The examination hall was smaller than Ardyn had expected, its smooth stone walls forming a stark, square arena clearly built for close-quarters duels. Across from him stood a familiar figure—Abby, the tall, confident archer he'd noticed during the Zeren incident. Katherine had introduced them briefly moments before. Ardyn blinked, confused. Why an archer? In such a confined space, the odds should heavily favor his sword. He tightened his grip on the practice blade, a deep sense of unease settling in his stomach. This didn't make sense.
Katherine's voice cut clearly across the hall from the sideline. "All special recruits are tested by seasoned adventurers. With the Saintess's arrival, most examiners are occupied with security details. Abby will be your opponent today."
Ardyn frowned. This isn't fair—for her. How could an archer possibly fight effectively in such a cramped, enclosed space? He took a step forward, intending to voice his protest, but the sharp, clear ring of a bell silenced him. Katherine had already started the match.
Ardyn staggered to his knees, one hand clutching his stomach where Abby's strike had landed. The breath still rattled in his chest, a sharp nausea twisting up his throat as if he'd nearly coughed up blood. Across the arena, Abby stood calmly, her bow still untouched on her back, her eyes sharp and patient—waiting for him to rise. Ardyn wiped his mouth with the back of his hand and forced himself upright, his muscles protesting. If I take this lightly, I'll lose before I even begin.
He narrowed his eyes, replaying her sudden burst of speed in his mind. That explosive power, the way she'd crossed the distance in a blink—it wasn't normal physical strength. She must have used mana to enhance her movements. The realization settled heavily in his gut. He couldn't sense mana at all, leaving him completely blind to her enhancements, her tells, her next move. Already, the fight tilted steeply against him. His grip tightened around the sword's hilt, his knuckles whitening. So, I'm fighting at a disadvantage… then I'll just have to rely on instinct alone.
Ardyn pushed himself upright, his vision still swimming from the gut strike. A faint whistle cut the air—instinct made him tilt his head just in time. Thunk! A dull wooden training arrow embedded itself in the stone floor right where his neck had been. His instincts screamed that it wasn't meant to wound, but to distract, to control his movement. He turned sharply toward the direction it came from, expecting to see Abby drawing another—only to find empty space.
His gaze dipped on pure reflex—just as a boot shot upward from a low, sweeping crouch. The strike cracked against his jaw, rattling his teeth and snapping his head back with brutal force. White-hot pain flared across his face, but instead of collapsing, Ardyn did the opposite. He let the force carry him, staggering backward several steps. He used the momentum to create a precious few feet of space between them, his sword coming up in a defensive guard, his breath sharp and ragged in the quiet hall.
The quiet hall seemed to amplify Abby's voice as she finally spoke, her tone cool and measured. "You are really underestimating an archer," she stated, not with anger, but with a pointed clarity that cut deeper than any taunt. "Don't forget—I was chosen to be your examiner despite the 'obvious flaw' in this duel." She gestured vaguely at the enclosed space. "Range. Do you really think an archer can't move? That I'd be standing still, hoping for a clean shot from across the room? That's amateurish thinking."
She didn't smile. Her eyes remained sharp, analytical. "I am a B-rank Adventurer. Do you really believe you can afford to look down on me?" Without waiting for an answer, she smoothly picked up her longbow from her back. In one fluid motion, she drew a dull wooden arrow, the string groaning faintly under the tension. Her stance was relaxed yet utterly poised, every line of her body speaking of controlled power. "Let's try it again."
Ardyn wiped the blood from his dripping nose with the back of his hand, his gaze never leaving Abby. A strange calm settled over him, the pain fading into background noise. In the clear, formal tones of their language, he stated simply, "Lets incipere." Let us begin.
His focus narrowed until his only opponent was the woman across the room, her bow drawn and aimed directly at him. He knew a single wrong move would end with a wooden arrow buried in his flesh. The confined space was still a problem; even if he covered half the distance in a burst of speed, he calculated she could loose at least two arrows before he reached her.
He spun the wooden practice blade in his hand, catching it in a reverse grip, and waited.
