Ewaan continued with a confident smile, "And besides, I have enough confidence in all of you. You have what it takes to advance to A-rank!"
These past three weeks had seen remarkable progress for the entire group.
Maya, who was level 6 before, had climbed to level 25.
Ayaka and Ayami, who had been at levels 41 and 42 respectively, were now both level 50.
Yuuna had advanced from level 52 to level 55.
Even Ewaan, despite focusing on fighting alongside the group, had advanced from level 13 to level 23.
The reason for Ewaan's decision to fight alongside the group instead of on his own stemmed from a pivotal moment when he received a notification from the Great Sage during their first collective battle,
[Notice: Criteria has been met, 『First Mission Of Ordained End』]
[The User has been rewarded 15,000 Exp value, with an additional 100 Gold coins and 10 System Points as the completion reward for the Hidden Scenario.]
[Notice: The user and the members of the ‹Ordained End› has gained the skill ‹Bond Of Life›. Now the group shares Exp values when together.]
This revelation was a game-changer. The rapid experience points Ewaan gained through his Gluttony skill were now shared among the group, accelerating everyone's growth.
It was this shared bond that had allowed all of them to progress so rapidly and not just Maya.
°°°
Maya, who had been listening to Ewaan all this time, widened her eyes with realization and approached him along with Ayaka.
"Now that you mention it, I do feel more powerful than before..." Ayaka said, her voice tinged with excitement. "But we should still think it through before making any hasty decisions. A-rank advancement trial is no joke..."
Ewaan nodded, his eyes filled with determination. "Let's head to the Adventurers Guild and check on our respective A-rank trials. And if you think, you're up for it, we'll take on the challenge!"
Ayami nodded, a spark of enthusiasm in her eyes. "It's decided then."
With that, the group set off towards the Adventurers Guild.
°°°
After reaching the guild, they went to the reception desk. Seeing them, Alina greeted with a smile.
Ewaan, immediately placing the trial parchments on the desk with a determined but stoic expression. "I want to replace our C and B-ranked trials with A-rank ones for all of us," he declared.
Alina, taken aback by his bold remark, raised an eyebrow. "Feeling overconfident won't win you battles, handsome." She remarked playfully.
Noticing their seriousness, she continued with a serious tone. "It will lead to your death. Think it through; you still have a day left before the trial."
Ewaan, unwavering, replied bluntly, "We're not here to ask for opinions."
Alina sighed, her concern evident. "Sorry, but even for you, I can't take this request. I can't send you toward your deaths knowing I can prevent it."
At that moment, Razzak and the Guild Master Ivan approached them from behind.
"Hey, kiddo, what's going on?" Razzak asked, pointing at Ewaan.
The group turned to face them, with Alina answering, "They want to directly take A-rank challenges tomorrow for the trial!"
Ivan gazed intently at Ewaan, who noticed but chose to ignore it. Then he laughed heartily. "Haha! What's wrong with that? Let them have their fun. You don't need to be so worried about them failing!"
– If you knew this kid is the Hero, nobody would've even complained if he wanted to advance directly to SS rank even without taking the trial!
Alina protested, "But, Guild Master, it's only been a month since Ewaan and Maya here joined our adventurers guild! And this is their first advancement trial—"
Razzak interjected, "Do as the Guild Master says. If he believes they can take it, then he must have sensed they have the strength to succeed."
Ivan nodded, his expression serious but supportive. "Indeed. I have faith in their abilities. Sometimes, a leap of faith is exactly what one needs to reach new heights."
Ewaan's eyes met the guild master's as he replied, "You have my gratitude, Guild Master. I assure you, you won't be disappointed with the results."
Ivan laughed loudly, slapping Ewaan on the back with a hearty thump. "Ahaha! That's the spirit, boy!" Despite the force, Ewaan stood firm, barely feeling anything. "Keep believing in yourself, and you'll be on top very soon! Haha!"
With that, Ivan and Razzak left, their faces bearing a seriousness that Ewaan noticed but chose to set aside to focus on his current agenda.
Alina, though still worried, relented. "Alright, but remember, this is no small feat. Be prepared for the worst."
