Arriving in the mess hall I went to take my seat at one of the table.

A few minutes after I did so the matron and the other employees started serving us children the food.

Which isn't much.

Just some vegetable soup, a small piece of bread, and one glass of water each.

That's all this place can afford.

What with murder and robbery and other shit happening every single day all around us. It's a wonder the orphanage still gets any money in the first place.

Especially considering where it is located within Orario.

Daedalus Street.

Which is basically the slums of Orario.

Since this is where all the poorest individuals in the city call home. It's also a place scumbags roam freely and where the Guild and adventurers from familia's usually never tread unless absolutely necessary.

It's basically the Wild West.

That's the kind of place I've been living in for the past eleven years.

But now it's time for me to change that.

After the food was set out in front of me I said a small prayer and then began eating.

But right after I did so someone spoke to me.

"So, we're going tomorrow right?" A male voice asked.

Taking a short pause in my meal I turned my head and nodded to the person sitting in the chair on my left.

He is a male. My age with dark brown hair and matching colored eyes.

His name is Ryner Lute.

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He is my best friend.

Some three years ago some of the older kids were bullying him, and since I didn't like what I saw I stepped him and helped him out.

Only to get my ass kicked as well.

Despite this the two of us ended laughing about it afterwards, and since then we've been thick as thieves.

After I told Ryner of my goal to become a top-class adventurer and forge a better life for myself he decided to wanted to do the same.

Once our goal was set we started planning, and we will officially begin trying to achieve our goal tomorrow.

Seeing my nod Ryner gave one back he then went back to eating his food, the same as me.

As I did so I couldn't stop hoping that tomorrow would bring us something good.

Because if not I just might lose my mind a tiny bit.

--------------------------

Feeling the first rays of morning sunlight on my face I cracked my eyes open and then rubbed the sleep out of them. Sitting up on my bed after doing so.

'Today's the day.' I thought.

The day Ryner and I take our first official trip to the guild.

Which we are doing in order to find familia's to apply to and join.

Since without Falna or a God's Blessing diving into the dungeon is a suicide mission, and unlike Kaidou from One Piece I don't enjoy trying to kill myself. Not by a long shot.

I took a few minutes to really wake up.

Then once I did I moved to take care of morning business and then get dressed before heading down for breakfast Ryner arriving a few minutes after I did so. Rubbing his eyes as he did.

"So, did you get any sleep at all last night?" I asked him.

"Yeah, a bit." He said. "But honestly I couldn't really fall asleep?"

"Why, too excited about heading to the Guild for the first time today?" I asked him.

"No, there were a bunch of guys screaming outside my window last night." He said.

"Oh, ok." I said.

I then started eating my food, as di Ryner the two of us ending the conversation on that note. Since talking anymore about that subject will bring down the mood really fast.

Obviously we know that those guys Ryner just mentioned are probably dead, but we just don't feel like discussing such a grim topic at breakfast.

So instead we have chosen to eat in silence.

Enjoying the comfortable silence that developed between Ryner and I we finished our breakfast in no time at all.

Then once we did so we headed straight for the doors of the orphanage. Heading out of them the moment we arrived.

Outside I felt the sun on my face.

I also immediately started smelling the stench of blood in the air, getting a heavy metallic taste in my mouth shortly after I did so.

Deciding to ignore it for now I started walking with Ryner by my side. As we did so we made sure to watch each others back. In case some pervert tried to come up to us and kidnap us.

As I said on Daedalus Street almost anything goes.

Well, except for actually touching the orphanages that is.

A lot of the kids or gang leaders around the area grew up in those places, so no criminal activity goes on at those places.

Basically they are like the safe zones like in the dungeon.

And if anyone decides to ignore the rules and violate the safe zones they disappear very quickly.

Which is actually one good thing about this place.

However after one leaves the orphanage they are fair game.

And since Ryner and I are still just eleven years old we are prime targets for thugs, pedophiles, and the like. That's why we can't relax even for a second.

The two of us walked, eventually making it out of Daedalus Street.

For those of us who grow up and live there doing so is easy.

As we exited onto one of Orario's main roads we started picking up the pace. Since the guild is located all the way on the other side of the city and we need to make it there and back before nightfall.

Staying out in Orario at nightfall in this era is just asking for trouble. Unless you are an an adventurer, or even if you are that doesn't guarantee you'll make it until the next sunrise.

The freaks truly do come out at night here.

Keeping our toes and a steady pace Ryner and our reached our destination in three hours time.

The Guild.

"We finally made it." I said in between breaths.

"Yeah, we did." Ryner said. Resting his hands on his knees as he did so.

We're not out of shape, but damn that was a long way to walk.

And we'll have to do it all over again and make it back to the orphanage before nightfall.

Well, it's like they say. Getting some good is never easy.

After taking about five minutes to catch our breaths Ryner and I walked up to the Guild entrance and stepped inside.

The moment we did so I saw tons and tons of adventurers walking around.

Some of them are decked out from head-to-toe in full body armor, while others are wearing next to nothing and instead just have on regular-looking clothing.

But I know for most adventurers regular-looking clothing is probably anything but.

I continued to look around, and as I did so I saw Ryner's eyes light up.

"Morax, I don't think I'll ever regret coming here." He said.

"Yeah, me neither." I retorted. "But let's not get ahead of ourselves Ryner. The true battle has only just begun."

Yes, everything truly begins now.

Ryner nodded at what I said.

Then once he did so the two of us moved deeper into the guild.

Intent to accomplish our goal.

We are finally at the starting line.