Guild Examination

"You just need to prove yourself you're slightly worthy of being registered as one."

"..."

After a slight pause, Cole finally spoke.

"I see."

He kept it short, and yet, somehow, he felt a small bout of gurgling excitement at the pit of his stomach.

'Maybe…'

***

The Adventurer's Guildhall loomed with a heavy veil of seriousness as Cole and Aeliana entered. 

The normal chatter of the guild members ceased even further, replaced by hushed whispers and furtive glances directed at the newcomers. 

"Cole, please wait here for me. I might be able to persuade them to examine you. The world is in dire need of warriors, regardless if they're manaless or not."

"You make sense. Okay, I'll be waiting here."

Aeliana positioned herself between Cole and the reception desk, the room seemingly holding its breath as she engaged in a private conversation with the stern-faced receptionist.

Cole stood back, observing the serious expressions that hung over the guild members. 

The guild hall which must've been vibrant and exciting now felt like a sanctuary of echoes and shadows, the weight of the Celestial Eclipse showing effects that pressed down on every adventurer's shoulders even months since then.

Aeliana, with a determined gaze, gestured for Cole to wait a little more.

'Sorry, she seems to be a piece of work!'

 She mouthed cutely, making Cole nod slightly and try to give a slight smile which didn't quite break on his face.

'It's okay, take your time' 

He mouthed back.

The receptionist's stern demeanor softened only slightly as she listened to Aeliana's persuasive words. 

The tension in the room lingered until, after what felt like an eternity, the receptionist nodded subtly, signaling the end of their discussion.

"Phew…"

Cole breathed out loudly in relief as Aeliana returned with a triumphant smile. 

"It's settled, Cole. They'll examine you. Show them what you're made of."

She said, pumping out her lady-like biceps.

"Frankly, you're amazing, Aeliana." 

Cole complimented her, and Aeliana responded with a proud puff of her chest. 

"Just give it your all, and they'll see the potential in you."

"I will do so."

"Ah, they're already calling for you, lucky!"

"It seems they don't have any people to exam today, huh…"

Not wasting time, Cole moved forward towards another receptionist lady who called for him.

Guided through the labyrinthine halls of the guild by the receptionist, Cole caught glimpses of seasoned adventurers, sharpening weapons, sharing stories, or preparing for their next quests. 

The receptionist led him through corridors until they reached a door that opened into a small, open arena—a place where the guild tested the skills of potential adventurers.

"Then, my job here is done. I wish you the best of luck."

"Thank you."

With a nod, the receptionist excused herself, leaving Cole alone for a moment. 

The door creaked open, and a man in his early thirties, adorned with the rank B adventurer insignia, stepped forward. 

Gideon, a name that carried an air of authority, wore a stern expression, and his eyes held the weight of quite a few battles.

"Hello there, young man. I'm Gideon, B-ranked adventurer. Ready for your examination?" 

Gideon's voice conveyed both authority and the wisdom of experience.

"Yes, I'm ready." 

Cole replied, feeling a mix of nerves and excitement.

'Breathe in once deeply… and slowly let it out.'

"Hah…"

As he exhaled, Cole reached out for the hilt at his hip.

"I take it you know the rules."

"Correct."

"Then, let's do it."

The examination commenced swiftly, with Gideon initiating a spar. 

His movements were precise, proving that he was quite experienced on the field.

Clang!

The clash of steel resonated through the arena as Cole, initially caught off guard, began to adapt.

'Thrust to my left— I'll intercept it here and—"

Gideon's strikes were met with swift parries and agile dodges.

As the intensity of the battle increased, Cole's movements became more fluid. 

'Pressure for life really does its thing, huh, doesn't it?'

He began to grow under pressure against another human, a slight smirk etching itself on his lips.

For the first time in his life, Cole had a partner to spar with.

And that… made him excited.

"Hurriyah!" 

With a yell, Cole slashed across the air within a fraction of a second, his blade fully deflecting Gideon's which was within a similar level.

"Hm?"

Gideon's brow twitched, and unexpectedly, he found himself further engrossed in this spar as he began to launch low-level fire spells.

As for Cole, smoothly moving throughout the air and between the fire spells directed towards him, he kept a visible demonstration of his natural aptitude for swordplay, countering Gideon's attacks with skillful maneuvers. 

The arena became a dynamic battlefield of flashing blades and flickering flames as Gideon seamlessly integrated fire spells into his assaults with his sword.

Fiy~

The fire spells went out quickly once slashed.

'Huh?'

Amidst the skirmish, that peculiar interaction between his worn-off blade and the magical flames piqued Cole's curiosity. 

Each time his sword met a fire spell, the flames dissipated quicker than expected. 

'This is weird…'

It wasn't just a defense; it was as if the blade possessed a unique affinity against magical elements.

'No, this blade is a piece of junk… Could it be the 'Curse'?'

And in that moment of distraction, Gideon capitalized.

Taking advantage of Cole's lacking focus in that second, Gideon swiftly whipped his foot under Cole's legs and pushed him on the left shoulder with his hilt, leaving Cole with a minor injury as he flew back with his head first to the ground.

"Gha!"

"It's over."

Gideon voiced, his blade standing just inches from the tripped and fallen Cole on the ground.

The spar concluded, and Gideon stood tall, evaluating Cole with a stern expression.

"…"

"Cole, was it?" Gideon's voice held a tone of authority, his expression stern.

"Yes, that's me," 

Cole replied, pushing himself up through frustration at the pathetic show he ended up in.

To Cole's surprise, Gideon's stern expression transformed into a smile. 

"Congratulations, Cole. You're more than suited to be an adventurer, even manaless. Your skills are commendable, and your abilities to wield a blade are quite an interesting point of yours. Welcome to the guild, and congrats on becoming an adventurer."

"Huh?"

Cole was dumbfounded at the quick assessment.

"No need to 'huh' me. I'm saying I don't need time to judge your skills. You're a qualified and official adventurer from now on."

A wave of relief and pride washed over Cole as Gideon's words sank in. 

'Phew… It gives me a slight confidence boost to show my effort of training did indeed make me a qualified person as an adventurer, even without any mana—"

The observing guild members erupted into applause, acknowledging the successful acceptance of a new adventurer.

'Huh? When did they even get here?' 

Cole was taken aback, it seemed he hadn't even noticed them because of his intense focus on the spar. 

Aeliana, who had been watching confidently from the sidelines, approached with a grin, clapping Cole on the back.

"Looks like we have another official member in our party," she teased, and Cole couldn't help but feel a sense of fulfillment.

"I see."

Unable to contain his happiness, he could only think of one thing to say within his mind. 

His heart.

'Mom… I'm finally an adventurer."