Ayami, standing resolute beside Ewaan, added, "We know the risks. We've trained hard, and we're ready."
Maya and Ayaka nodded in agreement, their faces reflecting their confidence and readiness.
Alina took the parchments from Ewaan, her expression a mix of concern and admiration for their determination. After a moment, she returned with four new parchments, each tailored to suit their class categories.
"Here are your A-rank advancement challenges," she said, handing them over. "Head to the designated locations tomorrow and complete the tasks written inside each parchment. There will be two S-rank adventurers overseeing your trials, so you can proceed with peace of mind."
With their new challenges in hand, the group left the guild, ready to face the trials that would determine their advancement to A-rank.
°°°
Next day approached as dawn broke.
Ewaan returned from his daily sprint, then entering the inn, he saw the girls already awake, their determination palpable.
Ayami was stretching, her eyes focused and intense. "Ah, you're back, Ewaan. Ready to crush this trial?"
Maya and Ayaka were quietly meditating, their mana flowing smoothly around them.
Yuuna emerged from the shadows, as usual, her expression calm and composed. "I shall stay here, as I'm already an A-rank. Besides, I have another task to take care of."
"Alright, you should do your thing and take a good rest afterward," Ewaan smiled warmly at her. Then, turning to Ayami and calling out to Maya and Ayaka, he uttered, "You guys ready?"
They nodded enthusiastically, their excitement and determination evident in their eyes.
"Let's get going then," Ewaan said, his voice filled with confidence and resolve.
With that, they bid farewell to Yuuna and directly teleported near the Nightmare Forest, where their trials were set.
Ewaan utilized ‹Warp› skill, an evolution of his Teleport skill, which had rapidly leveled up and maxed out due to the effects of Gluttony.
His Warp skill was still in the beginner phase so he had to take round trips everytime he wanted to teleport more than one people.
Meanwhile, Yuuna made her way to the Adventurers Guild with a determined stride. She had decided to take the S-rank advancement trial for herself, intending to surprise Ewaan with her progress.
As she approached the guild, her mind was set on proving her worth and showing that she, too, was growing stronger.
°°°
The forest loomed ahead as they materialized near it, its dense trees and thick foliage casting eerie shadows in the early morning light. Ewaan looked around, his eyes scanning the area.
– There are more people here than I expected!
He thought, then uttered, "Alright, this is it. Let's go ahead, shall we?"
The girls nodded in agreement, and proceed to approached the forest together. To their surprise, they saw a crowd of adventurers, all gathered for the same purpose.
"Wow! Didn't expect to see this many people around this forest before," Maya remarked, her eyes widening at the sight.
Shivering a bit, Ayami muttered, "This place still gives me the heebie-jeebies... Ugh..."
Listening to her, Ewaan chuckled softly, then said, "Let's go ahead and see what they're up to."
They reached the designated meeting point, near but outside the forest, where the trials would begin.
A tall, imposing figure stood before them, exuding a mix of gentleness and authority. His striking blue eyes matched perfectly with his sunflower-blonde hair, which was neatly styled in a side part.
His youthful feature suggest him to be the same age as Ewaan and calm demeanor commanded respect, and the air around him seemed to shimmer with a subtle aura of power.
"Welcome, fellow adventurers," he began, his voice both warm and authoritative, carrying over the murmurs of the crowd. "Today, you will face trials that will test your strength, skill, and resolve. Only those who prove themselves worthy will advance to A-rank. Prepare yourselves, and may the best adventurers succeed."
Beside him stood a slightly shorter yet equally imposing figure; a fierce but gentle elf exuding alluring yet sisterly vibe. Her beautiful, flowing lush green hair cascaded down her back, perfectly complementing her matching jade eyes.
She was adorned in a green ensemble with intricate leaf patterns, suggesting a close affinity with nature.
"I'm Lucien, and this is Aeliana. We'll be overseeing your A-rank trials today," the handsome young man stated with a warm smile.
Aeliana nodded in greeting, her gaze calm yet assessing. "The Nightmare Forest is a challenging and fearsome place. But if you're here, it means you're ready to prove yourselves," she added, her smile encouraging. "Let's move ahead everyone and start the trial."
••• ••• •••