After an hour of traveling, Arzael, Seraphina, and Puff finally arrived at the Valiant Alliance.
They passed through the main gates of the city, stepping onto the wide stone-paved streets. Even at this hour, the city still bustled with life, But the three of them paid no attention to the crowd. Their focus remained solely on the guild ahead.
As soon as they entered the main courtyard, they found themselves at the entrance of the Valiant Guild.
Without hesitation, Arzael strode purposefully toward the receptionist, a young woman with brown hair, busy scribbling on a large wooden desk stacked with papers.
Seraphina followed closely behind him, her white hair slightly swaying with each step, while Puff rested on her shoulder, lowering her head and muttering under her breath, her tiny paws tapping nervously against Seraphina's coat.
"Are you lying? This isn't a Rank D quest," Arzael said, placing the quest paper firmly on the desk. His voice was cold and steady, and his crimson gaze pierced straight through the receptionist's eyes, sharp and unforgiving.
The woman gasped, her breath catching. "W-what? Impossible… We made a mistake?"
"Are you certain that killing twenty bandits and their leader counts as a Rank D quest?" Arzael continued, emphasizing each word deliberately. His tone left no room for argument, his presence commanding without raising his voice.
"Ehhh?! Wha-what?! Twenty-one bandits?! B-but according to our scouting, there were only four bandits…" the receptionist stammered, panic evident in her trembling hands. "Alright… wait a moment, I'll report this to my superior."
Before Arzael could respond, she dashed toward the guild master's room, her steps quick and urgent, leaving Arzael, Seraphina, and Puff standing in the guild lobby. The murmurs of other adventurers nearby began to swell as curiosity filled the air.
A few dozen seconds later, a large, muscular man in his fifties emerged from the room. His hair, streaked with grey, was neatly combed, and his sharp eyes locked onto them immediately, assessing, calculating.
Arzael sensed a wave of power radiating from him and whispered to himself, "Scan."
A deep red aura enveloped the man's body, a clear sign of danger. Arzael's grip on his composure tightened slightly, and Puff stiffened, her ears twitching nervously.
The man walked steadily toward them, each footstep echoing across the marble floor. Puff crouched low, her tiny tail flicking anxiously, sensing every vibration in the ground.
"Greetings," the man said, his voice heavy and authoritative. "I am the Guild Master of the Valiant Alliance. My name is Grokk. Is it true that there was a mistake in the quest, and that you ended up killing twenty-one bandits?"
Arzael glanced at Seraphina, noting her calm demeanor, and replied, "More accurately, twenty-two bandits, including the leader."
Grokk's expression stiffened for a moment, but he nodded slowly. "I apologize for this incident. We will provide compensation for the error. That quest should have been ranked C or higher."
He paused, his gaze sharpening. "And… how could you, newly registered adventurers, complete a quest like this?"
"That's none of your business," Arzael said curtly, his voice cold and unwavering, showing not the slightest hint of fear.
Grokk smiled faintly, intrigue flickering in his eyes. "I see… Honestly, young man, I am curious about you. If I were to challenge you to a duel, would you accept?"
Arzael exhaled slowly, weighing his options carefully. After a few moments of silent calculation, he answered, "Of course."
Puff, perched on Seraphina's shoulder, nearly jumped in panic. "Hey, boss! Don't just accept! Seraphina, help me out here!"
Seraphina looked at her with a blank expression. "I can't."
Puff wrinkled her nose in frustration and stomped her tiny paws. "Ahhh… you two are the same! I'm the only sane one here!"
Hearing a talking rabbit, Grokk raised his eyebrows slightly. "Oh? A magical rabbit, huh?"
"Not a rabbit! I'm a Dragon!" Puff snapped, her face flaming red, while Seraphina sighed softly, clearly exasperated.
The commotion drew attention from nearby adventurers, who began whispering among themselves.
"Oh… the kid got challenged by the guild master?"
"He's really going to fight Grokk?"
"This is insane… a rookie against the guild master!"
A few moments later, they arrived at the guild arena, usually reserved for training novice adventurers. Many of those who had heard the earlier commotion gathered to witness the duel, murmuring in anticipation.
Seraphina sat in the spectator stands, expression blank, Puff still perched on her shoulder, muttering indignantly. "Seraphina, you should help me…"
"I can't," Seraphina said curtly.
On the arena floor, Arzael and Grokk stood facing each other, measuring their strength. Tension crackled in the air, the silence between them heavy and sharp.
Arzael thought to himself that he must not underestimate Grokk 'usually, men of such size possess extraordinary speed.'
He accessed his personal status, visible only to him, and decided how to allocate his points.
Available Stat Points: 10
He assigned five points to Strength, feeling his muscles tighten and power surge.
[Status Update] STR: 46 → 51
The remaining five points went to Agility, making his movements faster, lighter, and more precise.
[Status Update] AGI: 33 → 38
Arzael could feel the change immediately, his body felt sharper, quicker, more responsive.
He looked at Grokk and asked, "You're not using a weapon?"
"No," Grokk replied briefly, his tone calm, unwavering.
"Very well… I'll start," Arzael said.
He accessed his inventory and equipped his sword. [Crimson Edge Equipped]
From another dimension, a sword appeared, its dark red aura gleaming ominously in the light.
"Oh… spatial magic, huh?" Grokk murmured, narrowing his eyes as he studied the blade.
Without another word, Arzael struck. Crimson Edge sliced through the air at unimaginable speed.
Before it could reach Grokk, the guild master vanished, appearing beside Arzael with a punch aimed at his torso.
Reacting instinctively, Arzael activated his skill.
"Shadow step."
He vanished from his place
Grokk's eyes widened in surprise. "How…?"
Inwardly, he realized that this young man was unlike any other he had faced.
Grokk disappeared again, striking from another angle. Azael didn't have time to evade, and the punch landed.
"Damn…" Arzael was slammed against the arena wall, dust billowing around him.
[Skill Activated: Pain Conversion Lv.1]
Spitting blood, his eyes blazing with determination, he muttered, "I've only just begun."