Summoned with an SSS-Rank Portal Skill

The guards Bruce hired were the ones driving the carriage. William and Rebo didn't have to do any of that—they just relaxed inside the carriage the whole time.

Why? Well, Rebo was just a teenager, and they didn't want him handling the reins. As for William, he only had one arm at the moment.

For the first time, William felt like having just one arm actually gave him a bit of an advantage.

The roads across the kingdom were usually safe. Any serious kingdom would want its main roads secure—for travelers, soldiers, and of course, merchants like Bruce.

Bruce wasn't just there to make money. He was delivering goods to parts of the kingdom that might not have easy access otherwise. It was a win-win for everyone.

One night, they all sat around a campfire in front of a roadside tavern that Bruce had chosen to stop at. They enjoyed the night outdoors, drinking and eating around the warm, cozy fire.

"And what exactly are you two doing in the capital?" Bruce asked, looking at William.

William didn't want to reveal his true reason. That was a personal matter for Rebo, and he wasn't comfortable sharing it with anyone.

"I'm trying to get more spell manuals for my disciple. Maybe even find a good place for us to train for a while."

"Oh, right, makes sense. I forgot he was your disciple," Bruce said, laughing and taking another sip of his beer. "I'll be staying in the capital for a while, too. Even I need a vacation sometimes. If you need any help, just let me know while we're there."

"If I need anything, I will. Thanks."

William wasn't sure if he'd actually need Bruce's help, but it was good to have someone reliable nearby. Bruce seemed like a decent guy.

And so, with frequent stops at roadside taverns, sometimes camping in the wilderness and enjoying the beauty of nature, they finally reached the first city on their journey.

It was a fairly large city with tall walls and plenty of farms surrounding it. The city sat in the middle of a plain, with a beautiful river running through it. A wooden bridge crossed the river—farmers used it often.

There were trees scattered around, of course, but it wasn't a dense forest. The trees provided shelter from the sun.

William looked out the carriage window as they approached the city. The farmers' faces showed the weariness of constant hard work, but there was a spark of happiness in their eyes.

A simple yet content life, far from the dangers of the wider world.

The citizens were protected by the army, and all they had to do was tend their crops, care for their animals, and enjoy time with their families.

As they neared the city gate, some guards came to check if Bruce was bringing anything illegal into the city. It was a routine procedure.

But William noticed the guards barely glanced at the carriage. They quickly checked the back with a casual look and said, "Alright, you're free to go."

That was odd. Not that William suspected Bruce was carrying anything illegal—he just thought the guards might have been more thorough because of their new friendship. Doing a proper check could have made the journey unpleasant, so William chose to ignore it and hoped Bruce wasn't involved in anything shady.

"I'll be selling some of my stock, so let's meet up at the city gate in three days, early in the morning. What do you say?" Bruce asked.

"No problem."

They already knew Bruce would need a few days to sell his goods in the city. William didn't mind. His goal was the capital, so for now, he just had to find something else to do.

Bruce left with the carriage and his hired guards, leaving only William and Rebo behind.

"So, master, what are we going to do now?" Rebo asked.

William had something in mind—something they desperately needed.

"We actually need money," William said. "Our goal is the capital, but to get you new spell tomes and search for your mother, we'll definitely need funds."

"You're right, but how are we going to get money?" Rebo asked.

There were plenty of ways to earn money, but William had only one in mind: kill magical beasts and sell their parts.

They could also take on quests from wealthy people—rich folks always hired strong adventurers to handle their problems.

But they didn't have much time in the city—only two or three days—so they needed something quick. William knew he could easily find beasts in the nearby wilderness and make decent cash selling their parts.

"Let's kill some beasts!" William said.

*

They left the city to hunt. Much of the land around the city was open plains, so they had to travel further to find dangerous beasts. Before leaving, William asked around to find out if any particular beasts fetched a high price.

There were a few. Most townsfolk mentioned an area full of caves inhabited by beasts with thick fur. Fur was exactly what rich people wanted—to make expensive clothes and flaunt their wealth at fancy parties.

So William headed there to hunt those beasts. He was calm about it, but Rebo wasn't.

"They say these beasts are tough to kill," Rebo said. "Not even a three-star mage can take them down. You need to be four-star."

"What's this ranking system? How do they even know what a 'star' is?" William asked.

"You can take a ranking test in any city. They measure your power with a device and assign you stars based on that. But to prove you deserve the rank, you have to kill a beast of similar star level. If you succeed, you get a badge that grants you benefits across the kingdom—and even in neighboring kingdoms."

"Oh? Really?"

Other kingdoms had similar systems. William was pretty sure the first kingdom he visited after arriving in this world had something like that too, but he was too weak to notice it back then. Now, things were different.

"Should I try to get a badge? It would make life easier, but it would also draw attention. What should I do?" William thought.

That was something to think about later. For now, William just wanted to kill those beasts, collect their furs, and earn some money.

They made their way toward the cave area on foot. It took some time since neither of them had money to pay for a mount.

Bruce was the one covering their meals and rooms at taverns, and he wouldn't give William any money until they reached the capital. Plus, the amount wasn't much. William was traveling with him mainly because it made the journey easier and smoother.

Anyway, as they neared the caves, they spotted other people there. William wasn't the only one thinking of making money by hunting those beasts.

The moment the others saw a man with one arm, wild hair, and a beard—looking like someone stranded on an island—alongside a teenager, they didn't know what to say or think. Sometimes you just had to blink a few times to make sure you weren't dreaming.

A tall, muscular bald man with a massive hammer strapped to his back approached them.

"This is a dangerous area, my friend. I don't think it's wise for you to be here. Did you two get lost?"

He turned his gaze to Rebo. "Did your old father get lost?"

William rolled his eyes. People really seemed to think of him as a feeble old man.

"No, he's my master, and we're here to hunt beasts. At least, he is. I'm just here to watch."

The tall man looked back at William. William smiled warmly and extended his only hand in greeting.

"Thanks for your concern."

For some reason, the calm way William spoke made the tall man uneasy, but he said nothing.

"All right, if you say so," he said, shaking William's hand. "But watch out—beasts aren't the only danger around here."

At that, everyone nearby turned to look. This spot was like a safe resting point before venturing into the caves—a makeshift camp where many people gathered.

William could feel their predatory gazes. They wanted to steal from him, maybe even kill him. It was the same everywhere he went, and by now, it didn't surprise him.

He actually saw it as an opportunity. Everyone was watching and listening to their conversation.

"Haha, you're funny," William said. "Do you really think these weaklings can do anything to me? But thanks for the warning. If you need anything, just ask."

William started walking away, with Rebo following close behind.

A voice called out from behind—a man's voice.

"Do you really think this is a safe place? We could kill you and take your stuff right here. You're just a newcomer who doesn't know shit."

William turned and faced the man, smiling. "Oh, really? So you're saying I could kill you right now and no one would care?"

"You talk like you can, but we both know you can't."

Before the man could react, William dashed forward, appearing in front of him in less than a second—as if he'd teleported. He grabbed the man by the neck and squeezed, breaking it instantly. Just like that, the man was dead.

"You died fast. What a shame," William said. "Anyone else want to say something?"

No one muttered a word. They just watched silently as William and Rebo headed toward the caves.