The receptionist's voice rang out, announcing that the assessment room was ready. Without delay, Alex and the others rose from their seats and made their way toward the designated area. There was no unnecessary waiting—everything had been fast-tracked, undoubtedly due to Alicia's influence.
Upon arrival, Alex immediately spotted his opponent standing in the center of the room, waiting. The moment their eyes met, Alex stepped forward without hesitation, meeting his challenger head-on.
Meanwhile, Alicia and the Guild Master moved to a separate chamber designed for observation. From there, they would have a clear, unobstructed view of the duel. A handful of guild staff members had also gathered, eager to witness the match of a promising new candidate.
The guild staff soon arrived with the weapons for the match. Normally, real swords would be used in such assessments—a true test of both skill and resolve. However, Alicia had personally intervened, insisting on wooden training swords instead. Though non-lethal, they were still capable of inflicting serious damage when wielded correctly.
"It's not that I doubt my disciple's abilities." Alicia remarked, crossing her arms. "I just don't want to see my precious disciple getting needlessly injured."
A stunned silence followed. The guild staff exchanged bewildered glances at Alicia's blatant favoritism. For an S-rank adventurer renowned for her ruthlessness, such protective behavior was unheard of. Even the Guild Master raised an eyebrow but chose to remain silent.
Alex, on the other hand, could only offer an awkward smile as the growing stares turned to him. His master's doting nature, while appreciated, felt undeniably out of place in such a formal setting.
The match commenced with a sharp clang as wooden swords met in mid-air. Without hesitation, Alex launched forward, his strikes aggressive yet precise. Every movement was executed with flawless efficiency, no motion wasted. His attacks came in relentless waves, forcing his opponent onto the defensive almost immediately.
But his opponent was no amateur. A seasoned guild assessor, he met Alex's ferocity with a practiced calm, expertly deflecting and parrying while seizing every opportunity to counterattack. However, each of his retaliatory attempts was swiftly neutralized—Alex remained hyper-aware, reacting with near-instinctive precision.
The duel stretched on for minutes, neither side gaining a decisive upper hand. Alex's sheer offensive prowess was undeniable, yet his opponent's composure and experience kept the fight locked in a tense balance.
From the observation room, Alicia watched in silence, her face unreadable. But to those who knew her well, the faintest hint of a smile betrayed her amusement.
The Guild Master, arms crossed, let out an impressed hum. "This level of skill… at his age? He's already at the Master level in swordsmanship." He cast a sidelong glance at Alicia. "Where exactly did you find such a genius?"
Alicia smirked, her gaze never leaving the battlefield. "I didn't find him. He found me."
Back in the arena, Alex sensed a subtle shift in his opponent's stance. The rhythm of the fight changed—his opponent was about to switch to offense.
Alex maintained his steady rhythm, weaving between attacks with razor-sharp precision. His opponent's sword cut through the air in rapid succession—left, right, diagonal slashes, thrusts—each strike carrying the weight of a seasoned B-rank adventurer.
Yet, Alex remained unfazed. He sidestepped each blow by mere inches, his movements sharp yet fluid, never overcommitting. When necessary, he met his opponent's blade head-on, his wooden sword clashing against the other's with such force that sparks flickered from the friction.
To the untrained eye, the battle was a blur of motion, the relentless clash of wood against wood ringing through the air. But to those with experience, it was clear—Alex wasn't just holding his ground. He was analyzing. Exploiting. Adapting.
Then, for the briefest moment, an opening appeared.
Alex struck.
His sword connected cleanly, slamming into his opponent's chest with decisive force. The impact sent the man stumbling back, his breath hitching from the blow.
Yet, in that very instant, a thin red line marred Alex's cheek.
The duel wasn't over yet. His opponent, despite the setback, recovered swiftly. Adjusting his stance, he prepared to counterattack—his sword poised for another strike.
And then—
"Enough."
Alicia's voice rang out, sharp and unwavering. The moment the word left her lips, the fight was over.
The assessor's blade, mid-swing, froze in place—as if bound by an invisible force. A ripple of energy crackled around it, locking the weapon before it could reach Alex.
Silence fell over the room. Alicia, with a single word, had stopped an attack entirely.
