"Uhh... me? You mean me? I can't. I'm a nobody. I'd just slow you down," I muttered, my voice barely audible, thick with self-doubt.
The pain from Tomoru's beating still throbbed across my body. Each breath was shallow, every movement sending sharp stabs of agony through my muscles. I tried to stand, legs trembling beneath my weight, my hands bracing against the wall to steady myself. I must've looked pathetic, but I couldn't let that stop me. Not now. Not when someone was still looking at me like I wasn't worthless.
"No, you won't. In fact, you'll quicken my father's guild's progress," Mina replied confidently, stepping closer. Her voice, though calm, carried a surprising strength. A warm smile tugged at her lips, one that made something stir inside me, something I hadn't felt in a long time.
Hope.
She extended her hand. Open. Steady. Inviting.
"I heard you're good at analysis. My father's guild really needs a personal analyst. Someone who can break down dungeon formations, mana flow, and enemy patterns—you know, the kind of skills schools overlook but adventurers rely on."
My eyes widened. No one had ever said that to me before. No one had acknowledged what I could do, what I was good at. Most people only saw my stats. The red 'F' on my evaluation card. The low-tier skills. The absence of a flashy combat class. But Mina... she was looking through that. Seeing beyond it.
I hesitated. Could this be real? Could someone actually be serious about trusting me with something important?
A flicker of something fragile lit in my chest. I didn't let it show; not too many eyes had seen me cry, but beneath the bruises and humiliation, something deep within me began to breathe again.
Mina reached into her coat and handed me a folded piece of parchment.
"This has the details of my father's guild—my father's contact, the address, and the meeting time. Everything. Don't lose it."
I stared at the paper like it might vanish if I blinked. My fingers slowly closed around it, gripping it with a strange sort of desperation. It felt real. Tangible. Like a rope thrown to someone drowning.
"Why... me?" I asked softly, still half-suspecting this was all a cruel dream.
She tilted her head. "Because I saw how you looked at the system terminal during the entrance test.
You weren't panicking like everyone else. You were thinking. Calculating. It stood out."
I swallowed hard. No one had ever noticed that. Not even my instructors.
Before I could say anything more, she stepped back, her expression firm now. "I'll be expecting you."
And just like that, she turned and disappeared into the crowd. No dramatic spell. No teleportation circle. No swirl of mana or burst of wind. Just gone, as if she'd never been there at all.
I blinked, wondering if the exhaustion and pain had made me hallucinate.
But the paper was still in my hand.
I unfolded it again, checking it over and over as I walked home in a daze, memorizing every detail:
Guild Name: Twilight Drake Guild
Guild Master: Hiroshi Yuzan
Contact Number: [Redacted for privacy]
Guild Address: Sector 4, Mid-City Adventurer District
Arrival Time: 7:00 PM sharp
I must have read it ten times by the time I reached the crumbling apartment complex I called home.
My steps were sluggish, but strangely, my heart felt light. For the first time in ages, I slept like someone who finally found a reason to keep going.
The Next Morning
GRRRRRRIIINNNGGGG!!
The alarm screamed like a strangled banshee. I shot up, disoriented, my hair sticking up in all directions.
What time is it?!
I turned sharply to the clock and froze.
6:30 PM.
My blood turned to ice.
"Crap!"
I leapt out of bed, nearly slipping on my blanket. My foot slammed into the corner of my desk, pain shooting up my shin.
No time to groan.
I sprinted to the bathroom and bathed in under five minutes, an achievement only panic could fuel. Water splashed everywhere, and shampoo was barely rinsed. I yanked on my only semi-decent shirt and a pair of faded black pants. There was no time to iron. No time for socks, even. I shoved on my worn sneakers, grabbed a crusty slice of bread from the counter, and bolted out the door, still chewing as I ran.
The streets were already alive with the usual chaos. Adventurers in gleaming armor walked side-by-side with tamed beasts. Mana constructs zipped past overhead, humming with arcane energy. Street vendors bellowed over each other, selling everything from health potions to enchanted socks.
I dodged carts, people, and beasts, weaving through the crowd like a possessed rat in a maze. My heart pounded so loud it drowned out the city noise. Each passing second felt like another nail in the coffin of my opportunity.
By the time I reached Sector 4 of the Adventurer District, my shirt was soaked in sweat, and my lungs burned.
I staggered up the marble steps of the Twilight Drake Guild, nearly slipping on the last one. My hand gripped the golden handle of the entrance door. I inhaled sharply, smoothed my shirt with trembling hands, and pushed it open.
The interior was stunning.
Polished obsidian floors reflected the ambient mana lamps hanging from the ceiling. Towering marble columns supported a high dome above, with a massive emblem of a silver dragon etched in glowing blue lines overhead. It looked like the kind of place I'd only ever seen on television broadcasts.
Several people, "likely members," lounged around the hall in battle uniforms, some chatting, others checking weapons or reading magical charts.
In the center stood a tall man with salt-and-pepper hair, arms folded, and a massive longsword strapped to his back. His presence was undeniable, like a general surveying a battlefield.
His eyes landed on me instantly.
"Ah. You're late," he said, voice low but sharp.
I bowed deeply, panting. "I'm sorry, sir. There was traffic, people blocking streets—I"
He raised a hand, and I shut up instantly.
"You're Haruki Enrai, right? Mina told me you'd come."
His voice softened a fraction.
"You're not the first applicant to run late. Let's not waste time."
Relief flooded me. I nodded quickly, trying to hide my trembling hands.
He gestured for me to follow.
We moved through wide double doors into a quieter, dimly lit chamber. The room was lined with rune-etched bookshelves, and a long crystalline table sat at the center. Three other individuals were already seated—two women and one man, all in matching navy uniforms. Their faces were sharp and focused.
Stacks of papers and folders were neatly arranged before them.
"We'll make this quick," the Guild Master said as he sat. "You've been recommended by my daughter, and that carries weight. But you still need to sign a temporary trial contract, attend two evaluation sessions, and pass one dungeon analysis mission."
I nodded, willing myself to remain calm.
"You'll be given access to guild data, and your job will be to analyze dungeon patterns, monster behaviors, magical node shifts, spatial warping signs, the usual."
One of the women handed me a folder. Inside were the contract documents, printed in fine, precise lettering. I took my time reading each clause, not because I didn't trust them, but because this might be my only shot at turning my life around.
I signed.
The guild master took the folder, looked it over, and then gave me a faint smile. "Welcome to Twilight Drake Guild, Haruki."
I stood and bowed again, deeper this time. "Thank you, Guild Master. I won't let you down."
He clapped a heavy hand on my shoulder, firm but not unkind.
"Don't worry. We don't hire people to be perfect. We hire them to grow."
I swallowed hard, my eyes stinging, but this time, not from pain or humiliation.
For the first time in my life, I felt like I belonged somewhere.
As I stepped out of the guild hall, the air was crisp, the sky dusted with stars. Moonlight bathed the streets in silver, and the bustle of the city had faded into a distant murmur.
I reached into my pocket, fingers brushing the contract.
Tightening my grip, I looked up at the stars above.
This was just the beginning.