Flames and Fates

Two years had passed since their adventures with Rina, and the paths of Ace and Joshua had diverged significantly. Ace had undergone a striking transformation, his once warm heart now encased in an icy shell. He no longer hesitated to undertake missions that required ruthless tactics, even ones that involved killing enemies without mercy. His fearsome reputation earned him the moniker "Ace the Beast."

In contrast, Joshua's progress was steady but slow. He remained in the lower ranks, mostly fluctuating between Rank D and E. He persevered, focusing on honing his control over his modest red flame.

One day, Ace received an invitation to embark on a high-risk, high-reward mission that would take him to uncharted territories. It was a quest to eliminate a formidable enemy, and the reward was substantial.

Joshua, eager to prove himself to his friend, expressed his desire to join Ace on this perilous mission.

Ace: (coldly) "Joshua, you're not ready for this. Stick to your rank."

Joshua: (determined) "I've improved, Ace. I can handle it."

Ace: (impatient) "This mission is different. It's not for someone in the lower ranks. You'd be a liability."

Despite Joshua's persistence, Ace embarked on the mission alone, leaving his friend behind. This marked a significant rift in their once unbreakable bond.

Feeling disheartened and left with no choice, Joshua decided to assemble a new party. He recruited three fellow adventurers from the lower ranks: Lara, Leroy, and Ken. All of them had orange flames, like Joshua's, and they were determined to prove themselves in the world of adventurers.

One day, while they were gathered in the bustling guild hall, Leroy couldn't contain his curiosity.

Leroy: (inquiring) "Hey, have any of you ever wondered about the ranking of flames and adventurer ranks? How does it all work?"

Lara: (thoughtful) "I've heard bits and pieces, but I'm not entirely sure."

Ken: (curious) "Understanding it might help us progress faster."

Together, they decided to seek answers from the guild master, a knowledgeable and experienced adventurer, hoping to unravel the mysteries behind the flame rankings and adventurer ranks that governed their world.

Approaching the guild master, they asked their questions about the ranking system, eager to understand how they could climb the ranks and become true adventurers.

Guild Master: (knowledgeable) "Flame rankings and adventurer ranks are closely intertwined. Your flame color represents your innate potential, while your adventurer rank reflects your experience and achievements. Flames are ranked from weakest to strongest as red, orange, yellow, white, and blue. Adventurer ranks go from E, D, C, B, A, S, and there's a special rank called 'SS.'"

Guild Master: (knowledgeable) " As you look to your Adventurer card it is bronze this means you are Rank E or D, Silver Card rank mean C,B,A, and Gold Card are for Rank S adventurer, and lastly the Rank SS adventurer had a diamond card"

As the guild master shared her wisdom, the group listened attentively, determined to grasp the intricacies of this fiery world.

**To be continued...**