What's with the Date?

The details of the termination contract were all straightforward and well-written. It included several clauses, clearly spelling out the reasons for Vyn's expulsion.

According to the document, Vyn had failed to meet the standards expected from a member of the "Esteemed" Ironclad Guild. This failure, as the contract stated, had cost the guild a significant portion of the resources allocated to each member.

The contract even went so far as to declare that Vyn was utterly devoid of any ability to use Mana or any form of world energy. As a result, the guild did not expect any significant growth from him. Therefore, they had come to a unanimous decision to terminate his membership.

'Like I care,' Vyn thought.

He couldn't care less about the details in the contract or even the fact that he was being expelled from the "mighty" Ironclad Guild. However, there was one major anomaly that caught his attention in the lengthy contract form.

"What's with the date? Why is it backward by over a month?" He asked aloud, his eyebrows furrowing in confusion.

The date on the contract form was over a month old. This meant that if he signed the document now, it would imply that he had actually been expelled from the guild a month ago. He couldn't help but wonder why it was written this way.

"Just sign the damn document! Why does it even matter? You're being expelled from the guild anyway," Alistair urged impatiently, hearing Vyn's question.

Noticing the impatience in Alistair's voice, Vyn became even more certain that something was wrong.

From what he had observed about the so-called seniors, they all acted in their self-interest, often at the detriment of others and even the guild. Their greed ran deep, which was why juniors like him were forced to pay eighty percent of their earnings as a contribution to the supposed growth and development of the guild.

Vyn's suspicion deepened. The backward date was no mere coincidence, and he knew it. The more he thought about it, the more he frowned.

"I can't sign this contract until the date is fixed properly," he said firmly, his expression resolute.

Alistair's brow furrowed into an ugly frown. He couldn't tell if Vyn had caught on to their plans. Even if he had, there was nothing Vyn could do about it since he couldn't oppose their authority.

"You brat, do you dare to make things difficult for us? Sign it and stop being a weasel!"

"I know what this is. If I sign the contract with this date, wouldn't that make me liable for the damage in the skill library?" Vyn shot back, his eyes narrowing.

The date on the contract was set before the library incident. Signing the contract would make Vyn responsible for the damages, not the guild.

As a unified body, the guild was responsible for every action of its members, whether beneficial or detrimental. If Vyn was expelled from the guild before the destruction of the skill library, he would be solely liable for the damages.

Vyn couldn't help but admit the cleverness of the plan. It was exactly what he expected from the cunning leaders of the Ironclad Guild. They were always so devious and calculating.

These people could happily take eighty percent of his hard-earned resources without blinking an eye. They reveled in their power and greed. But the moment he was in trouble, the instant he fell into a detrimental situation, they quickly devised a scheme to throw him away. They were like vultures, always ready to discard anyone who wasn't useful anymore.

"You dare refuse my order? Are you dumb? Don't you know how things work on this bloody battlefield?"

Alistair's voice was sharp and biting, filled with disdain.

"You are a weakling, a nobody here. You have no reason to reject my order when I give you one unless you have a death wish."

His anger was obvious, and his eyes showed a dangerous, murderous intent. They gleamed with a cold, deadly light, making Vyn feel like a small mouse cornered by a hungry snake.

Melissa quickly tugged at Vyn with a pleading look in her eyes. Her gaze was desperate, silently begging him to comply.

Even though it was very unfair, Vyn understood how brutal things were in this world. He felt a bitter acceptance of the harsh reality. The weak had to follow the rules made by the strong. This was just the way things were, unfortunately. It was a cruel, unyielding truth that everyone had to live with.

Vyn stared at Alistair's burning gaze, feeling the intensity of his anger like a physical force. His heart pounded fiercely in his chest, each beat echoing like a drum. At the height of Alistair's anger, he directed a bit of his aura at Vyn. The air in the room seemed to grow heavier, and the pressure increased, making it hard to breathe.

Vyn was used to this feeling. It was the fear of being prey. This feeling had been with him all his life in Ravencrest, always lurking in the background.

But now, things were different. He had gained quite a lot of power thanks to the Boundless Light and the strange system. This new strength gave him a glimmer of hope, a faint feeling of differency that he had never felt before.

Maybe he wasn't strong enough to beat a B-ranker like Alistair yet, but he might be able to defend himself or escape if things got too bad. The thought of retaliation flickered in his mind, a small spark of defiance.

As the fire of determination ignited in Vyn's eyes, he tried to calm his mind. He took a deep breath, forcing himself to think clearly. He knew he wasn't in a state to fight back right now. He was bandaged from head to toe, and his wounds were not fully healed.

The pain was a constant reminder of his current weakness. The only choice he had now was to give in. For now, he had to bide his time and wait for a better opportunity.

With a heavy sigh, Vyn pressed his index finger onto the inkstone, feeling the cold, smooth surface under his skin. Then, he pressed it onto the contract paper, the ink leaving a dark, final mark. He felt a mixture of frustration and resignation.

Alistair's mood brightened a bit, and the tension in his face eased slightly. He took a quick glance at the contract, his eyes scanning it to make sure it had been filled out correctly. Satisfied, he nodded to himself.

"Very well. You can come anytime to take your belongings from the guild house. I wish you luck on your recovery." With those final words, he turned on his heel and exited the apothecary chamber, leaving a heavy silence in his wake.

Vyn felt a wave of bitterness wash over him, like a dark cloud settling over his heart. It felt as if he had just signed his own death certificate. He knew the level of destruction he had caused was massive, and although he didn't know the exact cost of settling it, he could infer that it was enormous, probably beyond his means.

From what he knew, the Chamber of Commerce was a very ruthless organization, one that showed no mercy to those who crossed them. Being on their bad side was a dangerous place to be. He had barely any money, not even enough to consider making settlements for the destruction he had caused.

Life had already been incredibly difficult in Ravencrest, and now, with a huge debt hanging over his head, wasn't it akin to a death sentence now that he had been abandoned to fend for himself? The more he thought about it, the more it seemed like dying might have been a better outcome.

Vyn glanced at Melissa and Dorian, who were still in the room with him. Their gazes were filled with profound pity, which only deepened the unpleasant feeling in his chest. It was obvious they understood the gravity of his situation as much as he did. Their silent sympathy felt like a heavy weight pressing down on him.

___

In two days' time, Vyn's body had completely healed, down to his bones and internal organs.

After he was discharged, he headed straight to the Ironclad Guild house to collect his belongings. Upon entering, he was met by a couple of guild members. They sympathized with his situation and offered him a series of fawning encouragements, saying things like, "Every roadblock is a stepping stone in disguise," and, "You can still make it to the top." Despite how unrealistic it sounded to them, they tried to cheer him up.

Vyn brushed off their well-meaning but empty words politely and headed to his room where his things were. The past two days in the apothecary chamber had given him time to think, and he had made up his mind on the next course of action to take. Since his life was pretty much at its lowest point, he found it useless to hold back any longer.

He took out the storage pouch he had hidden in a secret compartment in the room. It was a small, unassuming pouch, but it contained a large amount of valuable resources.

"Well, I guess I have no other choice..."

He muttered to himself, his voice tinged with a mix of resignation and determination. There was no longer any need to be afraid.

He had hit rock bottom!