CHAPTER 59: FIRST IMPRESSION

When I turned around, I saw a group of men and a few women. Judging by their gear and weapons, they were clearly adventurers. Leading them was a man with long, fiery orange hair tied back with a bandana. A katana-like sword hung at his side, and his face bore the kind of smirk that begged for a punch.

"I said, you’re an ass!" he repeated, stepping in close to Bob until their faces were nearly touching.

Bob’s face turned red, like a kettle just before it whistles. His right hand twitched, reaching toward the air. He was about to summon his weapon.

Sensing what was about to happen, I quickly grabbed his shoulder.

"Hey, Bob! What are you doing? You want to start a fight here?" I whispered urgently.

"He insulted me... in front of a cute woman. I can’t let that slide," he growled.

So that’s your reason?

"Calm down, man. Do you want us kicked out of the guild before we even register? Force isn’t the answer," I warned.

"Stop it, Lee! The Guildmaster already said no trouble inside the guild," Yui chimed in from behind the counter.

"Fine, fine. I’ll behave." Lee raised both hands, mock-surrendering.

Bob finally relaxed, and I let go of his shoulder.

"So, you guys wanna register as adventurers for this guild?" Lee asked, eyeing us from head to toe with a smirk.

"Yes, we plan to," I replied, keeping my voice even.

"You think this is just some odd job? And you..." he pointed at Bob, "...are you running from your noble family or what? Can you even run with that body? I bet you’d get outrun by a slime!"

Laughter erupted from his party.

"We’ve taken down hundreds of goblins and slimes, even elite ones!" Bob snapped.

"Ohh... is that so?" Lee said, mockingly impressed. "That’s just great. Now the guild’s recruiting clowns and liars too."

His words were pure venom. My chest heated up with anger, but I took a deep breath. No. Force is not the way, I had to remember that.

Just as I began my breathing technique to stay calm, someone sneaked up behind me. A foot kicked behind my knee, and with a swift moment, I lost my balance. My knees buckled and I fell forward, hands and knees smacking against the wooden floor.

The group burst in laughter. Lee even clench his abdomen, cannot hold the laughter, tears in his eyes.

"Weak knees like that, and you dream of becoming adventurers? You two really made my day."

A man stepped out from behind me. He had bright blue hair and wore standard adventurer gear. Two swords were strapped to his back. He looked down at me, still on the floor, with a smug grin.

"Hahaha... hey Mark, no trouble in the guild now," Lee said, wiping tears from his eyes as he laughed.

Okay, that’s it.

I did not care anymore if I got kicked out of this guild.

I could not hold it in anymore.

I stood up, fists clenched, and with a flash of light, summoned Indra to my right hand.

Mark, Lee, and their party jumped back, startled. Without hesitation, they drew their weapons and pointed them at me and Bob. Their eyes were sharp, filled with tension. A fight was now inevitable.

The guild hall fell silent. All eyes turned to us.

"Hey, Alan! Calm down! Didn’t you say force isn’t the answer?" Bob was gripping me tightly under the arms, trying to restrain me. I struggled to break free, these guys needed to be taught a lesson.

The air grew heavier. Guild staff rushed in from the counters, while other members craned their necks to see what was going on. Some began forming a circle around us, eager to watch the spectacle unfold.

Then, a commanding voice broke the tension.

"Stop it, all of you!"

A familiar figure stepped between us and the other party, William. He raised his hand, firmly placing himself in the middle to stop the brewing fight. Moments later, Maya and Evelyn arrived at his side, quickly approaching the scene.

"What’s happening, you two? Why all the commotion?" Evelyn asked, concern evident in her voice as she looked at me.

"These guys started trouble with us, and Alan got triggered. He was about to slaughter them all," Bob answered.

This guy really loves to exaggerate.

Evelyn put a hand over her mouth, and Maya shot me a sharp look.

"Are you serious?" Maya asked.

"I didn’t say that! I just wanted to teach them a lesson," I snapped back.

I pulled myself away from Bob’s grip and dismissed my weapon. It vanished in a shimmer of particles. Then I brushed the dirt off my knees.

The opposing party lowered their weapons as well, though their attitude toward me had clearly shifted. Their eyes were fixed on me, not with mockery this time, but curiosity.

"Hey, what kind of weapon was that? A magic item? You must be rich to own something like that," Lee said, his interest clearly piqued.

"Mind your own business," Bob shot back.

"Alright, alright... everyone can disperse now," William called out. "The carnival is just around the corner, train as much as you can."

The tension began to lift as the gathered crowd started to break apart.

"Shoo, shoo. Off with you. You’re always picking on newcomers," Evelyn said, waving her hand like she was chasing off a bunch of farm animals.

