Upon ascending to the upper floor, they found themselves in a hall vastly different from the one they had left below. It was noticeably less crowded, but not more comfortable. On the contrary, it felt submerged in a sea of silence, sorrow, and anxiety. The very air seemed saturated with invisible negative energy—heavy, like a gray cloud hanging over everyone's heads. Men and women sat on waiting chairs that filled the space; some stared blankly at the floor, others fidgeted with small pouches containing meager amounts of money, counting and recounting it as if trying to convince themselves it was enough—or even still there.
One man emptied a few silver coins into his palm, rubbing them between his fingers, as though he thought he had miscounted—or perhaps he hoped more might appear by some miracle.
Opposite the seating area stood a long wooden counter, similar to the one on the ground floor, but it was separated by a glass partition with small openings, just enough to pass money and papers through. Behind the glass, a group of female clerks worked silently and with composure, while the hands of those standing before them trembled nervously. One man waved a worn-out paper at a weary-looking clerk, seemingly trying to convince her of something. She kept her head lowered, as though apologizing for something beyond her control.
Ace felt a tightness in his chest as he watched the scene unfold. He didn't know these people's stories, but he didn't need to. The weight of their burdens was palpable. The sadness was almost visible, almost audible, embedded in the hushed whispers and the broken glances.
They took a seat, and Emilia leaned slightly toward Ace, whispering in a near-inaudible voice:
"This floor is for people submitting task requests. Each task is recorded here in detail—its danger level, estimated rank, required skills and resources. Then, the reward is determined and paid in full upfront. After that, the requests are displayed on the board downstairs."
After hearing this, Ace's eyes wandered around the room. He noticed a dark wooden door off to the side, quietly opening and closing from time to time. A few people slipped in and out discreetly, heads lowered, footsteps hesitant—like they were trying to disappear unnoticed. Emilia noticed where he was looking, and with a tone laced with irony, regret, and even irritation, said:
"That door leads to an external staircase, built specifically to give requesters an entrance and exit separate from the main hall where the adventurers gather. Many adventurers look at civilians with greed. To them, these people are just walking contracts—potential sources of more money."
She then glanced at Ace, her expression hardening, and a serious glint appeared in her eyes as she said:
"Let's focus. From this point on, you'll go through three tests that determine your eligibility to be accepted as a novice adventurer. The first is the magical test, which measures the amount and type of magical energy you possess. The second is the combat test—it doesn't just assess physical strength but also quick thinking and fighting experience. And finally, the most important of all: the interview with the Guild Master."
She lifted her head slightly, as if recalling the man's imposing figure in her mind, before continuing:
"The Guild Master is no ordinary man. They say he was once one of the greatest gold-ranked adventurers, having fought countless battles before laying down his axe and sitting behind a desk. As I remember him, he's a massive man with a commanding presence. Just looking at him is enough to instill fear and awe."
Ace tried to picture the man based on her description, but all he could imagine was a colossal shadow seated behind a large desk, surrounded by an aura of power and intimidation. Still, rather than dwell on the thought, he asked the question that intrigued him more:
"How are the adventurer ranks divided?"
Emilia gave him a sideways glance, then smiled—half amused, half curious—as though she enjoyed explaining things to a beginner. She raised her small hand, drawing invisible lines with her fingers as she spoke in a clear, eager whisper:
"Ranks aren't just titles. They reflect an adventurer's abilities and achievements. There are five main ranks, each named after a metal representing its value. At the top is the Pralinium Rank—a rare title only granted to those who alter the course of history with their deeds. Next is the Gold Rank, reserved for elite adventurers who master both combat and magic to an exceptional degree. Then comes the Silver Rank for those who have proven their skills. Below that is the Bronze Rank, the most common among adventurers. And finally…"
She paused briefly, then smiled lightly before continuing:
"The Iron Rank—the starting point for every adventurer. The first step, though not one you should linger at for long."
After finishing her explanation, Ace noticed something odd. Logically, Iron should have been the most prevalent rank, but it wasn't. Raising his eyebrows, he asked:
"But if Iron is the starting point, why aren't there more adventurers in that rank? Usually, the lowest tier has the most people, right?"
His question didn't surprise her. She tilted her head slightly, her smile fading into a sorrowful expression, as though speaking of a harsh truth.
"Most new adventurers either drop out due to how difficult this life is—or they die during their missions."
