The Adventurer's Guild in Draymoor looked exactly how Kaito expected—massive oak doors, high stone walls, and the faint smell of sweat, steel, and spilled ale. A bulletin board near the entrance overflowed with weathered parchment quests. Hunters, mages, and warriors bustled about—some boasting loudly over drinks, others nursing wounds or sharpening blades in grim silence.
Kaito adjusted his tactical sunglasses and walked toward the front desk like he belonged there.
"Merchant registration?" asked the receptionist, a young elf woman with mint-green hair pulled into a tight braid. Her gaze flicked over him—modern backpack, strange clothes, glowing relic-device in hand.
"Yeah," Kaito said casually. "Also looking to hire some muscle. Preferably the kind that doesn't ask too many questions."
Her brow arched. "We offer party formation services, not mercenary work."
"I'm not hiring a thug. I need a partner. Someone to help me not die while I revolutionize trade."
The receptionist tilted her head slightly. "Class?"
"None officially. But I've got a unique skill: Modern Mart."
She hesitated, quill hovering midair. "That's not in the registry."
"Figured as much."
"You'll need a skill evaluation," she said, scribbling quickly. "For now, I'll list you as an Independent Merchant-Class Applicant. You'll be restricted from selling enchanted weapons or unknown magical relics until reviewed."
"No problem." He gave a faint smirk. "I only sell the weird and useful."
She handed him a parchment stamped with the Guild's crest. "If you want to find a guard or form a party, check the board or visit the lounge."
"Perfect." Kaito slid the form into his pack and headed toward the Guild's open lounge.
The space beyond the counter was lively, noisy, and smelled faintly of roasted meat and wet leather. Dozens of adventurers lounged in mismatched chairs, dined around long tables, or nursed tankards of something frothy and dangerous.
He didn't get far before a voice called out.
"Oi! You the guy sellin' those light sticks yesterday?"
Kaito turned to see a hulking man with a massive hammer slung over his shoulder. The man's beard was unkempt, and his armor bore the kind of dents that told stories. Many of them probably violent.
"Depends who's asking," Kaito said warily.
"Name's Garon. Saw that dummy thing you inflated near the fountain. Damn near gave old Welric a heart attack."
"Marketing," Kaito said dryly.
Garon chuckled and dropped into a nearby chair. "You lookin' for a guard?"
"Something like that."
"I smash things. You don't die. Easy work."
Kaito studied him. "You reliable?"
"I've got scars older than half the rookies in this place. Standard Guild rate—two silver a day, hazard pay if stuff explodes."
"Explosions happen often?"
Garon shrugged. "More than you'd think."
Kaito considered his dwindling coin pouch. Hiring protection meant fewer impulse buys, but more chances of staying alive long enough to spend the rest. He looked Garon dead in the eyes.
"I summon things. Strange things. Stuff no one here understands. If you're in, you're going to see things that might confuse or terrify you."
Garon leaned forward. "You're not just peddling knick-knacks, are you?"
"I'm bringing the future to this world—one flashlight and protein bar at a time."
The warrior scratched his chin. "Alright. But I get naming rights if we use one of your dummy things to prank goblins."
"Deal."
They shook on it.
Later that afternoon, Kaito and his newly hired guard walked the eastern road, the sun beginning its slow descent behind the hills. Kaito scanned the forested area with interest. With the market slowing down earlier, he decided to take a calculated risk—test a few gadgets and get a feel for traveling outside town.
"You sure we won't run into anything nasty out here?" Kaito asked.
"Bandits like to ambush supply wagons and lone travelers, not guys with warhammers and weird relics. We'll be fine," Garon replied confidently.
Kaito opened the Modern Mart app, scrolling through the Survival category.
Recommended for Outdoor Exploration:
Motion Sensor Alarm
Multi-Tool Survival Bracelet
Collapsible Shovel
Snake Bite First Aid Kit
Foldable Solar Charger
He purchased the alarm and bracelet. A brief flash of light later, the items materialized in his bag and hand. Garon flinched, then grunted in acceptance.
"You're really gonna have to explain how that works one day," Garon muttered.
Kaito clipped the survival bracelet to his wrist and activated the motion alarm. "That's assuming I understand it myself."
They found a quiet glade off the path and set up. Kaito placed the sensor on a tree stump and armed it. A soft blue light blinked.
"Now watch," he said, tossing a pebble past the sensor.
BEEEEP!
A shrill screech echoed through the clearing. Birds fled the branches.
Garon winced. "Loud enough."
"Exactly the point. But I didn't—"
BEEEEP! BEEEEP!
The alarm triggered again.
This time, it wasn't Kaito's doing.
Three shadowy figures stepped out from the brush—faces masked, weapons drawn, armor stitched from mismatched scraps of leather.
"Well, well," said the one in front, a scar-faced woman with a cruel grin. "Looks like we found ourselves a couple of wealthy travelers."
Garon stepped forward, gripping his hammer. "You picked the wrong coinpurse to rob, lady."
The bandit leader ignored him and pointed her blade toward Kaito's pack. "What's that glowin' thing on your back, merchant? Magic artifact? Or something worth selling?"
Kaito took a step back, opening the app.
Emergency Tools:
Flashbang
Bear Spray
Self-Defense Baton
Tactical Horn
High-Voltage Stun Gun
He selected the flashbang and tapped "Summon."
A canister appeared in his hand.
"Garon," he said calmly, "Close your eyes."
"What?"
"Now."
Kaito yanked the pin and threw.
FLASH!
A burst of white light and thunder rocked the forest. The bandits screamed, clutching their faces.
Garon roared and charged. One swing of his hammer knocked the nearest thug into a tree. Another roll and a kick put the second on the ground, groaning.
The leader staggered blindly, eyes wide and tearing up. "What—what the hell was that?!"
Kaito stepped forward, holding up a second canister. "Want another demonstration?"
She dropped her sword. "Forget this!"
The surviving bandits bolted, crashing through the underbrush.
Garon dusted himself off. "Nice throw. What was that thing?"
"Modern solution to medieval problems," Kaito said, sliding the phone back into his pack. "We're going to need a few more of those."
Back in Draymoor, as twilight cloaked the rooftops in violet shadows, Kaito sat at the inn, scribbling notes in a borrowed ledger. Garon nursed a pint beside him.
"So," Garon said, raising an eyebrow, "what now, boss?"
Kaito leaned back, the weight of the phone comforting in his pocket.
"Now?" he said, smirking. "Now we scale up."