Leaving the hospital, I cross the street to the Adventurers Guild on the other side. It was a tall, all-glass building shaped as a triangle to suit the weird pentagonal intersection. From the revolving doors, Adventurers with their shiny armor and equipment came and out. Sitting outside the building, was a small outdoor cafe where residents and Adventurers were sipping their coffees and teas from ceramic cups sitting on top white saucers. Umbrellas, providing shade from the midday sun, gave the cafe a more residential feel rather than a stressed-out, bustling city feel and the aroma of coffee helped to enhance that feeling.
Hatsu, who had been sleeping on my shoulder, was awoken by the fragrant scent of coffee. Curious of this new scent he, began sniffing around. While he was trying to figure out what this new scent was, I pushed the revolving glass door of the Adventurers Guild. The first thing that greeted me was a spacious lounge decorated with a combination of one, two, and three-person couches. Lining against the windows, were high bar seats where one could catch a view of the main intersection and the honking of vehicles. On the other side of the floor was a circular reception counter run by a beastman and an elf. In the center of the lounge was a holographic billboard projecting the latest quest.
Quests are issued by the Adventurers Guild but are written by ordinary citizens who are willing to pay Adventurers to do or obtain something for them. Before a quest is issued, the requester has to submit their rewards to the Guild which the Guild will hand out once the request is completed by the Adventurers.
Walking over to the billboard, I scroll through the floating blue list of quests for quests that matched the [Hundred Quests] list. The rule for Adventurers with quests is an Adventurer cannot take more than three quests per day regardless of rank. Thus ensuring a fair distribution of quest per Adventurer. In my case, it was different. Since some of the quests on the quest list correspond to the quest on the [Hundred Quests] list, if I complete a quest, not only would I receive the rewards from the requester but I would receive the rewards from the System as well. This was a cheat! Feeling excited, I continued to scan the quests list.
After obtaining the system, Hatsu gained a new skill.
[Hatsu's Skill: Herb Finder]
[Description: The user can find any herb if the user has seen it or smelled it]
Since Hatsu was born in the forest, his familiarity with the forest has helped me find herbs quickly. With [Herb Finder] in his skill set, finding herbs would be as easy as breathing for Hatsu. Realizing this, I found three quests which matched the [Hundred Quest].
[Quest Name: Blue River Grass]
[Description: Gather a basket of blue river grass corresponding to the image below.]
[Time Limit: 3 days]
[Quest Rewards: 700 Kalas, 1x Level, 2 Small Mana Crystals]
[Quest Name: Bayberries]
[Description: Gather 7 kilograms of bayberries from the outskirts of Shorelock forest corresponding to the image below.]
[Time Limit: 4 days]
[Quest Rewards: 800 Kalas, 1x Level, Skill: [Eye of Flaws]]
[Quest Name: Starlight Stalk]
[Description: Gather three Starlight Stalks corresponding to the image below.]
[Time Limit: 2 days]
[Quest Rewards: 500 Kalas, 1x Level, Weapon: [Moonlight Dagger]]
Considering that the quests required me to only collect herbs, the requesters offered quite a generous amount of time plus the rewards themselves were pretty good. Additionally, all three of these herbs are relatively easy to find in any forest with the hardest one to find being Starlight Stalk. On my own, I could find these in a day but with Hatsu, it would take half the time. I selected all three quest and pressing the blinking confirm button, three notifications were immediately sent to my phone with all the quest information.
Tapping Hatsu on his fluffy white paw, he turns his small head wagging his tail with excitement. Shutting my phone off, I storm out of the Adventurers Guild.
"Hatsu, we're leaving for the forest!" I announced.
"Arf!" Hatsu barked with excitement.
>>>
It was one, I was standing just outside of Shorelock's walls where groups Adventurers were consistently leaving and arriving back to complete their quest. Hatsu, resting on my shoulder, marveled at the sight of all the people coming in and out of the city. Merchants and their full mana drawn carts bringing goods from other cities. Knights and Tankers with their swords placed on their back or by their waist standing with a sense of pride in their shining armor. Healers and mages holding their staffs draped in mana enhanced robes. Guides wearing eyepatches clutching their compasses. As expected from Shorelock, it sure is lively despite being on the outskirts of the city.
Holding on to the [Ghostwood] staff, I exit the city walls. Hatsu jumps off my shoulder and pokes me with his paw.
"What is it?" I asked crouching down to Hatsu's height.
Suddenly, Hatsu does a small backflip then stands up on his rear legs and extends his front legs.
"Arf!" he barks.
"You wanted to show me that trick?" I cocked my head.
"Arf." he nods returning back to his resting place on my shoulder.
Patting him I smile.
"You can do more later but preserve your energy. We've got some quests to complete. If we do well, I'll treat you out to that pork cutlet sandwich I promised from before."
A huge smile forms on his face and drool begins to trail down his mouth. Understanding this, Hatsu's small beady eyes flash a blue hue.
[System Notification: Hatsu's Skill, [Herb Finder] has activated. Please show Hatsu the pictures of the Herbs]
I open the quest on my phone and show him the Starlight Stalk. The Starlight Stalk is a white flower-like herb that grows spontaneously in patches of grass. A century ago, local farmers considered the stalk to be a weed until it was discovered forty years later that Starlight Stalk can be used to create potions that can increase the defense of a person. Fifteen years ago, the stalk has been discovered with an additional effect, to increase one's mana recovery rate. Thus, the common plant has been deemed valuable for an alchemist and its demand increases exponentially every year. Nowadays, it pretty rare to encounter one of these out in the wild since most of them are domesticated.
