Extra Survival Guide to Overpowering Hero and Villain-Chapter 243: Myser City III

They found the first Riverleaf near a slow-moving stream.

Broad green leaves.

Blue veins.

A soft glow when touched.

Fenric knelt and carefully cut the stem.

"Don’t pull it," Liana reminded him. "It ruins the root."

"I know," Fenric said. "Seraphina drilled that into me."

They worked quietly.

Fenric moved slowly and precisely.

No rushing.

No wasted motion.

After that came Stonebark.

Thick, rough plants growing on tree roots.

Hard to cut.

Easy to damage.

Fenric adjusted his grip and applied a thin layer of Aura to the knife.

Not power.

Stability.

The bark came off clean.

Liana watched him for a moment.

"You’re treating this like combat," she said.

Fenric shrugged. "Control is control."

By midday, their pouch was nearly full.

No monsters appeared.

Only insects and distant birds.

"This is... calm," Fenric said.

"Enjoy it," Liana replied. "It won’t stay like this forever."

They finished the last bundle and tied the pouch shut.

"Alright," Liana said. "Let’s head back."

Fenric stood and looked toward the road leading to Myser City.

They walked back along the same road.

The wetlands stayed quiet.

No trouble.

No surprises.

By late afternoon, the walls of Myser City came back into view.

Fenric adjusted the pouch on his belt. "Still fresh."

"It should be," Liana replied. "You handled them properly."

They passed through the gate and headed straight to the Adventurer Guild.

Inside, the crowd was thinner than before.

They went to the counter and placed the pouch and wooden token down.

"Grey Rank herb collection," Liana said.

The staff member opened the pouch and checked the contents carefully.

She inspected the Riverleaf.

Pressed the Stonebark.

Checked for damage.

"Clean," she said after a moment. "Good condition."

She stamped the request and handed over a small coin pouch.

"Payment issued. Reputation logged."

Fenric took the pouch and felt the weight.

Not much.

But honest.

"So that’s it?" he asked.

"For the task," the staff member replied. "Yes."

Liana smiled slightly as they stepped away.

"First job done," she said. "No mistakes. That matters."

Fenric nodded. "Feels... simple."

"That’s how it should feel at the start," Liana said. "Complicated comes later."

They stopped near the request board again.

Liana scanned it quickly.

"Tomorrow," she said, "we take another Grey Rank task. Maybe scouting or delivery."

Fenric looked at the board, then at his license card.

A small step.

But forward.

"Alright," he said. "One step at a time."

They left the guild as evening settled over the city.

The streets were calmer now.

Shops closing.

Lanterns lighting one by one.

Fenric walked beside Liana, quiet and thoughtful.

"So tomorrow," he said, "another small job?"

"Yes," Liana replied. "Grey Rank work builds trust. The guild watches consistency more than strength."

Fenric nodded. "That makes sense."

They stopped near a small inn close to the guild.

"This is where we’ll stay," Liana said. "Cheap, clean, and close to the board."

Fenric looked at the sign and then back at the street.

Everything still felt unreal.

A license.

A completed task.

Coin earned by his own hands.

Inside, they rented two rooms.

Nothing fancy.

A bed.

A table.

A small window.

Fenric sat on the edge of the bed and placed the coin pouch on the table.

He opened it and counted slowly.

Enough for food.

Enough for tomorrow.

He closed it and leaned back.

"So this is the beginning," he said quietly.

Liana stood by the window. "Yes. And you did well today."

Fenric glanced at her. "You weren’t worried at all."

"I was watching," she said. "You didn’t overuse Aura. You followed instructions. That’s rare."

He gave a small smile. "Old habits."

"Good ones," Liana replied.

There was a brief silence.

Outside, the city hummed softly.

"Get some rest," Liana said. "Tomorrow we start again."

He stayed like that for a while, listening to the sounds outside.

Footsteps.

Voices.

The distant clang of a gate closing.

This city was alive, even at night.

Fenric turned his head and looked at his license card again.

Grey Rank.

Level listed clearly.

His name printed cleanly.

No village marks.

No past written there.

Just what he was now.

He placed the card back into his pouch and sat up.

Tomorrow would be another task.

Still simple.

Still small.

But each one would add up.

Trust.

Reputation.

Experience.

Fenric lay down properly and closed his eyes.

No need to rush.

He would move forward the right way.

One task at a time.

Morning came quietly.

Sunlight slipped through the small window and fell across the floor.

Fenric opened his eyes and lay still for a moment.

No alarms.

No danger.

Just another day.

He sat up and stretched, then reached for his pouch.

Everything was still there.

He washed his face, adjusted his gear, and stepped outside.

The hallway smelled of food and wood smoke.

Liana was already downstairs, sitting at a table with two bowls.

"Eat," she said. "We’ll check the board after."

Fenric sat across from her and ate in silence.

Simple food.

But filling.

After that, they returned to the guild.

The doors were already open.

Adventurers moved in and out.

Some tired. Some loud. Some excited.

They stopped at the request board.

Liana scanned carefully this time.

"Here," she said, pulling one sheet free. "Grey Rank delivery. Supplies to a watch post west of the city."

Fenric read it. "Distance?"

"Two hours on foot," Liana replied. "Low risk. Mostly road."

Fenric nodded. "That’s fine."

They turned the request in and received a sealed crate.

"Don’t open it," the staff member warned. "Deliver as is."

Fenric lifted the crate and adjusted it onto his back.

It wasn’t heavy.

Just awkward.

They left the guild and headed west.

The road was wide and well-used.

Carts passed them.

Guards nodded as they went by.

"This is different," Fenric said. "No searching. No cutting."

"Still work," Liana replied. "And still watched."

Fenric understood.

Anyone could fight once.

Consistency was harder.

After some time, a small stone watch post came into view.

Two guards stood outside.

Liana stepped forward and showed the token.

"Delivery from Myser Guild."

The guards checked the seal and nodded.

"Right on time," one said.

They signed the receipt and took the crate.

"Done," Liana said as they turned back.

Fenric exhaled slowly.

"That was even simpler."

"Yes," she said. "But you were on time. No damage. No complaints."

They returned to the city before noon.

At the guild, the task was logged without issue.

Another small coin pouch.

Another mark of trust.

Fenric held the pouch and nodded to himself.

Two tasks.

Two clean results. 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝓮𝒘𝙚𝙗𝒏𝙤𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝒐𝙢

He looked at the board again.

Not eager.

Not impatient.

Just ready.

"One step," he said quietly.

Liana smiled faintly. "Exactly."