Chapter 10: Adventure Association

The adventure association branch located in Cloud Tower City was a magnificent dome-shaped building with more than 50 floors, from what he could tell. It was a pure white color, gleaming in gentle lights indistinguishable from moonlight. In the depths of the night, it was the most spectacular view of the entire city as it was lit up in a dazzling light easy on the eyes.

Directly in front of him was a large, thirty-meter-wide entrance that could perhaps fit two dozen groups of people at the same time. After walking through the curved entrance, Vincent looked around with curiosity as this was his time visiting such a glorious place.

Although it was late at night, he saw some adventures loitering in the building, and a few administrators of this adventure association's branch were also active.

There were many service Droids, but as it is late at night and the traffic was at the lowest point of the day, they were powered off. The droids eat up a lot of energy to run, after all. So, Vincent couldn't ask them for help and search for the registration office in this place that was more than hundreds of times larger than himself. 

"Hello, you seem to be lost. Maybe I can help you with something?" A man asked Vincent with a smile. His silky white hair and eyes covered with a blindfold with tiny ice's blue shards added a mysterious charm to his handsome otherworldly appearance, making heads turn for another glance. He was lean yet muscular, loosely wearing a black military jacket in contrast to his silver earrings and white shirt.

A look at the man's pointy ears, and Vincent understood that it is an elf from the world of Lorena. By crossing the world bridges through the spatial staircases, the demi-humans residing in the other planets could come to Earth. Some would come for work purposes, some just want to sightsee, and some are just seeking a better opportunity.

Vincent looked at the man as if he had seen his savior.

"Sir, this is my first time here, and I can't seem to find the registration office. I'll be very grateful if you show me the direction."

Except for Old Miller, he usually talked formally with others, and this habit showed its fang in this foreign environment.

"I don't like to be called that when I am off-duty, but you can call me Theodore. Would you like to follow me to the registration office instead?"

"That would be even better, Mister. Theodore."

"Follow me."

Vincent followed along as they walked towards the registration office.

"Here we are."

"Thank you for helping me out."

"No problem, I wasn't busy. Besides, I like to do good deeds. Now, how about I leave you up to your devices."

"Ah, yes, it was nice meeting you. Goodbye." Vincent said.

"May the spirit of adventure bless you. Good Luck!"

Theodore went away as Vincent reached the registration office.

Suddenly, Theodore stopped and turned to stare at Vincent's back with a gaze of deep interest. "The boy has a good body, but that's all. There's not a hint of supernatural cells in his body. That means he has no abilities. He isn't even from the Great Royal Truemight family, also. Then, why did my skill activate? Why was I attracted here? Hehe, we'll be seeing each other pretty soon. I have a feeling that that's when I will find out." Theodore's lips stretched back to expose a mysterious smile.

Meanwhile, Vincent looked around the registration office and thought himself to be lucky.

The reason being, no one was registering at this moment, and he immediately went up to the reception to get registered as an adventurer.

"And who might you be? What is your purpose for coming here so late at night, young man?" One of the receptionists, with a pretty face and shoulder-length smooth and wavy golden hair, spoke up in a pleasant tone while looking at Vincent with a friendly gaze.

A desk separated Vincent and the receptionist with a pretty face. Upon the desk, a few computerized holographic technologies were placed next to each other. There was also an orb with a mysterious feel to it.

"Hello, nice to meet you. My name is Vincent, and I am here to register as an adventurer urgently," Vincent answered in a formal tone and with a pleasant smile on his face as he stood before the reception.

The lady was slightly surprised as to why a young boy has come to register as an adventurer. She thought, 'Maybe he is facing financial problems?'

"My name's Lorraine. But you can call me Lori." After she said those words, she put forward one of her hands. "Then, please provide me with your ID card."

"Uh, where did I put it… Got it! Miss Lori, here you go." Vincent pulled out his ID card from his deflated wallet and handed it over to her.

This just ascertained her doubts that he was poor and wanted to become an adventurer to earn money.

