After dinner, everyone went to bed in their inn rooms. They split up into pairs: Kyle shared a room with Tristan, Lys with Anne, and finally Elaria with Iris.
The night was peaceful, lulled by the calm sounds of the capital.
Early in the morning, over breakfast, Tristan offered to take Kyle and Lys to the capital's adventurers' guild. They both accepted without hesitation. While they chatted, the other three girls decided to explore the capital a bit and do some shopping. Once the meal was over, the two groups parted ways in a relaxed atmosphere.
Tristan took the lead and guided Kyle and Lys through the bustling streets of the big city.
Lys, unaccustomed to such hustle and bustle, seemed slightly intimidated. Kyle, for his part, observed everything with fascination—the buildings, the stalls, the passersby, everything was new to him.
"It really is like an anime set," he thought with a slight smile.
After walking for a few minutes, they arrived in front of a huge white stone building, flanked by two statues of adventurers brandishing their weapons.
It was the guild.
"It's twice the size of the one in our starting town," Kyle breathed, impressed.
"It's here," Tristan declared confidently.
They entered.
The Interior of the Guild
The main hall of the guild was vast and bustling. Adventurers from all walks of life came and went. Bulletin boards were covered with missions of varying ranks, and several counters served to welcome members. The atmosphere was a mixture of the smell of wood, sweat, steel... and warm bread, surely coming from an integrated tavern. Trophies and monster heads adorned the walls, and stairs led to the upper floor reserved for staff or high-ranking adventurers.
Kyle recognized the style:
"It still feels like any other isekai anime guild..."
They approached the reception desk where a young brunette woman was waiting for them. She wore the guild uniform and a broad smile. As soon as she saw Tristan, she lit up.
"Tristan!" It's been a while!"
"Hi, Julie," Tristan replied, smiling.
They exchanged a few words, and Julie asked curiously,
"And them? They're new faces."
"Yes, they're the new members of my group," he replied. "This is Lys, a priestess."
"Pleased to meet you," Lys said, inclining her head slightly.
"And this is Kyle," Tristan added.
Kyle merely nodded silently.
"And this is Julie," Tristan said, smiling. "She's often the one who handles my files here."
Julie blushed slightly.
"Another conquest?" Kyle murmured mockingly, which made Lys smile discreetly.
The Official Registration
Tristan declared that he was coming to register them with the capital's registry. Julie nodded enthusiastically and took out several forms.
"Full name, please," she asked.
Lys answered first:
"Lys Elenora."
Julie noted this, then turned to Kyle.
Kyle hesitated. He knew that giving his real last name could arouse suspicion, or even reveal that he wasn't of this world.
After a brief thought, he replied calmly:
"Kyle Write."
Julie wrote her name without comment.
"There, you are now officially registered with the Royal Guild of Valoris," she declared.
"Already finished?" Lys asked, a little surprised.
"Not quite," replied Tristan. "There's still the class update."
Julie suddenly interrupted:
"Tristan, with your latest exploits, you've just been promoted to B rank!"
"Oh, uh... Thanks," he said, a little embarrassed. "But I'm mainly here for them."
Julie then turned to Kyle.
"Since you single-handedly fought a Red Cap and helped defeat an Alpha Demon Wolf, you're promoted from F to D. To reach C rank, you'll need to complete several missions before taking an exam."
"Okay," replied Kyle, unperturbed.
"As for you," Lys continued, "you're going from F to E."
Lys seemed disappointed.
"I wanted to be at the same rank as Kyle..."
But she sighed and smiled:
"I admit you deserve it."
After officially moving up a rank, Kyle, still buoyed by excitement, immediately wanted to check the mission board for D-rank adventurers. But he was stopped in his tracks by Tristan and Lys.
"Not today," Tristan said with a calm smile. "Get some rest."
"Yes," Lys agreed, crossing her arms. "We only just arrived, you'll be doing a quest tomorrow!"
Even though he didn't agree, Kyle had to obey. He let out a resigned sigh.
"Very well... but I'm warning you, I'm going to be bored."
"Off to the inn!" Lys called cheerfully, completely ignoring his remark.
But just as they were about to leave the guild, Julie seemed to remember something.
"Ah! Tristan, wait! The guild master asked me to summon you if he ever sees you here again."
Tristan raised an eyebrow.
"The guild master? I wonder what he wants from me..."
Kyle, who was listening silently, reflected: I've never met the guildmaster of the first town... What do they look like?
Tristan turned to the other two.
"I'll have to go. Sorry."
"It's okay," Lys replied gently.
"Don't worry," Kyle quipped. "We'll survive without you... maybe."
"Want to come with me?" Tristan asked, his hands in his pockets.
"Oh, can I?" Lys asked in surprise.
"Let's go," Kyle said simply.