After taking a glimpse at the image, Hatsu sniffs in all directions then points with his small paw in a direction. East. I start sprinting into the endless green forest, enhancing my legs with mana to speed up the process. Dust picks up every time I take a silent stride but it eventually disperses within seconds. Ever since the Wyvern attack, my senses have become sharper; unfortunately, since I am not confident with my current abilities, I'll have Hatsu to be my third and fourth eyes.
"Hatsu, bark once when we get to the general area! Bark twice if you sense any monsters!" I ordered as I picked up the pace.
Clinging onto my shoulder, Hatsu takes off one paw and salutes.
"Arf!" Indicating that he understood my instructions.
>>>
I ran for about three kilometers until I hear a bark.
"Is this the area?" I ask just to confirm.
Hatsu bobs his head then points to a grassy hillside within view to the north.
"How many? Point to the numbers on my phone." I instructed.
Hatsu lifts a paw and points to three numbers.
"942! Starlight Stalks!" I exclaimed with disbelief.
He nods again. I sigh a little trying to recover from the shock. Still feeling a little unsure about Hatsu's approximation, I saunter towards the hillside. Reaching the foot of the hills, I glance up at the hill in front of me. My eyes widen. This one hill alone was teaming with Starlight stalks! Their snow-white leaves matched the picture in the quest description.
"Holy S*it! We've stuck gold Hatsu!"
Hatsu jumps off my shoulder and runs towards the patches of Starlight Stalks. Opening my storage space, I pull out a wooden crate and a pair of gloves and begin harvesting the Starlight Stalks. The requester only requester for me to gather three however, I can give the rest to Guild and sell it in the Guild Shop to make an additional profit! It was splendid.
Twenty minutes later, ever Starlight stalk had been plucked from the hillside. Hatsu laid on his back wanting to rest for a little bit. Agreeing with him, I decided to rest for a little while as well as since my stamina was half depleted.
Ten minutes later, Hatsu leaps back on to his paws signaling he was ready to go. Placing the crate into my storage space, I pick up Hatsu in my arms and show him another picture, Bayberries. Once again Hatsu's eyes flash a blue hue and within seconds, he points with his paw. West.
"The Bayberries are on the way back," I mumbled.
"Arf!" Hatsu nodded in confirmation.
I swipe my phone then hold it up to Hatsu's face. It was the picture of the Blue River Grass. Hatsu pointed to the stream outlining the hillside about a hundred meters away.
How convenient!
"Thanks, Hatsu! In an hour, we can probably finish all the requests! I'll buy you an extra-large pork cutlet sandwich!" I pat him on the head.
Accepting the praise, Hatsu rubs his head against my cheek.
"That tickles." I laughed.
Walking over to the stream, I find small patches of tall blue grass along the stream. Opening my storage space, I take out another small wooden crate and begin picking the Blue River Grass. Blue River Grass is commonly used as an emergency bandage but it can also be used in herbal tea to relieve fatigue. It's very cheap and can be grown in any household garden. However, if one picks it from the wilderness, the effects of the grass will be two times stronger than those domesticated. Ten minutes passed and I finished filling up the crate with Blue River Grass which I placed into my storage space.
I'll separate the herbs once I get back to Shorelock.
Leaving the hillside, I sprint back towards Shorelock. Hatsu, with his ability, points to the right at the one and a half kilometer mark. Scattered along the main trail, the small red Bayberry bushes decorated the road. Bayberry is a small red fruit the size of a cherry and is commonly used by chefs to create deserts such as Bayberry Pudding. To ask for seven kilograms, the requester must be the owner of a restaurant or something as Bayberries are a bit pricy. It didn't matter to me as I'm just trying to make some quick cash.
I take out a large potato sack and begin plucking the berries one by one. Hatsu, seeing the process being quite slow leaps off my shoulder and with a swift swipe of his paw, all the berries on one bush fall into the sack.
"Thanks, Hatsu!" I patted him.
"Arf!" He barked enjoying it and continues to swiftly remove the berries from the bushes.
[Hatsu learned Skill: [Wind Swipe] see Hatsu's Skills for more detail]
It was four. Hatsu and I completed picking seven kilograms of Bayberries in the potato sack. I place the sack into my storage space and Hatsu climbs back onto my shoulder. We were pretty lucky today. We didn't encounter any monsters, we completed the quest in a few hours, and we didn't go beyond five kilometers from the city.
"I'd say, good job!" I said looking at Hatsu.
"Arf!" He nods.
"Great, let's head home and get some pork cutlet sandwich!"
I transferred my mana to my legs but something felt different. I glance down at my legs and a faint white aura has formed around them.
[Notification: [Basic Mana Control] has upgraded to [Intermediate Mana Control]. You can enhance your whole body while maintaining the ability to enhance each individual body part. You now have access to the Skill [Basic Aura]. Please read Skills for more information.]
Normally I don’t read authors notes but I’m glad I caught this one so I could go read your other story which I unsurprisingly enjoy just as much as this one. Keep up the amazing work.