Game Reincarnation: Reborn as the Strongest Villain

After knowing and sharing the same connection with each other, Jin and Ronald start to open up to each other. Ronald mostly tells about his identity and also tells some stories about how he met his parents and what kind of journey they had. 

Time passed, and fun things had to end early, as Layla, the receptionist, appeared holding a new necklace with an Iron tag on it. 

"Alright, Jin, Let's continue again if we have a chance".

"Yes, thank you for your time, Uncle Ronald!".

"Hehehe, uncle, huh. Not bad!".

Ronald left the arena scratching his hair while flustered after being called uncle. But his expression shows that he likes it. 

After Ronald had gone, Layla began to escort Jin toward the receptionist's desk to give him another brief report about the benefits he had after ranking up to Iron. 

"So now, I can take a subjugation mission?".

"Yes!".

It goes like this: The copper rank adventurer couldn't leave the town as their quest would involve covering an entire city, from helping the people in the town to cleaning the filth in the sewer, and more. 

When they rank up to Iron, then from this rank, an adventurer who already proves they have abilities to survive will get permission to leave the town to search for herbs or subjugate a beast. 

The requirements for normal rank-up from Copper to Iron is to complete fifty quests in town, and then they would receive a special training regimen the guild had prepared. From there, they would receive a training facility until they received the necessary knowledge to survive outside. 

"If you want to take a quest, you can go to the quest board over there, and you can pick a quest one rank above you, but be careful of the risk".

"Okay, I will be back!".

"Take your time".

Jin walked toward the quest board, which was filled with plastered paper. Above the board, Jin spotted a big word that incorporated the adventure rank from Copper to Mithril. Only the highest rank of Orihalcon was none. Jin recalled that the Guild master themselves would directly hand the Orihalcon quest for the dangerous difficulty it possessed. Also, the quests themselves were pretty rare.

He observed the board, which had Iron Rank on it. Jin took his time for a few seconds before he saw something that caught his interest. After he had decided, he tore the paper and went toward Layla, who was scribbling something behind the desk. 

"Mrs Layla, I'm back!".

"Oh, have you decided what quest you pick".

As she received the paper, Layla read the content and found it surprising that the boy took a cautious approach in his first quest. 

"Herbs gathering: The deadline is in three days. Do you know what kind of herbs it is?".

"No, please. I still don't have any knowledge about that stuff".

"Understood!".

Layla crouched down and took something from below the desk and put it on the counter before Jin. It was a thick book with an old cover made from animal leather. She flipped several pages before stopping at the picture of a certain plant and its details. 

"Here it is: You must remember what type the herb is, what kind of environment it grows in, and how to take it so as not to damage its cycle of living."

Jin began to memorize the details and flip another page to find another type of herb that seemed poisonous. He was absorbed for a while until Layla's warning brought his mind back to the surface. 

"Adventure Jin, are you alright? Have you memorized the details of the herbs?".

"Ah, sorry. Yes, more or less. I remember some of it. Thank you for lending it to me. I will be going".

"Yes, be careful out there!".

The two bid their farewell as Jin hastened to leave the building. Once he was outside, the fresh air that filled his lungs felt comfortable compared to the inside, which was filled with the smell of alcohol. 

He proceeds toward the east side, passing the central town that is still crowded despite the sun hovering above them. However, thanks to the late autumn wind, the cool breeze that softly caressed Jin's skin was enough to stop him from sweating. 

As he walked, Jin found himself surrounded by many stalls and a buzz of activity after he arrived in the East district, which is also called a market district. A spirited voice from a seller trying to promote their sales almost invited Jin to stop by and enjoy what it offered. 

'No, I can do that later. Quest first!'. He steeled his resolve as he ventured through the busy road toward a straight path that would lead him into the outside of town. 

There is a tall gate made from thick, aged wood and tall walls that stretch long on each side made from reinforced marble, giving the citizens a safe place despite knowing that the outside was nothing but a forest filled with monsters. 

"Halt, can you show me your ID card?". A young knight guard wearing a plate mail outfit and sword at his hips stopped Jin. 

"Here is my ID". Jin shows the young guard his adventure guild card and briefly shows his necklace. 

"Iron rank, very well, you can pass. We will close the gate in the evening near nighttime, so make sure you return before that time!".

"Okay, thank you for the warning".

After being given permission, Jin's heart beat rapidly, showing just how nervous he was. Despite preparing himself for this moment, when he faced it himself, the reality was not so soft as to give him self-assurance that he would be okay with just training. 

What he needs right now is experience that will eventually build up, shaping his mentality so that he can face anything that comes his way. 

Jin inhaled deeply to calm his racing heart before muttering to himself. "You can do it, Jin! Let's go!".

For the first time, Jin stepped outside his safe zone, in the form of his house, and then ventured into the outside world for real. In front of him spread a green carpet that stretched far away along swayed grass by the breeze, letting out a soft rustling that distracted his mind. 

Jin proceeded ahead and finally arrived in front of the forest, which seemed dark because the tall tree, along with its canopy, cast a soft shadow that covered the surface. However, on a certain part, light managed to breach through, giving it a tranquil ambiance that guided him to enter the domain of the wild. 

An earthy scent filled his entire nostril, reminding him that he was inside the embrace of nature. The whisper of the wind carried along the rustling voice of something that lurked beyond his scope of sight, welcoming him with tension. 

No matter what, Jin resolved himself and took his first step. Each step raised the tension in his body. He never forgot to check his surrounding area in search of the herbs or even the beast that awaited him to drop his guard. 

"There is nothing around here, should I go further inside!". 

Jin hesitated for a second but soon resolved himself and walked further inside. He still couldn't find anything that resembled the plant he memorized earlier. 

'Man, it was so hard to find a single plant!'. In the novel or manga he read, the protagonist would successfully find it in the first step. They go to the forest with the help of their cheating ability. 

Those imaginations began topping out in his head, further sinking Jin's mood from reality. He sighed in defeat, but soon, his face perked up, and he saw a familiar plant standing on the ground basking in the sun's light. 

"Is that?". Jin carefully approached the place and crouched down to see the plant in close detail. 

"Yeah, there is no mistaking it, this is the one!". 

His face lit up, and all of his worry and gloomy feelings cleared away from his chest. Jin carefully picked the herb by cutting it from its root, letting it stay buried in the soil. This method would help the herb grow again from the same root for as long as there was mana in the atmosphere. 

With the magical properties of the herb that could be concocted into a potion that could heal wounds and even restore mana, this absurd yet new experience was also something that Jin had to get used to. 

Jin stores the herb inside his bracelet, but soon, the rustling sound he hears from the side, hiding behind the bushes, jolts his body upward. He turns around while gripping his Katana tight. Another rustle jolts his heart as a white beast hops off and shows its figure. 

"A rabbit? But the size…".

In front of him, a rabbit as big as a dog stood still, observing the human with its red eyes and twitching nose. Jin gulped hard, seeing the sharp, pointy horn on its head like a spear.

His gaze never left the bunny, and true to his prediction, the rabbit hissed, and its eyes gleamed in dangerous light. In a single kick, its body darted like a missile that shot toward Jin. 

Jin calmly exhaled, shifted his position to the side, and let the rabbit horn pierce a tree trunk, making it easy prey for Jin to finish. 

"This is your end!".

In a single stroke, the rabbit's body slowly slid downward, leaving only its head and horn embedded in a tree.