Golden light streamed into the office as the afternoon sun sank over Algora. Vel lounged in his chair, already into his relaxation mode.
Shin stood nearby, notepad in hand, his expression all business. "Vel-sama, it's time to begin the rank advancement reviews," he said, placing the files neatly on the table. "All the achievements of the applicants are detailed in there respective files."
Vel groaned. "Can we do it after lunch?"
"You already had lunch," Shin replied, dead serious.
"Then after dinner?"
Shin's visibly annoyed. "Guild Master, please take this seriously. The applicants have been waiting for weeks to know the results."
Vel let out a long sigh and sat upright, suddenly thoughtful.
Then, a spark lit in his eyes. "Actually… I've got a better idea."
Shin narrowed his eyes. "I don't like the look on your face."
Vel grinned. "Tell all the applicants to assemble at the training ground tomorrow morning. We'll hold a practical test for their rank advancement. Oh, and inform Darius to be present as well."
Shin blinked. "A rank assessment test?"
Vel leaned back with a smug smile. "Of course. This will be more fun."
Shin folded his arms, skeptical. "What exactly are you planning?"
Vel winked. "They'll find out tomorrow."
Scene Shift – Infirmary, Late Night
The room was quiet, soft yellow glow of Magic crystal lanterns filled the room.
Shin stood beside the bed, arms crossed, gaze fixed on the unconscious Tessa, wrapped in bandages. Tessa's breathing was shallow but steady.
The nurse nearby glanced at him, hesitant. "She's still unconscious... It might take a few more days."
Shin gave no reaction. His expression was unreadable—calm, composed, but distant.
The nurse shifted awkwardly, unsure whether to say more.
Without a word, Shin turned and walked out, his footsteps silent.
Scene shift: Next morning
The sun rose over Algora's Adventurer Guild, casting a golden light across the massive training ground built like a miniature coliseum. Rows of stone benches encircled the open field, already filled with adventurers and onlookers murmuring with excitement.
At the highest point of the stands, Vel stood with his arms crossed, flanked by Shin, Garret, and Vice Guild Master Darius.
Vel raised a hand, and the noise died instantly.
"Welcome. Today, we're holding your rank advancement tests," he called out. "You will be fighting one-on-one with the two of the powerful people in the guild, Mages will face Darius—an S-rank Mage. Warriors and Spell blade class will face Garret—an S-rank Warrior. You don't need to win but show us your skill. Rank will be judged based on your performance."
He gestured to the edges of the ground. "Healers and recovery potions are standing by. Go all out. The training ground is protected by a powerful barrier artifact, courtesy of the Research Guild. So you don't have to worry about damaging or hurting anyone in the stance."
The crowd erupted into cheers and whispers.
Shin leaned slightly toward Vel, lowering his voice "You made this so that you don't have to do paperwork, right?"
Vel kept his gaze on the arena, a smug smile playing on his lips. "I don't know what you're talking about…" He casually whistled and looked away, hands behind his head.
Shin sighed. Then he raised a hand and nodded to the announcer below.
A staff member stepped forward and raised a voice-enhancing crystal. "First match! Eric Vane, C-Rank Mage vs Darius-sama!"
Match 1 – Eric vane vs. Darius
Eric stepped forward nervously, staff gripped tight in his hands. Darius greeted him with a calm nod. The moment the match began, Eric launched a flurry of fireballs.
Darius countered with precise wind magic, dispersing each spell. "In-efficient," he called. "You're wasting too much mana."
The fight continued briefly, Eric sweating from the pressure. Though he lost, his form and responsiveness were solid.
"B-rank," Darius declared. "Work on your mana control and casting."
Applause from the crowd followed.
Announcer announces "second match! Karr C-Rank Warrior vs Garret-sama!"
Match 2 – karr vs. Garret
The second challenger, a lean man with dual swords, stepped onto the field. Karr's gaze never left Garret as he shifted into a ready stance. The match began with a burst of movement—quick steps and a flurry of slashes aimed to test Garret's defense.
Garret parried with ease, his movements fluid but grounded. "You're fast," he said, "but you're leading too much with your dominant hand. Leaving your left side wide open."
Karr gritted his teeth and adjusted, moving into a wider stance. He ducked a counter-blow, then twisted low to swipe at Garret's legs. Garret hopped back, impressed.
"Swordplay Isn't just attacking and defending—it's prediction. Read me better."
The match ended with the warrior knocked off balance, Garret's blade at his throat. He stepped back, offering a hand to pull the man up.
"B-rank. You've got potential."
Announcer announces "Third match! Mei bosom B-Rank Mage vs Darius-sama!"
Match 3 – Mei vs. Darius
Mei stepped into the ring. She didn't look nervous—just focused.
The moment the match began, she summoned wind to spin around her. Then, with careful precision, she conjured flame into the vortex, creating a spiraling fire inferno.
Gasps rang through the stands as the inferno roared across the field. As the spell was touching the barrier it glows blue but doesn't shatter.
Darius raised a Water barrier and smiled.
"A rare, using combination magic," he said. "Fire and wind—well-tuned. Not easy to master."
Darius used his own combination magic water and wind to create an Ice field and dissipated the inferno.
The crowd burst into applause.
"A-rank," Darius announced, his tone impressive.
From above, Shin watched carefully, his eyes narrowing.
He stood still as stone beside Vel, observing everything, movement, reaction time, mana control.
When he saw true potential, he made a mental note.
"Vel-sama," a guild staffer approached. "An official summon for you. You've been summoned by the Lord Halric Algoria ."
Vel raised a brow. "Right Now?"
Shin adjusted his glasses. "They don't request—they order."
Vel groaned. "Just when things were getting fun."
The crowd below roared with excitement as the next match was announced.
Shin and Vel rose from their seats and quietly made their way out of the training ground.