Chapter 1: The Beginning of a New Life
...
Ethan Cross opened his eyes and blinked, the sunlight streaming through a large wooden window washing over his face. He sat up slowly, his head pounding slightly from the abruptness of waking in an unfamiliar place. The rustic room smelled faintly of wood and old parchment, a distinct contrast to the city air he was used to back home.
"Where am I…?" Ethan muttered to himself, rubbing his temples.
He glanced around and saw the room was simple but neat—an old wooden desk, a chair, and a small bookshelf lined with leather-bound books. The walls were made of rough stone blocks, and a heavy wooden door stood closed across from his bed.
Ethan swung his legs over the edge of the bed, the rough cloth beneath him reminding him that this was no modern hotel or apartment. He reached for a worn piece of parchment resting on the desk.
On it was a message, written in neat script:
Welcome, Adventurer. Your journey begins today. Check your System.
Ethan frowned. Adventurer? System? His mind raced to the strange event that had happened just before waking here. One moment, he was walking home from school, the next, everything had blurred into white light. Then… this.
He sat up straighter and instinctively closed his eyes, trying to summon any kind of memory or sensation. Instead, a new image appeared—floating before his eyes like a hologram, unseen by anyone else.
[SYSTEM ACTIVATED]
[Welcome, Ethan Cross.]
[Current Rank: E]
[Available Quests: 3]
[Currency: 0 Gold]
[Health: 100/100]
[Mana: 50/50]
The display showed other stats—Strength, Agility, Intelligence—each marked with a basic number and a slow blinking cursor waiting for input.
Ethan blinked again, now fully awake and processing what he saw. No one else around him seemed to notice anything unusual. This had to be some kind of game interface—or, given the situation, maybe a real system?
Only I can see this, he thought, looking around cautiously.
He rubbed his eyes, but the floating screen stayed firmly in place. This was real.
Outside, he heard the sound of bustling activity—the voices of townsfolk, horses trotting along cobblestone streets, and the clinking of armor. He quickly dressed in the simple tunic and trousers provided in a wooden chest at the foot of his bed and pushed open the door.
The corridor was lined with stone and wooden beams, narrow but well-kept. He followed the sounds down a winding staircase to the ground floor.
Stepping outside into the town square, Ethan took in the scenery. The small town of Lysford was quaint but lively. Thatched roofs and timber-framed houses surrounded a wide plaza where merchants displayed colorful wares. Adventurers of all ranks mingled, many clad in armor or carrying weapons—though most looked like beginners, not the heroic legends he had read about in fantasy novels.
A large wooden sign hung above an open building nearby: Lysford Adventurer's Guild.
Ethan felt a flutter of nerves and excitement. This was where it started.
He walked toward the guild building, his System still floating in his peripheral vision.
[Available Quests:]
1. Delivery: Herbs to the Healer (5 Gold)
2. Hunt: Goblin Scouts in the Forest (10 Gold)
3. Gather: Iron Ore at the Mines (8 Gold)
The currency — Gold — looked familiar from countless fantasy stories. Not that he knew exactly how much he could buy with 5 Gold, but he felt it was probably enough for a meal or some basic supplies.
Inside the guild hall, a burly man with a scar running down his cheek looked up from a counter.
"First time here?" the man asked gruffly.
"Yeah, I… just arrived. I'm Ethan Cross. I want to become an adventurer," Ethan said, trying to sound confident.
The man nodded slowly. "An E-rank, huh? Well, it's not much, but everyone starts somewhere."
He gestured to a large board behind him, filled with pinned notices — the same quests Ethan saw in his system.
"You'll take those missions to prove yourself. Complete them, gain rank, and maybe someday you'll be S-rank, one of the best."
Ethan swallowed hard but nodded.
"I'll do my best."
The first quest was simple: deliver a bundle of medicinal herbs to the town's healer, an elderly woman who lived on the outskirts of Lysford.
With the herbs in his satchel, Ethan followed the winding dirt road through the town's outskirts. The cool breeze ruffled his hair, and despite the overwhelming newness of everything, he felt a strange peace.
His System quietly counted down the mission time limit—though for this quest, there was plenty of time.
Arriving at a cozy cottage, he handed the herbs to the healer, who smiled warmly.
"Thank you, young man. These will help many."
Ethan's System chimed softly.
[Quest Complete: Delivery – Herbs to the Healer]
[Reward: 5 Gold, 20 XP]
[Experience Gained: 20]
[Current XP: 20/100]
He returned to the guild hall, his confidence rising.
While 20 experience points was not much, the clear progress was encouraging.
Over the next few days, Ethan balanced taking on missions with exploring Lysford. He learned that E-rank adventurers usually did small, repetitive tasks. Gathering materials, chasing after pests, or helping townsfolk with minor problems.
His daily routine quickly formed: wake early, check available quests on his System, choose a task, complete it, return, and collect rewards.
Despite the slow progress, he noticed small improvements in his stats each day.
Strength: 5 → 6
Agility: 5 → 6
Intelligence: 5 → 6
Small, but steady.
He also found time to talk to other adventurers—though none knew about his System, and none seemed interested in chatting much. Everyone kept their focus on their own goals.
Still, Ethan felt a small spark of hope.
This was his new life, and despite being an E-rank nobody, it was a start.
One afternoon, while resting near the town fountain, a girl roughly his age approached him. She was clad in light leather armor, with a confident smile and bright green eyes.
"You're Ethan Cross, right?" she asked.
Ethan nodded cautiously.
"I'm Mira. I'm a C-rank adventurer. Don't suppose you need any help?"
Ethan was surprised but shook his head politely.
"I'm still new. Just taking it slow."
Mira laughed softly. "That's smart. Rushing leads to injuries—and worse. But if you ever want company on a quest, just say the word."
Ethan smiled. Maybe this journey wouldn't be so lonely after all.
As days turned into weeks, Ethan's System slowly tracked his growing accomplishments.
He completed dozens of missions: delivering letters, slaying weak monsters, gathering rare plants, and more.
Each quest came with its own stories — from grateful villagers to the first signs of danger lurking beyond Lysford's borders.
His reputation in the guild remained modest, but whispers of a diligent E-rank adventurer began to spread.
And with each victory, Ethan's dream grew clearer: one day, he would become an S-rank adventurer — a true hero of this world.
But for now, he focused on one mission at a time, savoring every step of his lovely, slow-paced journey.
[System Message]
Ethan Cross's current status:
Rank: E
Level: 5
Gold: 50
Next Rank: D (requires 500 XP)
Available Missions: 4
And so, the adventure had truly begun.
...
A/N
Hey there, everyone~ (¬‿¬)
Author here!
Welcome to my brand-new book, Rise of the E-Rank Adventurer!
I'm truly excited (and a little nervous) to share this story with you all. I'm still a novice writer, so please don't expect too much from me just yet. But I promise to do my best and keep improving as we go!
So sit back, relax, and dive into the world of E-Rank struggles and unexpected rise~ (¬‿¬)
Enjoy!;)