For a moment, no one moved. Even Alex blinked in surprise.
Then, in the next instant—
Alicia was gone from the observation room. She appeared before him in a blur, her movement so fast it was as if she had teleported.
Ignoring everyone else, she reached for Alex's face, tilting his chin slightly to inspect the wound. The cut on his cheek was minor, barely bleeding.
Yet, her expression darkened.
Without hesitation, she retrieved a small crystal vial from her spatial storage—an Advanced Healing Potion.
The moment she uncorked it, a faint golden mist rose from the liquid inside. Potions of this caliber weren't just rare; they were absurdly expensive, capable of restoring near-fatal injuries, reattaching severed limbs, and healing internal wounds beyond what normal healing potions could.
And she was using it for a scratch.
Alex opened his mouth to protest, but Alicia simply pressed the vial against his lips.
"Drink." Her tone left no room for argument. With a sigh, he complied.
The moment the potion touched his tongue, a soothing warmth spread through his body. The faint stinging sensation on his cheek vanished instantly.
Around them, the watching adventurers grimaced.
"A high-grade potion... wasted..." someone muttered under their breath.
Jealousy rippled through the crowd, but no one dared voice their complaints too loudly. Not when it came to her.
Alicia, however, ignored them entirely. She turned back to Alex, her gaze firm yet unreadable.
"Why did you stop the fight?" Alex finally asked, frowning. "I was fine."
"Your goal wasn't to win—it was to prove your strength." she said simply. "Holding your own against a seasoned B-rank adventurer is more than enough proof of your capabilities. It's not because you got hurt or anything."
She emphasized the last part twice.
The Guild Master, still awkwardly standing by, nodded in agreement with Alicia's words. He knew better than to interfere further, especially when it came to her temperament.
◆ ◇ ◆ ◇ ◆ ◇ ◆ ◇ ◆
After a brief wait, one of the guild staff returned, carrying Alex's newly issued Adventurer's license.
Alex took it, feeling the cool, metallic surface in his hand. This one was sleek and polished, unlike his old one, with a shinier finish and a more refined engraving of his rank.
More importantly—his rank had officially been upgraded to B.
However, as his gaze drifted across the card, his eyes landed on a particular section.
The one marked "Sponsor."
And beside it—
"Alicia Valtoria—Bloodthirsty Sword Empress." Aurora read the title aloud, her voice echoing in his mind.
Silence. Though none could see or hear her, an invisible presence stirred in the room. The temperature plummeted.
Alicia's expression remained perfectly neutral—but her eyes darkened, sharp as a drawn blade.
The guild worker, who had likely printed the name without a second thought, suddenly paled, beads of cold sweat forming on his brow.
"A-Ah… my deepest apologies, Lady Alicia! It was just the official record—we can still make alterations if necessary!" he stammered, bowing slightly.
Alex stood beside her, feeling the shift in her mood. He already knew—every S-rank adventurer had a moniker, a title given to them by the world, usually forged from their most infamous feats.
Some embraced them. Others wore them as a badge of honor.
But Alicia? She hated hers.
Bloodthirsty Sword Empress.
The name she was given when she rose to S-rank, a title that spoke of her overwhelming power, her unmatched mastery of the sword, and the merciless carnage left in her wake.
But there were other names given to her, too.
The Maniac Butcher. The Madwoman.
The weight of those names had followed her for years, and though she rarely reacted to them, Alex could see it—the slight curl of her fingers, the way her shoulders tensed ever so subtly.
The guild worker held his breath as Alicia finally spoke, her voice slow, dangerously even.
"Remove the title."
The man nodded frantically, scrambling to take back the license. "O-Of course! Right away!"
The second the words left his mouth, the suffocating chill in the room receded, the temperature returning to normal.
Only then did Alicia let out a quiet sigh.
Alex glanced at her, catching the way her fingers remained curled—just enough to betray a tension she wasn't voicing aloud.
He exhaled softly before speaking.
"You know… I don't care what they call you."
Alicia's icy blue eyes flickered toward him, unreadable.
"I mean it," he continued, his voice steady. "They can call you whatever else they want—it doesn't change a thing for me."
His gaze held hers. "No matter what name they give you, you'll always be the same to me."