They climbed the stairs together toward the guildmaster's office. Arriving at a large carved wooden door, Tristan knocked, then entered after receiving permission.
The interior of the office was spacious but plain. At the far end, behind a large desk, stood an imposing man. His presence exuded an overwhelming aura—that of a battlefield veteran. His arms were crossed, his eyes calm but piercing.
"Tristan... so you're back," he said in a deep voice.
"Yes, Master," Tristan replied respectfully, bowing slightly.
As he was about to continue, the master noticed the two young men accompanying him.
"And them?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.
"The newest members of my group," Tristan replied. "This is Lys, a priestess, and Kyle... an apprentice Spellblader."
He added proudly,
"Kyle is very strong. Less than a week after receiving his license, he's already a D-rank."
The guild master stood up, slowly approached Kyle, and looked him straight in the eye.
"Kyle, huh... We're in the same class," he said with a thin smile.
Kyle froze. A cold sweat trickled down his back. He had lied about being a Spellblade when, in reality, he was an elemental mage.
"Tell me, do you want to be promoted to C-rank?" the master suddenly asked.
Without giving him a chance to respond, he turned to Tristan.
"We'll discuss you later."
"Good," Tristan replied without question.
Kyle, torn between the fear of being discovered and the adrenaline rush of opportunity, finally replied,
"... I accept."
"I knew you'd accept," Tristan said, looking amused.
Lys, however, seemed uncomfortable. This serious atmosphere, this direct exchange, and especially the guild master's piercing gaze... all of it worried her. Something was wrong.
Edward smiled warmly.
"Very well, I'll personally administer the C-rank exam."
This announcement made the whole group react. Together, they headed to the reception desk to complete the necessary paperwork to formalize Kyle's promotion test.
They arrived in the office of Julie, the guild receptionist. As they entered, the guild master spoke.
"Julie, I'll leave this to you."
"Of course, master," she replied respectfully, then turned to him. "Should I call an examiner?"
Tristan, leaning against the counter, turned to Kyle and Lys.
"To take a C-rank exam, an adventurer of at least B-rank must act as examiner."
Edward raised his hand with an amused smile.
"No need to disturb anyone. I'll be the examiner, just like I was for Tristan."
"Huh? You took your exam here?" Lys asked Tristan, surprised.
"Yeah, two months ago. The master himself evaluated me," he replied proudly.
She was about to ask him another question, curious about the tests, but Edward cut her off.
"Let's head to the training area!"
The training area was outside the main building. It was a large open space, where various adventurers could be seen practicing: some wielding swords, others casting spells.
Kyle watched the area with interest. This was the first time he was going to have a "PvP" duel, he thought.
As Tristan approached to give Kyle some advice, Julie stopped him firmly.
"No interference during the assessment, Tristan."
Lys, a little tense, turned to Edward.
"What exactly is the exam?"
Kyle answered before Edward could even say a word:
"Guess what, I have to face the guild master, right?"
"Good guess," Edward confirmed with a laugh.
The two men quickly found themselves face to face in the center of the arena. The other adventurers stopped their training, drawn by the unusual sight.
Kyle drew his sword. Edward narrowed his eyes.
"Hm... a channeling enchantment on your blade. A very good choice for a spellblade."
"Thanks," Kyle replied with an embarrassed smile.
Another adventurer brought Edward a greatsword, which he grasped in one hand as if it weighed nothing. Glowing glyphs similar to Kyle's appeared on the blade, but more detailed, more powerful.
"I hope you go all out. I'm an S-rank adventurer," Edward said humorously. "You figured that out, didn't you?"
The fight began. Kyle used his Acceleration spell and lunged at Edward. The master parried it easily. A series of exchanges ensued, with Edward constantly maintaining the advantage, blocking or dodging all of Kyle's attacks with ease.
"Are you really a spellblader?" Edward asked after a moment. "Your technique is rather... rudimentary."
"I'm self-taught," Kyle replied, breathless but smiling.
He then chained Void Veil and then Acceleration, which allowed him to follow Edward's movements more precisely. To everyone's surprise, he even managed to counterattack. The spectators began to whisper, impressed by his ability to stand up to the guild master.
Taking advantage of an opening, Kyle cast Flash to dazzle Edward, then attacked. But Edward burst out laughing.
"Perfect! We can finally move on to magic."
He coated his blade in a wind spell and pushed Kyle back with a single blow.
"Let's get down to business now."
Kyle then combined Thunderbolt with his Slash technique. The atmosphere became electrified. The duel took on a more intense tone. Despite everything, Edward still dominated, whether through brute force, experience, or technical mastery.
Kyle gave it his all, using his speed and lightning to corner Edward. Just when he thought he could land a decisive blow, an invisible force knocked him to the ground.
"Finally... he's deciding to fight for real," Tristan whispered.