"This will take a second," Lorraine said as she powered on the device mainly used to register a person as an adventurer.

A holographic screen got projected in mid-air once she switched on the technology.

A moment later, she inserted his ID card in one of the three empty slots of one of the many ball-like machines. Immediately after, her eyes blinked in surprise as information about Vincent popped up on the holographic screen.

[Data found]

Name: Vincent Sangue

Status: Honorary Noble (Low-class)

Specialty: Unknown

Evolutionary stage: Unknown

Father: Aaron Sangue (Deceased)

Mother: Jennifer Sangue (Deceased)

[Caution: Treat this person with respect!]

She was surprised to found out that he was an honorary noble.

It was a title usually granted to war orphans whose parents have performed significant deeds of glory in the war before dying.

"Okay, then Vincent, please place your hand onto this orb. It'll determine the power level of your ability by scanning the amount of ability cell present in your body." Lorraine explained.

When ability cell multiplies to a certain amount, a person awakens an ability. The more ability cells a person possess, the higher the rank of his ability. The ability cells grow by consuming evolutionary materials. The typical evolution material a person can consume is beast's meat, magic herbs, and magic plants that suit their ability cells.

A person's ability is drastically enhanced each time there's a growth in their ability cells.

"Okay."

Following Lorraine's instructions, Vincent placed his hand on the crystal ball, and words began appearing inside the crystal ball.

[Ability: None]

Vincent knew that he didn't even have a hint of ability in his body. However, he was hopeful that the information presented by the blood evolution system was wrong. Still, concrete evidence was now right in front of his eyes, and he could no longer deny the inevitable truth.

Nevertheless, he hasn't lost any determination. There was another way to gain an ability, after all, and although it was riddled with deadly dangers, Vincent's had decided to walk this path of thorny roses.

Meanwhile, Lorraine's expression suddenly changed upon seeing the information in the crystal ball as she thought about it,

'Money must be the reason why this young boy in his teenage without an ability has come to register as an adventurer.'

"I don't have an ability. Will that be a problem?" Vincent asked Lorraine upon seeing her silence and troubled expression.

She replied: "Sadly, it will now be troublesome for you to acquire an adventure license."

"Can you tell me exactly how troublesome it will be?"

"First off, just like any other person, you will need to have adequate knowledge of one of the new world's professions and prove yourself as a specialist through a "compulsory" written exam. Then, since you don't have a supernatural ability, you will need to pass the adventure association's registration examinations the old-fashioned way. You'll need to prove that you're an F-rank combatant by battling an examiner. It's a choice that many ability users also take. Both the examinations are simple, however. Do you specialize in any new world's professions?" Loraine asked as she looked for any change in Vincent's expression.

According to her, since Vincent was but a young boy, there is a meager chance of him having learned any new world's professional. The time needed to understand the new world's profession is comparable to the old world's profession, after all.

Then again, she was worried that he'd leave the guild disappointed.

"I am an inscriptionist."

Vincent's answer was contrary to what she expected. Yet, she was pleased.

"Then we'll first check your knowledge. Then an instructor will test your combat prowess. Your combat prowess will be determined by the grade you receive in the tests. If you have any questions, then now's the time to ask," Lorraine said.

"I do have some questions."

Vincent and the receptionist talked as she provided answers to him.

Vincent came to find out that at first, the adventure association used to use energy gaugers to determine a person's combat prowess based on the units of magic power and battle energy. Still, it was soon discovered that anyone could fake his results by injecting a tremendous amount of magic power or battle energy in their body just a few minutes before the energy gauging registration test.

Typically, a person's heart will be able to retain a certain amount of magic power naturally. This amount can increase through awakening as new organs that can contain energy are produced. Similarly, a person will train his vessel to produce and contain battle energy. That's what Vincent did. However, due to the bad guys, who cheated in the past, he's the one suffering right now.

He just wanted to be done with the test as fast as he can, but now he'll have to fight for the adventure's license.