The sun rose high over Velis, casting golden light across the cobblestone streets as Kael made his way to the hunter's guild. With one week left before classes began at Velis Arcanum Academy, he had no intention of idling. There were still mysteries to unravel, and Kael believed that steady experience would serve him well in the long run.
Inside the guild hall, he scanned the quest board. As an EE rank hunter, he was restricted to the most basic tasks—herb gathering, minor pest control, errand delivery. He had been completing quests every day and gained a fair amount of money. Still, Kael took them in quick succession. Thanks to Omni-Vision and Minor Teleport, he moved faster than most could dream. Roots were preserved. Pests were removed with surgical precision. Requests were fulfilled in record time.
By late afternoon, Kael had completed enough to qualify for the E rank promotion exam. When he returned to the front desk, the receptionist blinked in surprise. "Already? You work fast."
She disappeared for a moment, then returned with a sealed scroll. "You're qualified. Report to the testing arena in the back. The Guild Master will be overseeing your trial."
Kael raised an eyebrow. "The Guild Master?"
"He only proctors the EE to E and A to S rank promotions. Too many have died after taking quests that they thought they were ready for."
Kael nodded and made his way to the stone-floored arena. It was circular, lined with defensive wards and old gouges from past battles. The Guild Master stood at the far end, arms crossed. He was a tall, broad man with a greying beard and eyes sharp as steel.
"You're the EE rank looking to move up?"
Kael nodded. "Yes, sir."
"Then let's see what you've got. You'll be facing a summoned beast. Survive, adapt, and prove you're worthy of E rank."
The Guild Master raised a hand, and with a low chant, summoned a spined, quadrupedal creature with eyes like molten glass. It growled and charged.
Kael didn't panic. He couldn't teleport himself, but he could control the field. Using Minor Teleport, he shifted jagged stones into the creature's path, tripping it mid-charge. As it tried to recover, he created sudden walls of rock and displaced terrain, forcing it to stumble and crash repeatedly.
The beast growled, growing more aggressive. Kael kept his cool—precisely moving rocks, roots, and even debris, slowing the beast's movements and forcing it into tight angles. He kept it disoriented, confused.
Finally, Kael spotted an opening. He teleported a boulder into the air above the creature, then looped it back again and again, hammering the beast with relentless force until it collapsed into arcane mist.
Silence.
The Guild Master approached slowly, arms still crossed. "That beast was E-rank bordering on D. I made the test harder on purpose. Most people fight head-on. You used your environment, positioning, and a touch of creativity. I like that."
Kael exhaled and offered a polite bow. "Thank you."
"You're promoted. E rank, officially. Don't get cocky. The leap to D is bigger than you think."
Kael smiled faintly. He wasn't planning to stop anytime soon.