"Since when did you become a babysitter?" Mark grumbled. Lee gave him a nudge in the shoulder, silently telling him to drop it.

They took one last look at me and Bob before walking off and leaving the guild. The hall slowly returned to its normal pace.

"Are you two alright?" William asked.

"Physically? Yes. Mentally? Not even close," I replied.

"What’s wrong with those guys?" Bob asked, clearly irritated.

"They are Null Petal. One of the three strongest groups in the Dawnbloom Guild," Maya replied.

"There are factions in this guild?" I asked.

"Not really factions," Evelyn said. "More like unofficial cliques or member groups. They’re not at war with each other or anything, just strong teams with their own identities."

"Oh, I almost forgot. Evelyn, Maya, can you tell them the rest? I need to speak with the guild staff," William said, heading off toward the counter.

"Alrighty then. Good news, boys!" Evelyn beamed. "The initiation ceremony for new adventurers will be held the day after tomorrow."

Bob and I smiled too, though our excitement was dampened a bit by the incident just now.

William handed a piece of paper to Yui at the counter. When she opened and read it, she gasped and covered her mouth.

"Is this real, William?" she asked, disbelief in her voice.

Other staff members began to gather around, reading over her shoulder. Their reactions were just as shocked.

"Yes, it’s true. Please make the announcement to everyone," William said with a grin.

Yui glanced at the paper again, then rushed over to the magical orb next to her. She tapped it, and the orb began to glow brightly.

"Ahem, ahem! Attention everyone, there is an important announcement!" Her voice echoed throughout the hall, amplified like a microphone. I noticed that large stones attached to each pillar vibrated slightly with every word she spoke, some sort of magical speaker system.

"Two days from now, Dawnbloom Guild will hold an Initiation Ceremony! I repeat, two days from now!" she said, brimming with excitement.

"What!?"

"Didn’t we just have one two weeks ago?"

"Nice, I can tell my brother to try his luck!"

"Yeah, another round of entertainment. I better start collecting more coins."

The hall buzzed with excitement. I had not expected such a strong reaction.

"Why is everyone so hyped about this?" I asked.

"Well... you’ll find out on the day," Evelyn said with a cryptic smile.

"I think we should give these two some basic training before they dive into the world of adventurers," Maya suggested. "Just to prepare them a little."

"Agreed," William nodded. "Let’s take a quest tomorrow. I’ll give you two the privilege of choosing whichever one you want."

"Can we bring someone else along?" Bob suddenly asked.

The trio exchanged glances before William replied, "Sure, no problem."

"Yes!" Bob clenched his fist in triumph.

What is this guy planning now?

---

At the hill overlooking Lily Town, a group of people gathered quietly. Most of them wore silver mail, scattered about the area. Some were drinking, some chatting, while others simply rested.

At the edge of the hill stood Prince Reymond, his eyes fixed on the town below. From where he stood, he could see the remnants of destruction, cracked buildings, shattered fences, and the people working tirelessly to repair their homes.

"Hey, kids! Get out of here!" a voice called out from the left. A man in armor climbed up the hill, shooing away the children who had wandered too close to the soldiers.

"Your Highness. Royal Knight Dave, reporting."

The man wore a brown mail with a white cape. His black hair was streaked with gray, and he had a thick mustache peppered with white as well. Rings adorned his right hand, while he held his helm tucked under his left arm.

"Cut the formality," Reymond said, eyes still locked on the town. "What did you find?"

Dave stepped up beside him, following his gaze.

"According to the townspeople," Dave began, "the light that engulfed the area came from that tall structure." He pointed toward a towering building in the southeast of the town. "Once the light vanished, all the monsters disappeared."

"One resident claimed there was a figure with a crystal at the town plaza, someone who summoned the monsters. They vanished along with the light."

Reymond nodded slightly.

"So, it’s the same as the other towns."

Dave glanced at him.

"Does His Majesty still intend to hold the carnival? Even after all this chaos?"

Reymond exhaled slowly.

"Do you think the King listens to anyone? He’s waited five years for this carnival. This time, he wants it to be the grandest ever."

"Because it will be his last?" Dave asked quietly.

Reymond turned his head slightly, voice sharp.

"Watch your tongue, Dave. He is my father, and your King. I grant you the privilege of speaking freely with me. But to others, such words could cost them their heads."

"My apologies, Your Highness," Dave said, bowing his head.

"Is that all you want to report?"

"No, one more thing." Dave’s tone shifted slightly.

"Four people were responsible for saving this town. One of them is a local. The other three are outsiders."

Reymond finally looked away from the town and turned toward Dave, his interest piqued.

"Interesting."