "Outworlders?"

"You know about that?"

He nodded, slowly. "The Guild Master mentioned it. Rare. The priests of the System call it scattering seeds to see which ones grow."

Bell gave a tight, humourless smile. "Yeah, well, we're trying not to die before we sprout. So I need quests. Real ones. Not flower-picking or rat-slaying. I want high XP, fast resolution. Something that moves the needle."

The man leaned back, chair creaking beneath him as he studied her. "You're direct. I appreciate that. But we have rules. C-grade and higher quests are locked behind reputation tiers. No offense, but greenhorns like you don't usually qualify."

Bell crossed her arms. "Then bend the rules. Break them. Because if we fail, we're not coming back to complain. We'll just be gone."

That made him pause and look down to a gold ring on his wedding finger. Then with a sign he stood, moved to one of the bookshelves, and pulled down a slim black ledger. Flipping through its pages, he muttered to himself. "No… no… already cleared… too far west… ah."

He looked up. "There's something. Not officially posted yet. A farmstead two hills east reported strange movement in the woods. Livestock gone missing. No tracks. No sign of struggle. Too small for a confirmed beast report, but weird enough to check out."

"And?"

"If it is a beast, you get decent XP. Fast mission. Some risk, yes—but I can file it as a trial C-grade for one team. You'd get full credit if successful."

Bell nodded sharply. "We'll take it."

"I'm not done," he said, raising a finger. "You haven't earned trust yet. So I'm assigning a Guild Scout to accompany you. They'll monitor the mission. If you screw up, you're blacklisted. And if you die…" He shrugged. "The System takes care of that part."

Bell smirked. "We won't die. Not today."

Garrick scrawled the quest details onto a slip of parchment and handed it to her. "Good. And one more thing—your scout won't be available until later this afternoon. So I'd suggest finding another small quest in the meantime. Something to keep the XP coming."

Bell took the slip, reading over the details with satisfaction. Her plan had worked. She'd bluffed and bullied her way into something meaningful.

But the worry still lingered.

If the real Guild Master returned before they left, he might cancel the assignment. And Bell had learned something important that morning with the wolves—they got their XP the moment the quest was completed. If they played this right, they might not need to come back to the Guild at all.

They'd level up. Get out. And survive.

She just had to keep them alive long enough to do it.

Zane was in full mission mode.

He slipped his hand into the pouch at his waist—the bag of holding that had become indispensable in the last few days—and pulled out a small notepad and a cheap pen. Leaning against the wooden counter near the quest board, he began scanning every single quest, cross-referencing, mentally calculating time estimates and XP reward value.

"That one might be good if we had three more hours…" he muttered under his breath, scribbling something down. "That one's B-ranked, too risky. C-ranked… maybe if we bluff our levels?"

He flipped to a new page, writing furiously, eyes flicking between board and paper. His entire focus was locked in.

Until he felt the tug.

A faint, sudden pull at his waist.

At first, he thought it was just the strap shifting, maybe caught on the desk corner. But then came a second, firmer tug—this time definitely deliberate.

Zane's hand shot down to the bag of holding instinctively, fingers wrapping around the soft leather.

He turned slowly, eyes narrowing.

Someone had just tried to rob him.

And in a place full of adventurers, mercenaries, and people desperate enough to do anything for a leg up, that was a very, very bad idea.

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