"Zhen, what class are you gonna choose?" Sapheria asked as she and her friends walked to the Adventurers Guild, ready to be tested for adventuring potential as she clung to her friend's arm.
Zhenyel glanced at her friend with a faint smile, holding her by the waist while walking to the Guild. She swayed side to side due to Sapheria rocking them both, giggling excitedly. The rest of their friends were walking ahead of them, chatting about the adventure plan they had made while occasionally turning to Zhenyel and Sapheria.
After a few minutes of walking, the group finally arrived at the Adventurers Guild. Upon entering, they went over to the front desk and showed their application to sign up as adventurers, then they were immediately led to the examination site where they would be tested. In the examination area, an instructor was standing on a platform.
"Alright, no more newcomers? Let's begin. In your hands is a Manual, it's about the history of the Adventurers Guild; how it was founded and why it was formed, which includes the rules and regulations, as well as legal laws that bind Adventurers. Now, the first test would be about the Manual. Those who want to be an Adventurer are given each one as a precaution and reminder of their duties and laws." The instructor began as his eyes roamed the big crowd of applicants for the month.
"Okay. You will be given trials according to the Manual; you may have 10 minutes to read everything, then we will start. Start!" The instructor said as he played a countdown behind him using an oversized TV, the time counting from 00:09:59:59 down to 00:00:00:00. When the allotted time was finished, the applicants were told to hide the Manual so they could move on to the trials.
"Gather round, the first test will now begin." The instructor called out as he slammed his great sword against the ground, looking at the gathered applicants.
"Applicant No.1! Forward!" The No.1 applicant went first as they were tested in a different room. One by one, the applicants are tested as they were called by their numbers.
"Applicant No.144! Forward!" The instructor called Zhenyel's number as her friends cheered her on, being ushered to the designated test room as she walked in. She held her head high in confidence and strode over to the door, giving a reassuring smile to her friends.
When she arrived, she was told to sit down on a chair as the instructor was seated across from him. She roamed her eyes around the room, it was plain and bare—two chairs symmetrically sectioned around a table, dim lamps in the middle of the table, as she sat down.
"First Question: What are the Seven Ranks of Adventurers in the Guild?" The instructor asked as he stared at Zhenyel, activating his intimidation skill, Dreadful Presence, to see if she would be affected.
"Novice, Bronze, Silver, Gold, and Platinum." Zhenyel answered confidently as she stared directly at the instructor's eyes. Though she noticed the effects of the skill, but was not affected and she was able to withstand the debuff status because of her mental fortitude being high.
"Second Question: What are the codes of conduct for being a member of the Adventurers Guild?" The instructor asked again as he nodded in satisfaction at Zhenyel's firm response, noticing that she realized he used the intimidation skill but didn't get affected. This caught his attention as he reactivated it, upgrading the level to see if she'd be able to withstand it.
"Honor the Guild, Aid Thy Fellows, Respect the Law, Share Knowledge, Fair Division, and Secrecy." Zhenyel softly replied as she hardened her gaze, eyes trained to the visible signs of Dreadful Presence.
"Third Question: What are the Safety and Survival listed on the Manual?" The instructor dropped the third question as he watched Zhenyel's eyes flicker around him, surprising him because only a handful of people could see the visible effects of his skill, also known as magic sense.
"No.1 - Always travel with a party; lone ventures are discouraged unless you're Silver and above. No.2 - Carry potions, healing items, rations, and signal flares. No.3 - Study quest details thoroughly before departure. No.4 - Respect local laws and customs in all territories." Zhenyel's eyes were focused as she held 4 fingers, each point under the table. The instructor couldn't help but marvel at her ability to memorize the manual in just the allotted time; in most cases, applicants wouldn't be able to answer or would provide an incomplete answer since the time given to them to memorize the manual was too short.
The first test went on without a hitch, Zhenyel passed with flying colors as she was labeled as "Blessed" for the capabilities she had shown in just one test. The people behind the instructor whispered among themselves as they skimmed through the files of each applicant that caught their eyes, simultaneously looking at Zhenyel in the crowd. She was standing tall and calm; she had an air of confidence, while her friends chatted with her about their experiences regarding the first test.
"That's her? What's her name?" One of the masters observing behind the two-way glass asked as he reached for Zhenyel's files, looking at the simple information printed on the paper: Zhenyel Shihoa Dela Cruz.
The master stared at the name as he turned his gaze back at Zhenyel, who was now preparing for the 2nd Test. His eyes narrowed in calculation while he handed the file back to the others, turning on his heel and walking away, saying he needed to be somewhere important then left.
"Alright! Time for the Main Test! No one was eliminated during the 1st Test, so I expect everyone would exert their best in the next tests. We'll be seeing if you're qualified to be an adventurer. Remember, the tests were implemented by the masters ruling over the Adventurers Guild to reduce the casualty rate."