The Guild Duel

At dawn, the ringing of bells and the smell of warm bread brought the group back to reality. Gathered around breakfast, Tristan offered to accompany Kyle and Lys to the Adventurers' Guild. The two accepted without hesitation, curious to finally discover this iconic place. Meanwhile, Elaria, Anne, and Iris, in a lighthearted mood, decided to explore the markets and shops of the capital. When it came time to part ways, the atmosphere remained cheerful, punctuated by smiles and jokes.

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's much bigger than the other one," Kyle breathed, impressed.

They entered.

Lys said, inclining her head slightly.

Tristan added.

Tristan said, smiling. 

"She's often the one who handles my files around here."

 Kyle whispered mockingly, which made Lys smile discreetly.

                                                                      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 wrote it down, then turned to Kyle.

He hesitated for a moment, his mind drifting to his very first experience of fantasy worlds, through an old retro RPG.

After a brief thought, he replied calmly,

"Kyle Nox."

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," Tristan replied.

"There's still the class update."

 Julie suddenly interrupted him:

"Tristan, with your recent 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.

"From what I've heard, you single-handedly fought a Red Cap and helped defeat an Alpha Demon Wolf, so you're going from F to D. To reach C rank, you'll have to complete several missions before taking an exam."

"Okay," Kyle replied, unperturbed.

"As for you," Lys continued, "you're going from F to E."

Lys looked disappointed.

 "I wanted to be at the same rank as Kyle..."

After officially ranking up, 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 declared 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..."

"Let's head to the inn!" Lys said 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 saw you here again."

Tristan raised an eyebrow.

"The guild master? It's true he asked me to come see him when I'm in the capital."

Tristan turned to the other two.

"I'll have to go. Sorry."

"It's nothing," Lys replied gently.

"It's no problem," Kyle quipped.

"Do you 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 towards the guild master'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 back, 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've returned," 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 new members of my group," Tristan replied. "This is Lys, a priestess, and Kyle... a Spellblade."

He added proudly:

"Kyle is very strong. Less than a week after getting 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.

"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 your case 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, for her part, seemed uncomfortable. This serious atmosphere, this direct exchange, and especially the piercing gaze of the guild master... all of it worried her. Something was wrong.

Edward smiled warmly.

"Very well, I will personally administer the C-rank exam."

This announcement made the whole group react. Together, they headed to the reception desk to complete the necessary documents to formalize Kyle's rank advancement test.

They arrived at the guild's receptionist's desk. As they entered, the guild master immediately spoke.

"Julie, prepare the documents for a rank-showing exam."

"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, a minimum B-rank adventurer 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 assessed 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 deduction," 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, attracted by the unusual spectacle.

Kyle drew his sword. Edward narrowed his eyes.

"Hm... enchantments that facilitate the flow of mana through the blade. A very good choice for a spellblade."

"Thanks," Kyle replied with an embarrassed smile.

Another adventurer brought Edward a greatsword, which he grasped with 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 lunged at Edward in a flash. 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 followed up with Void Veil, 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.

Kyle then combined [Thunder] with his [Slice] 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 decided to fight for real," Tristan muttered.

"What? You mean he's been sparing him since earlier?!" Lys cried, worried.

Kyle, disoriented by what he had just experienced, backed away 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 it's a lost cause," Kyle replied with a smile.

Edward regarded him with a certain respect.

"You're much more mature than Tristan. He got 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 was holding back?!"

"That's impossible!" Lys exclaimed.

"I was there! He went all out against that thing!"

Kyle didn't answer. He simply stared at Edward before regaining his guard. A white aura of lightning crackled around him. Lys's eyes widened.

"That's... 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 became more intense, almost destructive. The ground cracked beneath his feet.

"He'll die if he keeps this up!" cried Lys. "Tristan, do something!"

"It's not a simple spell," said Tristan, shocked. For an ordinary human, it's certain death.

He was about to intervene, but several adventurers stopped him.

"Trust the Master. He knows when to stop a fight."

Reluctantly, Tristan nodded. Lys, for her part, couldn't hide her concern.