The first arrow whistled toward his chest. He sidestepped, the shaft grazing his tunic. Immediately, a second arrow followed, aimed at his leading leg as he surged forward. Mid-stride, with no time to dodge fully, Ardyn made a split-second decision. He threw his own weapon, not at Abby, but in a high, spinning arc meant to distract.
Abby's eyes flicked upward for a fraction of a second as the wooden sword sailed toward her. She parried it effortlessly with the body of her bow, deflecting it away. But that moment was all Ardyn needed. He closed the remaining distance in a final, explosive step.
He initiated with a high kick aimed at her head, forcing her to recoil backward to avoid the blow. As she leaned back, she began to draw her bow again—but Ardyn was already inside her range. The tip of the arrow came to rest mere inches from his Adam's apple.
Yet Ardyn did not yield. His left hand, which had been hidden by the motion of the kick, shot forward. He had retrieved the deflected practice sword the instant it landed and was now driving its dull point toward her stomach.
Abby's reaction was instantaneous. Her boot snapped up, striking his wrist with precise force. A sharp, numbing pain shot up Ardyn's arm, and the sword clattered to the stone floor.
The hall fell silent.
Abby's arrow remained leveled at his throat. His disarmed hand hung uselessly at his side.
"Enough!" Katherine's voice rang out from the sidelines. "The match is concluded. Abby is the winner."
Ardyn's eyes, still locked on his opponent, slowly lost their intense focus. The duel was over. He had lost. But as he lowered his hands, a grudging respect flickered in his gaze. She had never been just an archer.
Katherine's voice cut through the quiet tension of the examination hall. "The advancement rank trial is concluded. We can now finalize Ardyn's adventurer registration."
Seres was already moving, crossing the stone floor to where Ardyn crouched, one hand pressed to his stomach, his breathing still ragged. She knelt beside him, her voice low with concern. "Are you alright? Can you stand?"
Before he could answer, Abby approached. She slung her bow over her shoulder, her earlier intensity replaced with a look of genuine contrition. "Hey," she said, her tone softening. "I'm sorry. I didn't really mean to take it that far. Honestly, I was hoping it would end with just one or two arrows." A faint, impressed smile touched her lips. "But I had a really fun duel. It's a surprise you could still stand after getting hit in the gut with an enhanced kick—let alone take another hit and keep coming. Please don't hold it against me."
She straightened, her expression turning formal yet earnest. "As the examiner of this test, I declare Ardyn passing. You've more than proven your reflexes, adaptability, and resolve." Her smile returned, warmer this time. "Let's party up sometime after you reach C rank. Bye for now." With a casual wave, she turned and strode out of the hall, leaving Ardyn blinking in her wake.
Katherine gestured toward the doorway. "Meet me at the reception desk when you're ready. I'll have your guild cards prepared."
Seres offered a hand to help Ardyn up, expecting to see frustration or defeat in his eyes. She opened her mouth to offer encouragement, to say that facing a B-rank was no small feat, and that survival alone was a victory.
But Ardyn was smiling. He accepted her hand, rising with a soft groan, but his expression was bright with something akin to exhilaration. He let out a huge, weary sigh. "Hahhhh… I really hoped I would win," he admitted, a rueful chuckle escaping him. "But it was really fun as well." He met Seres's gaze, his golden eyes alight with determination rather than disappointment. "Next time, I won't make the same mistake. Let's go get our guild cards now."
Katherine laid three distinct cards on the polished counter between them. The first was a rough, stone-gray slab. "G Rank—the 'Pebble' card. For true beginners. It's mocked, but everyone starts somewhere." Next, she placed a sturdy, earthy-brown card. "F Rank. A bit more respect, a bit more trust. You've survived your first few missions." Finally, she slid forward two forest-green cards, their surfaces smooth and subtly embossed with the guild's tower-and-stars crest. "And these are for you. E Rank. It signifies growth, resilience. Many adventurers spend their entire careers at this rank. You've bypassed the lowest tiers due to proven capability."
She tapped the green cards. "These aren't just for show. They come with privileges." Her tone became brisk, instructional. "You are now exempt from city tolls. This card acts as legal identification for travel and border crossings. During events like the Saintess's visit, you'll receive priority for guild-coordinated lodging—if any is left," she added wryly.