"What? You mean he's been sparing him since earlier?!" Lys cried, worried.
Kyle, disoriented by what he had just experienced, stepped back slightly. He gathered his concentration, surrounded his blade with lightning, and charged forward again... but he felt his body grow heavier with every step.
"That's really cheating," he joked aloud.
"Why stop?" Edward asked.
"I'm not a masochist. I know when things are going to get tough," Kyle replied with a smile.
Edward regarded him with a certain respect.
"You're much more mature than Tristan. He kept getting back up again and again, even when he was covered in injuries. It was his tenacity that allowed him to rise through the ranks."
"I don't understand that kind of logic," Kyle replied. "Recognizing your weaknesses and stopping in time isn't cowardice. It's just common sense."
Edward nodded.
"Do you want to continue?"
"I don't have the experience or the power. And your power... controlling gravity is just too much."
Tristan froze.
"Wait... He realized his power... after just one hit?!"
Lys sighed, relieved.
"So it's over..."
But Edward frowned.
"You're still holding back, Kyle. Why?"
Tristan, surprised by these words, thought for a moment... Then a realization hit him.
"Wait... you mean... even against the demon wolf Alfa, he held back?!"
"That's impossible!" Lys exclaimed. "I was there! He went all out against that thing!"
Kyle didn't respond. He simply stared at Edward before regaining his guard. A white aura of lightning crackled around him. Lys's eyes widened.
"This is... impossible."
Despite the crushing gravity, Kyle moved closer to Edward. He raised his blade... but was knocked to the ground by a blow of extreme violence.
Kyle stood up, gasping, then concentrated more of his energy. The lightning surrounding him grew more intense, almost destructive. The ground cracked beneath his feet.
"He'll die if he keeps this up!" Lys cried. "Tristan, do something!"
"This isn't a simple spell," Tristan said in shock. For an ordinary human, it's certain death.
He was about to intervene, but several adventurers stopped him.
"Trust the leader. He knows when to stop a fight."
Reluctantly, Tristan nodded. Lys couldn't hide her concern.
For his part, Edward watched Kyle with admiration.
"Impressive. Another one would have been dead long ago."
Kyle, panting, replied between breaths,
"Thanks..."
The white lightning consumed his clothes, tearing his leather armor to shreds.
"At this rate, you'll end up naked," Edward joked.
"That's why I almost never use it," Kyle muttered.
His hair turned white from the magic. He pointed his sword at Edward. The blade was then surrounded by black lightning. A striking contrast: Kyle draped in white light, his blade shrouded in shadows.
"Another new technique?" Edward asked in surprise.
The fight resumed. The gravitational pressure became overwhelming. The ground gave way beneath their feet, each impact shaking the arena. All the adventurers watched, fascinated.
But Edward's superiority was indisputable. Kyle, exhausted, began coughing up blood.
I'm reaching my limits, he thought. But before that...
He woke up in a guild room, his body covered in bandages. He couldn't quite remember his last action.
"I lost..." he breathed, with a smile.
"This world is even more fascinating than I thought."
The world around him seemed blurry, wobbly, unreal. Kyle slowly opened his eyes, a soft light streaming through the window of the room he was in. His body felt heavy, every movement an effort. He struggled to stand up, his legs trembling, his balance unsteady. He leaned against the wall, trying to figure out where he was.
"What the...?" he whispered quietly, his mind still foggy.
He managed to get out of the room after several long seconds of struggling against his own muscles. In the hallway, he heard familiar sounds: voices, bursts of laughter, adventurers chatting. He understood then—he was in the Valoris Guild.
As he cautiously advanced, a familiar figure quickly approached: Julie. When she saw him, her eyes widened with concern.
"Kyle! Are you awake? Are you better?"
She stopped right in front of him, relieved but still visibly nervous.
"You slept for three whole days, you know? Everyone was worried."
"Three days?" Kyle repeated, still in shock.
He didn't protest when she invited him to follow her to the dining hall. He was hungry, he realized that now. As they walked slowly, Julie added lightly,
"Besides, your fiancée will be arriving soon."
Kyle stopped in his tracks.
"My what? My fiancée?"
Julie laughed softly.
"Yes, she came every morning to watch over you. She stayed there, silent, waiting for you to wake up. Then she'd leave again at nightfall."
Kyle arched an eyebrow in amusement.
"I didn't even know I had a fiancée..."
When they arrived at the dining hall, silence fell. All the adventurers present stopped talking, staring at him as if seeing a ghost. Kyle glanced at Julie, puzzled.
"Did... did I do something wrong?"
Julie nodded gently.
"You could say that. The last attack you launched... destroyed almost half the arena."
Kyle's eyes widened, then shrugged with a smile.
"I hope I at least looked cool doing it... Because I don't remember any of it."