For his part, Edward watched Kyle in admiration.

"Impressive. Another one would have been dead long ago."

Kyle, panting, replied between breaths,

"Thank you..."

The white lightning consumed his clothes, tearing his leather armor to shreds.

"At this rate, you'll end up naked," Edward joked.

"It's a risk worth taking," Kyle muttered.

 His hair turned white from the magic. He pointed his sword at Edward. The blade was then surrounded by black flashes. A striking contrast: Kyle draped in white light, his blade enveloped in shadows.

"Another new technique?" Edward asked in surprise.

The fight resumed. The gravitational pressure became crushing. The ground gave way beneath their feet, each impact making the arena tremble. All the adventurers watched, fascinated.

But Edward's superiority was indisputable. Kyle, exhausted, began to cough up blood.

"I'm reaching my limit," he thought.

"But first..."

He woke up in a guild room, his body covered in bandages. He couldn't remember exactly what his last action had been.

"I lost..." he breathed, with a smile.

 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 trembled, 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 left again at nightfall."

Kyle arched an eyebrow in amusement.

"I didn't even know I had a fiancée..."

When they arrived at the mess hall, silence fell. All the adventurers present stopped talking, staring at him as if seeing a ghost. Kyle glanced at Julie, puzzled.

"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.

"That must have been very impressive. Because I have no memory of any of that."

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 very handsome 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:

"Oh! So that's her, my famous fiancée?"

Lys's reaction was immediate: she turned scarlet, bowing her head, unable to think of a reply. Julie laughed heartily.

"Oh, I'm sorry. The way she was looking after you, I really thought you were together..."

Kyle shook his head gently.

"No, no... we're just friends. Well, I think? And besides, we've barely known each other for a week."

Julie raised her eyebrows, surprised.

"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.

"I know, it's really weird... almost artificial."

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, Elena, and Iris. The four rushed over to Kyle, visibly relieved to see him standing.

"How are you?" they asked almost in unison.

"Very good," Kyle replied with a slight smile.

 Anne, arms crossed and a sincere look in her eyes, said, "We heard about your fight with Edward. I heard you didn't give in."

Iris, both jealous and impressed, added, "Your magic... It's much more powerful than what you showed us. You were hiding your game well."

Tristan looked a little serious.

"Why didn't you fight like that against the Demon Wolf Alfa? 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 sooner."

Elena nodded.

"The most important thing is that he's alive."

Tristan calmed down and took a step forward, lowering his head slightly.

"You're right. Sorry, Kyle."

"It's nothing," Kyle replied. "And it doesn't matter to me anymore since I failed the assessment."

Everyone stared at him, surprised.

"Failed?" Julie repeated.

"You didn't fail."

Tristan chimed in mockingly:

"Anyway, you wouldn't have stood a chance against the Guild Master. Even I got beaten... but I lasted longer than you," he added, laughing.

"So how did you rank up?" Kyle asked, intrigued.

Julie answered for him:

"The point of the test isn't to win. You just have to prove you have the strength to complete C-rank missions. And you've clearly proven that."

 Lys, more cautious, added:

"We're not sure. The master 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 Master wants to see you, Kyle. In fact, he asked to summon 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.

Master 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 promoted to B rank." 

A complete silence fell. Everyone remained frozen. Even Kyle couldn't believe his ears.

"Rank... B?"

"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 without being reasonable, 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, for her part, remained in the background, torn between admiration and a pang in her heart. Her gaze 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 Master added

"Which officially upgrades your group to C-rank."

Then he straightened up and took on a more serious tone. "Now let's talk about why I asked you. I have a mission for you. A new dungeon has appeared. It's likely C-rank, or even lower. I want you to be the first to explore it. The majority of adventurers here are nobles, and I want to avoid tensions between families at all costs, which is why I'm talking to you."

Tristan agreed without hesitation.

"All right, we'll explore it."

Kyle, excited, felt a surge of adrenaline.

"A dungeon to explore?" he thought. "A classic of the genre!"

He shivered with excitement. The adventure continues. And this time, he felt something even bigger was about to happen...