Silence fell for a moment. Then she added, in a quieter but sharper tone that Ace couldn't ignore:
"New adventurers rise quickly. But those who stay in Iron for too long are lazy and lack ambition. They simply don't deserve to advance."
Her words were harsh, but not without truth. After all that clarification, Ace asked in a steady voice, trying to gather every detail to understand how the adventurer system functioned:
"And how does one advance through the ranks?"
"Everything depends on achievements," she said, raising a hand as if weighing her words, then continued:
"Guilds have a standardized number of tasks required for each promotion. For example, to earn the Bronze Rank, you must complete 100 requests at that level. For Silver, it's 50. Gold requires 10—and those are extremely dangerous."
She paused, giving him a moment to absorb the information, then added:
"Pralinium, as I said, is different. You can't earn it just by completing tasks. Only those who serve the nation receive it, personally awarded by the King. So, it's not a career advancement you can get from a guild."
"If rank advancement is based purely on completed tasks," he asked, "doesn't that mean someone powerful could hide under a low rank?"
Once again, Emilia wasn't surprised by his question, as though she had expected him to reach that conclusion. A glint of admiration sparkled in her eyes, and she nodded:
"That's where the tests come in."
Her voice rose slightly as she gestured toward the clerks, who were still busy recording data and reviewing documents. Then she spoke confidently:
"Look over there. They may seem like ordinary administrators, but they're not. Each of them has a special ability that allows her to measure an applicant's magical energy precisely. While those with combat skills or strong bodies can be tested by seasoned fighters, those with high magical power pose a greater risk. That's why they're identified through the magical test. Even if someone tampers with the crystal stones used in the test, they can't fool the insight of those clerks."
"And what if someone strong wants to register as an adventurer—how is that handled?"
"Good question! In that case, they're registered as Iron Rank, but by taking on high-level tasks, they're promoted quickly—unless they choose to remain low-ranked. That's their choice. But and this is crucial, their true power is known to the guild."
She stopped there, furrowing her brow, raising a hand to her chin, as though retrieving some buried thought. Then she spoke, her voice low and uncertain:
"But I don't think the test system is entirely accurate."
He looked at her more intently, curiosity growing in his eyes.
"Why do you think that?"
"I've heard rumors about a group of frauds recently. They've managed to pass the guild tests. From what I heard in the capital, they look like ordinary adventurers, despite their strength and skill. They steal others' achievements and band together to cheat the guild system. They snatch up the easy missions, completing them quickly across the land. That leaves beginners with impossible choices, forcing them to either quit... or—"
She paused, casting Ace a worried glance, then continued in a low whisper, as if afraid to be overheard:
"Or they die taking on missions beyond their abilities."
Silence settled between them. Emilia's tone trembled slightly as she continued, her words nearly swallowed by the stillness:
"I also heard news... of rising adventurers disappearing under mysterious circumstances."
She fell silent again, her eyes fixed on a distant point, as if seeing echoes of the stories she'd heard. Then, realizing what she had said, she quickly tried to recover. With a shy, childlike motion, she waved her hand awkwardly and said in a voice everyone in the hall could hear:
"Sorry! Sorry! I shouldn't have worried you with that. But it's really troubling, so please—be careful."
At that moment, one of the clerks called them forward in a formal tone. The clerk had sharp features accentuated by thin glasses. Her narrow eyes scrutinized Ace as he approached the desk with his application paper in hand. She took it with practiced ease, reading it carefully—not just the words, but checking for forgery, then assessing the applicant himself—his features, his posture. After a brief silence, she said firmly:
"Please, follow me to the magical testing room."
She gestured toward a side door behind her desk—a dark wooden door that seemed to divide the known from the unknown. Ace moved toward it, with little Emilia by his side. But the clerk stopped her, saying:
"Sorry, miss. The magical test is for the applicant only."
The girl froze in place, worry clinging to her eyes. The clerk noticed and added:
"You may enter—if the applicant permits."
The clerk turned to Ace, who gave a slight nod of approval. With that, the three of them entered the room. As the door closed behind them, the outside sounds faded, and darkness enveloped the space.
A light clap echoed, and then a soft glow began to fill the room, revealing its interior. The space was narrow and heavy with stillness. On both sides, shelves held transparent crystal stones, each resting on a soft cushion like a precious gem waiting to unveil its mystery. The dim blue light they emitted was the only illumination.