"More importantly," she continued, "this card grants you access to official quest boards. The guild guarantees your payment, protecting you from dishonest clients. It also offers a degree of legal protection; harming a guild adventurer on a sanctioned quest is a serious offense." Her expression turned solemn. "But it also means responsibility. In times of crisis, the guild can draft you for emergency response."
She offered a final, practical smile. "You'll also receive discounts on gear, potions, and lodging at affiliated establishments. Guild clinics will provide healing at reduced cost. And you can sell materials—monster parts, herbs—directly to the guild for a fair price." She pushed the two green cards toward them. "Welcome to the Adventurer's Guild."
Ardyn and Seres looked down at the forest-green cards in their hands, a shared, quiet happiness passing between them. This was more than just a piece of laminated parchment; it was official recognition, a tangible step into a world that had once felt so closed off. For Seres, it was legitimacy she had long deserved. For Ardyn, it was the first solid piece of an identity he was still building.
Katherine, noting their pleased expressions, gestured toward a large bulletin board nearby, its surface crowded with neatly pinned notices of varying colors and urgency. "Now that you're official," she said with a warm, encouraging smile, "would you like to pick out a Rank E quest? You could probably finish something simple by evening if you're still up for it."
Her tone then shifted to one of gentle caution as she looked specifically at Ardyn. "But I wouldn't recommend anything too strenuous after today's examination. Please, take a simple quest for now. Something like hunting horned rabbits, culling giant bats or boars, or even a herb-gathering task. All are well within E rank."
She pointed to a section of the board where the requests were written on light green paper, matching their cards. "Quests marked for Rank D," she explained, "require you to party up with at least one registered D rank adventurer, or a group of five E ranks. Some threats are too significant for a solo hunt—the guild mandates teamwork for safety and success. That's all for now. Just remember: start small, learn the rhythm, and work your way up."
The heavy guild hall doors swung shut behind Ardyn and Seres, leaving the vast space quiet except for the low murmur of a few lingering adventurers and the soft rustle of Katherine organizing her ledgers. Abby emerged from the shadowed archway of the examination hall, her bow slung casually over one shoulder, and leaned against the reception counter.
"Hey, Kat," she began, her voice thoughtful. "You really think placing him in Rank E was the right idea?"
Katherine looked up, her eyebrows raising slightly. "Should he be ranked lower? His form was far from polished, and his tactical decisions were… unorthodox."
Abby shook her head, a faint look of confused surprise on her face. "Lower? No. He should be at least Rank D by my estimation." She crossed her arms, her gaze distant as she replayed the duel. "I didn't use any wind-attribute magic because he wasn't using any either. But I didn't expect him to not use mana at all. It was a genuine surprise he could keep up with me despite that."
She met Katherine's eyes, her expression serious. "That kid's instincts are unnervingly good. You sure he isn't already an adventurer from some remote guildhall? He didn't just dodge my arrows—he was positioning for a counterattack with every move. Honestly speaking," she admitted, a note of respect in her voice, "if we were to fight without mana, on pure skill alone? He could probably beat me."
Abby sighed, running a hand through her hair. "But I am an archer by class in the end. If it was a swordsman examiner in that confined room… I wonder how it would have gone. A pure 1v1 wouldn't have been fair for a ranged specialist." She shrugged, a wry smile touching her lips. "Well, Kat, let's hope Zeren doesn't decide to pick more trouble after he finds out this guy also joined as an adventurer. Though… I think he learned his lesson last time. Even the Guildmaster was pretty strict with that warning."
She leaned forward on the counter. "So, you got any quests for me? Something to keep me busy?"
Katherine scanned the nearly empty board and shook her head apologetically. "Sorry, Abby. All the Rank B and C quests are already taken. The Saintess's visit has everyone scrambling for prestige and pay."
Abby groaned playfully. "At this rate, I'm going to be jobless."
With a soft chuckle, Katherine slid a small, clinking pouch across the counter. "For being today's examiner. You handled it well."
Abby's face lit up as she took the pouch. "Thank you, Katherine," she said, her voice warm with genuine gratitude. "You really are my savior." She gave a cheerful wave before turning to leave, the coins jingling softly in her pocket.