Chapter 151: The new adventurer (1/2)
Aiden's previously innocent, inquisitory expression changed upon hearing that name. The eager golden knight that was like a buzzing fly around his sister. A cold glint flashed through his eyes, which he quickly suppressed.
He once again looked at the strange, talkative, brown-haired guy. Aiden couldn't understand his goals, he walked up to him and acted as a friend from out of nowhere. Although he didn't feel any negative intent from him, nor could the system pinpoint anything, he was still wary of the youth.
Cole could barely contain his fright and the shivering in his heart; he felt naked, exposed under this mysterious boy's penetrating golden eyes.
”Thanks for the info, Cole. But tell me... Why are you so friendly towards a stranger like me?” Aiden asked after a while, still keeping his eyes on the boy.
”I… I don't know…” Cole answered with his eyes plastered on the ground. He couldn't withstand the boy's eyes at all. ”I'm still relatively new in the guild, without any friends. You felt like someone who might be in a similar situation as me… All the established groups have set harsh requirements to be even considered. It's hard to be alone…”
Aiden kept silently staring at the boy for a while longer before eventually he eased up the pressure and revealed a smile and reached out towards the boy with his right arm.
”I see. In that case, let's start again. As I said, my name is Aiden. I live…” he paused for a bit and glanced at the general direction of the forest. ”...outside of the city. I just arrived hoping to register as an adventurer.”
Cole's eyes timidly looked up from the ground, taking a quick peek at the boy's expression. Seeing how he was smiling and reaching out for a handshake, his racing heart started to calm down. The friendly smile slowly, gradually returned to his face and accepted the boy's hand.
”Sure! Cole Phamas, rank 1 adventurer! I have already completed two 1-star missions from the guild. I hope that a few more and I could be eligible for a rank up test! Let's be friends!”
”If it's so easy to become rank 2, why is it that the city only has a single rank-3? Is the gap so big?” Aiden asked curiously. If you only needed to do a couple of quests to rank-up, why was it so incredibly rare to have a rank-3?
”Heh, you misunderstood me, Aiden.” Cole laughed out bitterly. ”I meant, that I need a couple more quests to be eligible for the test. That doesn't mean I will be able to rank-up at all. The test is not easy, you will have to face up against one of the officers and at the minimum, not lose instantly. That's not easy, I tell you…” He sighed once again.
”Still, even if you lose, you can gain some insight from the duel and come back later and try again. Are they really that tough?” Aiden asked again, with a troubled expression.
”Heh, you still don't get it, Aiden.” Cole sighed again, then explained. ”Once you fail the test, you will need more points to become eligible for a second try. If you lose a second time, the cost increases once again, and so on. If you are too arrogant and lose a few times, it becomes incredibly hard to even become eligible for the test.”
His eyes glanced over at the distance, as he continued.
”To answer your second question, yes, they are all very powerful. They all came from the main branch of the capital, they are all above rank 5! They are basically monsters in human skin! I heard there is even a caster amongst them!”
”Oh? Now I really want to see them!” Aiden's eyes flashed expectantly.
Turning towards the large double door, he grabbed the handles with both hands and pushed against them. The doors slowly creaked open, revealing a large hall filled with dozens of people inside. If Lily would have been here, she would be amazed by the changes that happened to the previously simple interior in such a short amount of time.
The previously simple wooden floor was replaced, and a shining extravagant marble tileset was put in its place. The furnishing was also replaced with a tier higher counterpart. The simple wooden tables that filled the halls had exquisite designs carved on them, with scarlet silk cover adorning their surface. Groups of four to six were sitting around them, planning their next adventures.
The groups consisted mostly of men, but you could see the occasional feminine curves as well. What was surprising to Aiden was that from a first glance, he couldn't spot a single caster, or anybody similar to his Master and Granny. Based on the weapons, he guessed that the vast majority were melee fighters. Swords of all kinds, maces, and axes were the most common choices for their trade. The bow or knife was incredibly rare and was mostly favored by the few females present.
As if understanding his thoughts, Cole spoke from behind.
”There are no local casters in Higrove. All those that have any talent in the mystical arts are professors in the academy or move away to the capital and join the guild or the royal forces there. Since their powers can lay waste to cities, they are sought after.”