At the far end of the room stood a modest wooden table, with a soft cushion placed at its center. The staff member stepped forward, picked up one of the glowing stones, and set it on the cushion. Then, she stood behind the table, lifted her gaze to the young man, and said in a low voice:
"This stone is known as the magical stone. It can detect magical energy deep within the body. It will reveal whether you are capable of using magic energy, and it will also indicate your magical affinity."
Ace didn't grasp everything she said, but he stared at the crystal stone and asked:
"What is magical affinity?"
The staff member's expression didn't change, as though she was used to hearing that question. She replied in a formal tone, devoid of any sympathy for his ignorance:
"Every person has a unique magical signature. The stone determines the type of that signature."
Her explanation wasn't entirely clear, but Ace didn't ask any more questions. He stepped toward the table, and the staff member instructed him to place his hand on the stone. She explained that what would happen next would occur automatically—the stone would draw out his inner energy to reveal its quantity and type.
Ace slowly extended his hand toward the stone. The moment his fingers touched its cold surface; he felt a slight prick. He placed his whole palm on it, sensing its chill, though the cold didn't last long. It quickly turned into a gentle warmth, then into growing heat. Ace felt as if something was being pulled out of him.
Suddenly, the stone glowed with a brilliant white light, like a white flame. The light reflected off the black walls of the room, making them look like mirrors. The sight was so unexpected that the staff member took a step back, her eyes wide with shock, as though she hadn't anticipated such a result. A moment passed before she spoke in a hushed, astonished voice:
"This... is rare!"
The glow continued to intensify, as if the stone was still hungry for the young man's energy. Ace began to feel his palm burn from the heat. Emilia stepped back, covering her eyes to shield them from the blinding light, while a small girl's scream pierced the air. Ace felt the stone tremble and asked in a worried tone:
"Is... is this normal?"
The staff member didn't answer. Her gaze stayed fixed on the scene with a mix of focus and unease. She raised her hand, forming a circle with her fingers in front of one eye, as if narrowing her vision to focus on a distant detail. Her eye sparkled with a different light, and then widened abruptly, as if she had discovered something unexpected.
Moments later, the stone burst into a sudden flash and disintegrated into a cloud of white dust that spread in all directions, filling the room with a thick fog, like a cloud detonated inside an enclosed space.
Emilia coughed several times while the staff member pulled out a handkerchief to cover her mouth and nose, brushing the dust from her clothes. Emilia wiped tears from her eyes caused by the swirling particles. With half-closed eyes, she asked in a quivering voice, not really expecting an answer:
"What? ... What just happened?"
Ace was still staring at the space the stone had occupied; his brows furrowed in a mix of worry and confusion. His heart was pounding—not from the explosion, but from a different thought that crossed his mind: would he have to pay for the crystal stone?
The staff member tried to make sense of what had just occurred. Before they entered, her preliminary scan of the young man—done discreetly and without his knowledge—had shown no signs of active magical energy. To her, he had seemed like an ordinary person with no trace of hidden power. But what had happened now had shattered that belief completely. She began to wonder if he had used some technique to conceal his true energy.
Still, she couldn't think of a reason why anyone would do that, especially if they were going to release such a massive amount of energy anyway. While she was lost in thought, Ace interrupted her with an awkward smile and a hint of humor in his tone:
"Do I... do I need to pay for the stone that just evaporated?"
His words were merely a distraction from the obvious reality, but he didn't expect the staff member to continue scrutinizing him with the same intense gaze. She blinked slowly several times, then finally said in a low voice:
"Don't worry. Magical stones sometimes get damaged. I just didn't expect that much energy to be released. I would've chosen a larger stone."
Emilia then stepped forward, curiosity overcoming her hesitation. She asked with nervous interest:
"How much? ... How much energy did he release?"
The staff member hesitated before answering, as if the words themselves were reluctant to leave her lips. At last, she said in a low voice:
"My reading indicated 2500 units."
Emilia's eyes widened in shock. She gasped, trying to comprehend what she had just heard, her fingers trembling from the sheer surprise. Ace looked at her with concern, his brows tightening with a mix of suspicion and anxiety. He asked:
"Is that... bad?"
She turned to him sharply, her eyes ablaze with a mix of awe and disbelief, and said:
"Bad? Quite the opposite! That's insane! How do you know nothing about magical energy and yet possess this much of it?!"
Her words struck him like a blow. He found himself staring at the staff member, who had been silently observing. She sighed slightly before explaining to the bewildered young man the reason behind the girl's reaction:
"Ordinary people generally have less than 50 units of magical energy. That amount is considered practically useless. Beginner adventurers usually range between 200 and 500. Those nearing 1000 units are extremely rare and are often seasoned warriors or trained magic users. But for someone who seems unaware of magic to possess 2500 units... I've never seen anything like it."
