Chapter 160 Mastering The Spotlight!

As I left the VIP room, I made my way over to the large holographic screen where adventurers could select the quests they wanted to undertake.

However, I was disappointed to find that there were no quests related to the Abandoned Kingdom.

"What the fuck?" I muttered, double-checking to make sure I wasn't missing anything.

"Sir Marz, you seem troubled. May I help you?" A familiar voice interrupted my thoughts. It was Josephine, the receptionist who I had encountered before.

"Oh, it's you. Josephine, right?" I asked, trying to recall her name.

"Yes! I'm glad you remember me. And I'm still grateful for your help yesterday," Josephine said with a smile and a slight bow.

"I wasn't trying to help you. I just didn't like being used in that old woman's cheap ploy," I said, turning my attention back to the quest screen.

"Haha, but I'm still grateful to you. Is there any particular quest you're looking for?" Josephine asked, as she joined me at the screen.

"Yeah, I'm specifically looking for quests related to the Abandoned Kingdom," I said.

"Eh?" Josephine looked at me with surprise. "A-Are you sure you want to take on quests related to the Abandoned Kingdom? It's a very dangerous place," she said in a concerned voice.

"Yes, I am sure about it," I confirmed with a neutral expression.

"I-I see. The quests related to the abandoned kingdom are classified as the highest level of difficulty. Only Adventurers with an A-Rank or above can access them," the receptionist, Josephine, explained.

"I'm an S-Rank adventurer. You do know that, right?" I asked her.

"O-Of course! Everyone in the continent now knows that you are the youngest S-Rank adventurer, and I'm not trying to underestimate or stop you from taking that quest," Josephine said hastily.

"I-I just want to inform you that, In order to access the high-level quests, you need to put your Adventurer License in this slot," she added and pressed a button. A disc-like tray appeared from the keyboard.

"Please place your Adventurer License in there," she instructed.

I followed her instructions and placed my Adventurer License in the tray and waited for the next step.

Processing...

The screen lit up for a moment, showing the words "Processing...", before revealing all the previously hidden high-level quests.

S-Rank Adventurer Quests:

1.Clearing the Cursed Ruins: An ancient ruin is believed to be cursed, and several S-Rank adventurers have gone missing while exploring it. The task is to clear the ruin of any potential dangers and find out what happened to the missing adventurers.

...

...

A-Rank Adventurer Quests:

1.Rescuing the Lost Village: A village in the countryside has been attacked by a horde of monsters and their residents have gone missing. The task is to find the missing villagers and drive the monsters away.

2.Retrieval of the Lost Artifact: A valuable artifact has been stolen from a local museum and the adventurer's job is to find and retrieve it before it falls into the wrong hands.

...

...

As I scanned through the available quests, I finally found the one I was searching for.

[Quest: Eliminate the Threat at the Border of the Abandoned Kingdom]

[Description: The Abandoned Kingdom is facing a serious threat as numerous powerful monsters have been attempting to break free from the borders of the barrier, posing a danger to the nearby Kingdoms.

As an adventurer, your mission is to venture into the Abandoned Kingdom and eliminate as many of these monsters as possible to protect the surrounding areas.

Requirements: This quest is for A-Rank adventurers and above. A strong sense of self-preservation and quick reflexes are necessary, as well as a well-rounded skill set including proficiency in combat and magic.

Rewards:

• The reward amount will be determined based on the number of monsters eradicated.

• An additional 1000 gold coins for each monster that is deemed to be particularly dangerous by the Adventurer's Guild.

• A special emblem that can be traded for rare items and equipment in the Adventurer's Guild shops

• A substantial increase in reputation and recognition among the citizens and adventurers in the surrounding Kingdoms.

Note: An tracking wristband will be provided to monitor the number of monsters eliminated by the adventurer.]

I clicked on the quest and was prompted with a question.

Do you want to choose this quest?

[Yes/No]

Without hesitation, I clicked "Yes."

Tring!

A notification chimed, confirming that the quest to eradicate the monsters in the Abandoned Kingdom had been successfully chosen by S-Rank Adventurer Marz.

After the message was processed on the screen the tray opened up again indicating that my adventurer license was now ready for pickup.

"Congratulations, Sir Marz. You have successfully chosen the quest. There is no time limit, so you can earn as much as you can based on the number of monsters you kill," Josephine explained.

"And Of course, the amount you earn will depend on the rank of the monsters. The higher the rank, the more money you'll earn.

But keep in mind, you can earn even more money by selling the monster crystals you obtain," she added.

"What about the wristband mentioned in the quest details?" I asked, intrigued.

"Ah, here it is," Josephine replied as she retrieved a black wristband from her storage ring and handed it to me.

"Please present your adventurer license in front of the wristband so it can confirm the quest you've accepted," she said with a smile.

!?

I took out my adventurer license and placed it in front of the wristband as instructed. The wristband emitted a green light, scanning my license and verifying my identity as an adventurer.

Beep!—

[S-Rank Adventurer Marz

Quest In Progress: Eliminate the Threat at the Border of the Abandoned Kingdom!

Monsters Killed: 0]

The details appeared on my wristband, which now served as a digital watch.

"...Am I ready to go now?" I asked the receptionist as I secured the wristband on my wrist.

"Yes, you can depart anytime you want. But for high-level difficulty quests like this one, it's recommended that you form a party for better chances of success," she replied in a nervous tone.

"No need, I'll take care of it on my own," I stated as I turned to leave.

"...."

"T-Then, good luck Sir Marz! May you complete the quest without any hindrances.

A-And once you've completed your quest, be sure to come back here so you can collect your well-deserved rewards.

I'll be here, eagerly awaiting your return," Josaphine exclaimed, waving goodbye.

I simply nodded, not bothering to reply, and made my way to the exit of the Adventurer's Building.

However, as I was about to exit, I was met with a crowd of reporters waiting outside the building.

And of course, I knew they are here for me.

"....."

"...This is why I hate gathering too much attention," I muttered as I stepped forward.

"He's here! He's here!" the reporters exclaimed, rushing toward me for an interview.

[Sir Marz! How does it feel to be the youngest S-Rank adventurer?] One of the reporters called out, eager to get my attention.

[We heard that you use a sword as well. Can you tell us the name of your mentor?] Another reporter chimed in.

[Is it true that you're Miss Silvia's boyfriend?] Yet another reporter asked, their questions coming at me in a rapid-fire manner.

...

I ignored their questions and pushed my way forward, the guards from the Adventurer's Guild making way for me to move. But then, one question caught my ear.

[What are your thoughts on Sir Ares? You're being compared to him in many aspects, and seeing that you both use swords as your main weapon, who do you think is more superior?]

I came to a sudden stop and turned towards the reporter who had asked the question, a smirk playing on my lips. The other reporters were taken aback by my sudden reaction, their questions coming to a halt.

"Who's superior, you ask? It's clear that I possess a higher level of talent than Ares or anyone else my age," I said, speaking with an air of confidence. I then took a momentary pause, allowing the reporters to jot down my words before continuing to speak.

"I was sent to the Gladiator arena to hone my skills in life-and-death situations where one mistake could lead to my death.

Ares, on the other hand, was born and raised as a prince and, even though he's now disowned, that doesn't change the fact that he's never been in a life-and-death situation.

So, there's no point in comparing us, as I'm far more superior to him,... I could easily defeat him any day of the week," I concluded with a smirk, causing the reporters to stand in disbelief at my bold statement as I departed the scene.

"...."

***

"The media can be a double-edged sword," I thought to myself as I made my way through the crowd. "While they can be pesky at times, but if utilized correctly, they can greatly benefit you," I muttered with a small smile on my face.