Just as he was about to sit down, the dining hall door burst open. Lys ran in, her eyes wild. Without a word, she rushed over and hugged him tightly.
"Wow..." Kyle said, surprised. "If you keep this up, I'm really going to get hurt."
Lys immediately recovered, backing away in embarrassment.
"Sorry, Kyle... I... I was just..."
Julie, witnessing the scene, let out a small laugh.
"You two make a beautiful couple."
Lys blushed instantly. Kyle, for his part, repeated the word as if he couldn't believe his ears.
"A couple?"
He smiled and jokingly said,
"So she's my famous fiancée?"
Lys's reaction was immediate: she turned scarlet, bowing her head, unsure of what to say. Julie laughed heartily.
"Oh, I'm sorry. The way she's been looking after you, I really thought you were together..."
Kyle shook his head gently.
"No, no... we're just friends. Or are we? And besides, we've barely known each other for a week."
Julie raised her eyebrows in surprise.
"Only a week? And yet, you're already so close. It's rare to see such a strong bond formed so quickly."
Kyle smiled, a little embarrassed.
"Sometimes this kind of thing happens naturally."
Lys seemed to want to add something, but at that moment, the rest of the group entered the dining hall, breaking the intimacy of the moment.
Tristan arrived accompanied by his usual trio: Anne, Elaria, and Iris. The four rushed over to Kyle, visibly relieved to see him standing.
"How are you?" they asked almost in unison.
"I'm fine," Kyle replied with a slight smile.
Anne, arms crossed, her gaze sincere, said,
"We heard about your fight with Edward. I heard you didn't let him get away with it."
Iris, both jealous and impressed, added,
"Your magic... It's much more powerful than you let us know. You were hiding your secrets well."
Tristan looked a little serious.
"Why didn't you fight the Demon Wolf Alfa like that? Didn't you trust us?"
Kyle was about to reply, but Lys immediately intervened:
"Look at the state he's in. Do you think we use this kind of technique lightly? His body must have paid the price, that's probably why he didn't use it before."
Elaria nodded.
"The most important thing is that he's alive."
Tristan calmed down and took a step forward, bowing his head slightly.
"You're right. Sorry, Kyle."
"It's nothing," Kyle replied. "But now that I've failed the trial, I have to train to challenge the Guild Master again."
Everyone stared at him, surprised.
"Failed?" Julie repeated. "You didn't fail."
Tristan chimed in mockingly.
"You wouldn't have stood a chance against the Guild Master anyway. Even I got beaten... and I lasted longer than you," he added, laughing.
"So how did you rank up?" Kyle asked, intrigued.
Julie answered for him:
"The goal of the test isn't to win. We just have to prove that we have the strength to succeed in C-rank missions. And you've clearly proven it."
Lys, more cautious, added:
"We're not sure. The leader didn't say anything after you fainted..."
Julie reassured Kyle:
"With what you've shown, you're bound to move up a rank. You were more impressive than Tristan, by far!"
Tristan grumbled, which made everyone laugh.
A little later, Julie said:
"The leader wants to see you, Kyle. In fact, he's summoned the whole group as soon as you wake up."
They found themselves in front of the door of the Guild Master's office. Tristan knocked, and everyone entered.
Leader Edward, still impassive, greeted them with a piercing gaze.
"Everyone's here. Good. Kyle, how are you feeling?"
"Good, thank you... sir," Kyle replied respectfully.
"Congratulations," Edward said bluntly. "You're moving up to Rank B."
There was complete silence. Everyone stood there frozen. Even Kyle couldn't believe his ears.
"Rank... B? I was thinking about aiming for Rank C..."
"You deserve it," Edward said. "Unlike the other one (he gave Tristan a mocking look), you've shown me that you're already mature enough for this rank." You took risks, you gave it your all, you showed that you were ready. That's what a true B-rank adventurer is.
Tristan, at first annoyed, finally understood.
All the girls congratulated Kyle warmly. Lys, however, remained in the background, torn between admiration and a pang of sadness. Her expression betrayed a mixture of sadness and pride.
Anne, with her usual energy, said:
"Now our team is composed of two B-rank members (Kyle and Tristan), two D-rank members (Anne and Elaria), and two E-rank members (Lys and Iris)!"
The leader added:
"Which officially upgrades your group to C-rank."
Then he straightened up and took a more serious tone:
"I have a mission for you. A new dungeon has appeared. It's likely C-rank, or even lower. Since you're in the capital, I'd prefer you explore it first. Most adventurers here are nobles, and I want to avoid any tensions between families."
Tristan agreed without hesitation.
"All right, we'll explore it."
Kyle, excited, felt a surge of adrenaline.
"A dungeon to explore?" he thought. "A true classic of the genre!"
He shivered with excitement. The adventure continues. And this time, he felt something big was about to happen...