Her final words dripped with quiet astonishment. In contrast, Emilia couldn't contain her excitement. She leapt up lightly, her eyes sparkling like twin stars in the dim light. She turned to the staff member again and asked with palpable eagerness:
"So, Mr. Ace is one of them, right?"
The staff member smiled—not just a polite smile, but one filled with a special recognition, as if she had discovered a rare gem. She nodded and said with firm conviction:
"Yes. Without a doubt."
Her words ignited a fire of excitement in the girl's heart, while Ace only grew more confused. He asked Emilia:
"One of them? What exactly do you mean?"
She beamed at him and replied with irrepressible enthusiasm:
"Sometimes, individuals with immense magical power appear. They're called the Gifted, and they almost always become the strongest and most famous adventurers in the world in a short time. You seem to be one of them, Mr. Ace!"
Her tone carried open admiration, as though she were facing a storybook hero. Then she turned back to the staff member, her eyes gleaming with curiosity and confusion as she asked:
"But... what does that color mean? I've never heard of a magical affinity that shows a white color."
The staff member paused briefly before smiling, as if she had anticipated the question:
"The colors that crystal stones display are fixed. Blue indicates water, red is for fire, green for wind, and brown for earth. But white, the rarest color, signifies a universal affinity for all elements. It means the person doesn't lean toward a single element but instead possesses a balance among all four. However, that balance comes at a cost—an inability to specialize deeply in any one element."
After her explanation, the staff member raised her hand and began brushing away the remaining fine crystal dust from her robe and glasses. Once she was sure her formal attire was completely clean, she asked both of them to accompany her outside.
The three of them moved toward the door. But after a few steps, Ace suddenly felt something unusual sweep through his being—like a wave of exhaustion surging into his limbs. His knees buckled, and he collapsed to the ground, kneeling with one hand clutching his head, as if a sharp pain was pounding inside his skull.
"Mr. Ace!"
Emilia cried out and knelt beside him, her eyes filled with worry. The staff member, however, showed no signs of alarm. She observed him briefly and then said calmly:
"Don't worry, miss. It's a normal reaction."
Emilia raised her head, concern etched on her face, and asked:
"What do you mean?"
"Usually, candidates have decent control over their energy flow, allowing it to emerge steadily during extraction. But those with poor control deplete their energy quickly. Releasing such a large amount all at once drains the body and causes harm, especially if the body isn't prepared. What he's feeling now is simply fatigue."
She paused, then added in a quiet voice tinged with warning:
"I'm afraid this may impact his next test."
Both Emilia and Ace understood the implication—this sudden weakness could affect the upcoming strength assessment. Even so, Ace wasn't ready to show any signs of hesitation. He forced himself to stand despite his trembling legs. He looked at the girl, then at the staff member, and tried to steady his voice as he said:
"No need to worry. It's just a little dizziness."
His words weren't enough to erase the concern from the girl's face. She clung to him, supporting his weight, afraid he might collapse again. The staff member merely cast a professional, evaluating glance at him, then said with the calm tone of someone experienced in such matters:
"It would be wiser for you to rest before taking the next test. I suggest you return tomorrow."
Ace looked at her for a few seconds. Deep down, he knew his body needed time to recover its strength, but he wasn't willing to wait a full day. Every minute he spent standing still meant a loss he couldn't afford. He hesitated, then exhaled quietly and said:
"I'm fine. We can continue."
His voice carried an unshakable determination, though his eyes betrayed his fatigue. Emilia advised him to wait and recover, but he insisted on moving forward. She hesitated, then said with anxious concern:
"Alright, if that's what you want... but please, don't push yourself too hard."
Ace nodded, and the staff member remained silent, respecting his choice. She stepped forward and opened the door. To her surprise, a group of female staff members were gathered outside, their faces tense, bodies leaning as if they'd been trying to eavesdrop.
Suddenly, one of them spoke with barely restrained worry:
"W-what just happened in there? We felt a sudden spike in magical energy—throughout the entire guild!"
The staff member wasn't surprised by their reaction. She simply smiled with quiet confidence and replied in a calm voice tinged with pride:
"Don't worry. Everything's fine. It seems we're on the verge of welcoming an extraordinary adventurer to our guild."
She paused, then added:
"Even if only for a short time."