As his hands moved with precision, Ren noticed something strange. Skinning the Dire Wolf, separating the flesh from the bones, even extracting its teeth one by one—he did it all without the slightest hint of disgust or nausea.
For someone from a modern world, witnessing such an amount of blood, enduring the pungent smell of raw meat, and feeling the texture of freshly butchered flesh should have triggered a psychological response.
Yet, there was nothing.
No trembling, no unease in his stomach, no urge to gag. Even after finishing, he observed his work with a neutral expression, ensuring that every useful part had been neatly separated.
(This… is strange.)
He knew that quick adaptability was one of his strengths, but this reaction was far from normal. It was as if his body had already grown accustomed to doing this, despite this being his first experience.
However, he didn't have time to analyze it further. The sun was still high in the sky, and he needed to return to the city before nightfall.
With a heavier load than before, he hoisted his spoils—collected herbs and the valuable parts of the Dire Wolf. He had discarded the innards and useless parts in the forest, but the pelt, meat, and fangs were still quite the burden.
But it was worth it.
Upon returning to the Adventurer's Guild, Ren made his way straight to the reception desk to complete his quest. The same blonde receptionist from before greeted him with her usual professional smile, but her expression shifted to surprise when she saw what he was carrying.
"Whoa… You really brought a lot. I thought you were just gathering herbs, but you also hunted a monster?"
Ren shrugged before handing over the herbs he had collected. "The quest only required herbs, but I ran into a Dire Wolf along the way. So I figured, why not?"
The receptionist chuckled. "You're not just a typical rookie, huh?" she said, jotting down notes on Ren's record. "Normally, first-time adventurers would be shaking in fear after facing their first monster. But you? Not only did you kill it, you even butchered it yourself like a professional."
Ren didn't respond, merely giving a faint, unreadable smile.
Once everything was accounted for, the receptionist handed him two small pouches filled with coins.
"For the herbs you gathered, you earn 10 bronze coins."
She then lifted the second pouch.
"And for the Dire Wolf parts, since you skinned it yourself and saved us the cost of hiring a processor, the total comes to 25 silver coins."
Ren accepted the payment without a word, but internally, he was already making calculations.
(Interesting… If a single Dire Wolf can net me 25 silver coins, then monster hunting might be far more profitable than simply gathering herbs.)
The receptionist eyed him curiously before finally saying, "I'll mark your quest as complete. But if you're planning to continue hunting monsters like this, you might want to consider ranking up sooner rather than later."
Ren tucked the coins into his pouch, then met her gaze with a calm look. "Maybe."
Within a week, Ren had successfully built a stable income by balancing herb gathering and monster hunting. With careful calculations, he ensured that he didn't stand out too much while still earning enough to sustain himself. Now, with a more secure financial situation, he began integrating himself further into this world.
One of the most noticeable changes was his clothing.
He no longer wore his school uniform but instead opted for attire that blended better with the local culture—a long black coat with a lightweight inner layer, durable trousers, and sturdy leather boots for long-distance travel. With this, he could move more freely without drawing unnecessary attention.
However, the most important development of all was his weaponry.
During this time, Ren had never been satisfied with just the primitive pistol he first created. He continued researching, experimenting, and refining its design. The firearm he now carried was far more advanced than the initial version—boasting higher accuracy, a smoother trigger mechanism, and additional features like an improved sight for better precision.
But Ren knew one thing…
A pistol alone wasn't enough.
While hunting, he had begun encountering monsters with thicker hides—creatures that his small-caliber bullets struggled to penetrate. If this continued, sooner or later, he would face an enemy that even his gun couldn't handle.
That was why he had started working on something bigger.
At his hidden workshop outside the city—inside an old warehouse rarely visited by others—Ren sat at his worktable, surrounded by metal parts, makeshift gun barrels, and various blueprints he had drawn by hand. After spending a week gathering materials from the black market and utilizing Material Transmutation, he had finally perfected his new project.
A semi-automatic assault rifle.
This weapon used larger-caliber bullets, capable of piercing through tougher monster hides. It had a higher magazine capacity than his pistol and, with a semi-auto firing mechanism, provided enough flexibility for various combat situations.
Ren lifted the rifle, examining its design with quiet satisfaction. He slowly pulled the trigger, ensuring the internal mechanisms functioned perfectly.
"With this, I don't have to worry about heavily armored monsters anymore."
But Ren wasn't stopping here.
###
One night, in a small bar tucked away in a corner of the city, Ren sat at a table in the far corner, sipping a simple drink while listening to the conversations around him. As usual, the place was packed with adventurers from all walks of life—some discussing their missions, others simply joking around after a long day's work.
However, one particular conversation caught his attention.
"You heard? The Heroes summoned by the kingdom are finally going on their first real combat training in a dungeon this week."
"Oh? So they're finally getting their hands dirty?"
"Yeah, they said it's to give them actual battle experience. After all, they can't just train in a safe environment forever."
Ren, who had been absentmindedly stirring his drink, paused for a moment before smirking. (So, they're finally stepping onto the battlefield, huh? It'll be interesting to see how they adapt… or fail.)
Still, he had no interest in getting involved.
Right now, he had far more important things to focus on—something much bigger than simply keeping track of their progress.
The next morning, Ren began preparing for his next journey.
He had made up his mind to travel across this world, seeking out rare minerals and materials—all for one ultimate goal.
He wanted to go home.
While many in his position might have resigned themselves to their fate as "heroes from another world," Ren refused to be trapped here for the rest of his life. This world was fascinating, sure, but to him, it was nothing more than another puzzle to solve. If he could gather the right resources and develop the necessary technology, he would find a way back to Earth.
But he wasn't in a hurry.
During his journey, he could enjoy his adventures, help those he encountered, and—if necessary—play the role of a "hero" from time to time, just like he had once dreamed of as a child.
After gathering everything he needed, Ren made his way to the city gates, where a merchant caravan was preparing to set off for the next town. He had signed up as a temporary guard—the best way to travel while still making money.
As he approached the group, a few other adventurers glanced his way—particularly at the long, cloth-wrapped object slung across his back, shaped like a massive battle axe.
"Hey, you're one of the escorts too?" a burly man with a scar on his cheek asked.
Ren gave a brief nod. "Yeah."
The man's gaze drifted to the wrapped object on Ren's back. "Your weapon's kinda unique. A great axe?"
Ren offered a faint smirk. "Something like that."
There was no need to explain that what he was carrying wasn't an axe—but rather, his custom-built assault rifle.
With everything in place, the caravan finally set off, passing through the city gates and onto the long road stretching into the world beyond.