At guild,
A shocked silence fell over the guild hall.
Everyone's eyes were fixed on the ranking crystal, which was now glowing with an unprecedented intensity.
"T-This can't be right…!" The receptionist took a step back, her face pale.
The once clear crystal had turned BLACK.
Gasps and whispers erupted around them.
"An S-rank?! But that's impossible!"
"There are only a handful of S-rank adventurers in the entire kingdom!"
"Who the hell is this guy?"
Louis, confused by the commotion, looked down at his hand still pressed against the crystal. The black glow pulsed, almost like it was alive.
Betty stared at him, wide-eyed. "Louis… what the hell are you?"
Before Louis could answer, the guild master's office door swung open.
A tall, broad-shouldered man with graying hair and a scar over his left eye stepped out. His aura alone was enough to make most adventurers nervous.
This was Garrick Stonefist, an A-rank veteran and the current guild master.
His piercing eyes scanned the room before locking onto Louis.
He crossed his arms. "Who's responsible for this disturbance?"
The receptionist quickly composed herself and pointed at Louis. "Guild Master, this boy… He just ranked as an S-rank adventurer!"
Garrick's eyebrows rose slightly, but his expression remained unreadable. He stared at Louis, as if examining him with unseen eyes.
Then, without warning, he smirked.
"Interesting. Follow me, kid."
---
The Guild Master's Test
Louis followed Garrick into his office, with Betty right behind him.
The moment the door shut, Garrick turned to Louis.
"Show me your hand."
Louis hesitated, but then raised his right hand. The angel-wing symbol was still glowing faintly.
Garrick's smirk widened. "So, it really is true… You've been blessed by something powerful."
Louis swallowed. "I… don't understand. What does this symbol mean?"
Garrick sat on the edge of his desk and crossed his arms. "That, kid, is the mark of divine favor. People who have it are either destined for greatness… or destruction."
Betty frowned. "So, what? He gets some cool abilities? I mean, sure, he's fast, but what else can he do?"
Garrick chuckled. "We're about to find out."
He stood up and cracked his knuckles. "Let's have a little test. If you're truly S-rank, you should be able to handle this."
Before Louis could react, Garrick vanished.
A split second later—
WHAM!
Louis barely managed to dodge as Garrick's fist crashed down where he had been standing. The wooden floor cracked under the force of the punch.
Louis's body reacted instinctively. He jumped back farther than he thought possible and landed smoothly.
His eyes widened. "How did I just do that?"
Garrick grinned. "Your body is waking up. Good. But can you fight?"
The guild master rushed at him again. This time, Louis saw it coming.
He sidestepped, barely avoiding the next punch. But his movements felt different.
Faster. Stronger.
Without thinking, he lifted his arm to counter—
And the moment his fist moved, a shockwave burst from his hand.
BOOM!
Garrick was forced back a few steps, his eyes filled with surprise.
Betty's jaw dropped. "What the hell was that?!"
Louis stared at his hand, heart pounding.
"That… that wasn't normal."
Garrick laughed. "Not bad, kid. Looks like you've got more than just speed."
He dusted off his coat and nodded. "Alright. I'm convinced."
---
A New Path Begins
Garrick leaned back in his chair, folding his arms as he studied Louis carefully. His expression was unreadable, but his voice carried a weight of experience.
"Kid, S-rank is no joke. So, I'm giving you a choice—it's up to you what you do next."
Louis listened intently, his hands clenched into fists.
"We measured your power, and you know what that means, right?" Garrick continued. "In this town, there are only seven S-rank adventurers. And each of them carries burdens you can't even imagine."
Betty's eyes widened at this revelation. "Seven? I thought there were only three!"
Garrick smirked. "That's because the others don't go around showing off. They move in shadows, take on missions that most people don't even hear about."
He sighed, rubbing his temple. "Kid, at your age, I don't want you getting tangled in that kind of life. Once you become an S-rank, you won't be able to live like a common adventurer. You'll have responsibilities beyond hunting beasts or making money."
Louis took a deep breath, his heart pounding.
"If I become S-rank… can I still be with Betty? We promised to be in the same party."
Betty blinked, looking at him in surprise.
Garrick exhaled sharply. "That'll be… difficult."
Louis hesitated for a moment before making up his mind. He stood straight and looked Garrick in the eyes. "Then put me at the same rank as her, sir."
The room fell silent.
Betty's mouth dropped open. "Wait, what? Louis, are you insane? You're literally throwing away—"
Garrick held up a hand, stopping her mid-sentence. His face was serious, but there was a glint of something—respect? Amusement?—in his eyes.
"Hiding your real rank is illegal." He tapped his fingers against his desk. "But… I can work around that."
Betty let out a relieved sigh. "You're really doing this, huh?"
Louis grinned. "A promise is a promise."
Garrick chuckled. "Alright, kid. You'll be registered as B-rank. But keep in mind, if your real abilities ever get exposed, there'll be questions. Big ones."
Louis nodded. "I understand."
Garrick smirked. "Then welcome to the Adventure Guild, B-rank rookie. Let's see how long you can keep that secret."
Betty punched Louis lightly on the shoulder. "You're crazy, you know that?"
Louis laughed. "Maybe."
But deep down, he knew this was just the beginning.
To be continued…..