Chapter 50: A test

After the short competition and morning routine, Leon ordered breakfast.

While eating, he'd been feeling Louise's eyes as she'd done a good job with his nails. She couldn't remember doing her own in her memories, but seemingly having a good muscle memory for it, she'd done them perfectly! Even Celes was forced to admit that she'd done them splendidly.

Leon had a lot of fun with Athena back in their days, so he didn't feel weird with the black nails.

At last, it was time to go outside and enter the guild.

"Well then.." Leon gathered the attention of his beautiful party members. "It's a subsidiary guild, so we aren't getting into the real deal. It's enough that we just sign in and see what they have to offer."

Leon knew he couldn't rely on the Heaven Library Guild in his endeavor to the split spirit realm. It'd be weird of them to team him up with their strong guild members. But, it'd be normal if Leon would be able to find new teammates, the newbies like him, to team up for an adventure in the split spirit realm.

Leon didn't want teammates, though.

He only sought knowledge.

To access this guild's classified information, Leon had to build fame and connections first. He'd do it with his beautiful partners! He was also interested in the guild feature and how it worked on a broader scale. What kind of missions does that guild offer?

Celes crossed her arms beneath her soft chest and looked at her master. "Because they're friendly and supportive of people of all status, even a commoner should be able to find a job in this guild. It wasn't my field to interact with guilds, so I can't speak from an experience, but I tracked a few people from the Heaven Library Guild when they wanted to covertly infiltrate one of our castles."

"How did it end?" Louise asked, her big eyes reflecting Celes' smirking face.

That was enough of a reply, but the vampiress parted her lips. "They lost all their blood, turning saggy."

Louise squeezed her eyes as she imagined an image of dry, dead bodies.

Leon didn't bother imagining the far past. "I reckon it's old times for you, Celes." And as Celes nodded, not having complex feelings, for a group of a few people couldn't represent the entire guild, Leon nodded. "Let's head there, then."

The party left their room, locking it.

Going through the corridor, Leon spotted many people. All of them were guild members or people seeking the spirit realm and its resources, looking strong. Then, Leon saw a few monster races. From one room, as he went by, he felt a pleasant coldness that seemed natural and not offensive, oozing out through doors as though winter's breeze.

A few steps later, a real, eerie pressure seemed to probe into his body, failing.

Leon sensed that failure and halted. "How about you come out so I can see your surprised face?"

Celes and Louise were long since aware of what they had gone through — their senses were as good as their masters.

pAnD a(-)n0ve1.com From the room, a man in black robes came out. He hid most of his features, his face barely revealed as he had a hood draping over his head. But Leon didn't have any problems seeing through him.

The man's dark blue eyes pierced through Leon, for he understood that Leon easily saw him. He took off his hood, revealing skin of similar color and shade. He didn't wear any surprise on his face, remaining stoic.

But Leon had seen his eyes flashing with cautiousness.

"We were about to leave for a nice morning walk, yet your seemingly angry eyes intruded on our time. Was it breakfast that sullied your morning, Black Asura?" Leon asked with a faint, annoying smile. "You should report it to the kitchen, then."

The black asura didn't reply. He remembered Leon and his companions' faces, then turned around, closing doors with a loud bang. Inside his room, he talked about Leon and two monster girls.

As for Leon, he resumed his walk. "I reckon people won't bother us from now on."

"You have openly called him through his race, so the crowd knows that you know about the black asura. Without a doubt, the majority of people will not bother you unless necessary, Master." Celes reassured him.

"Yeah, I was hoping it was them. We'll use their fame to kick away bothersome ants in the split spirit realm. I wasn't that offensive, so no one should think I sought attention. And if those black asura guys got angry at me, they'll do their best to find us."

"That's what we want." Louise chimed in, nodding a few times.

"Indeed."

-historical

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The word about the split spirit realm went far and wide.

Other kingdoms could have been jealous of the Silver Wing Kingdom, so they spread the news of the split spirit realm so the whole city would get overflowed by guild members and other forces. It also could have been some petty guilds.

Leon didn't really care who it was, but that person surely made things harder for newbies.

Looking at the subsidiary guild, Leon squinted his eyes, shut his lips, and simply stared at the long queue stretching outside the building like a snake. So many people wanted to join guilds to find teammates.. Many felt like it was their occasion to start a new career.

The place surely bustled with life.

"Maybe for that event, we should give up?" Louise flatly offered, not feeling great with many people around. Everyone seemed tense and ready to fight at any moment.

And it was just a queue!

Celes didn't offer any idea.

But then, a man came out of Heaven Library's Subsidiary Guild. He appeared to be one of the workers and donned an official suit. Within his hands, he cradled a punching bag.

"We offer a faster recruitment process! However, be aware of the consequences of failing this test! Should you fail and be below average, you'll never be able to join the guild. Even if you level up and become much stronger, The Heaven Library Guild's doors will permanently be closed to you!

"The test is simple-"

Leon appeared first before the man, finishing his words. "Punch the bag and go over nine thousand."

"It's not exactly nine thousand. But you're right." The man squinted his eyes at Leon, then spread his arms, welcoming the first brave newbie.

Leon balled his hand and threw it forward, breaking the punching bag. It flew backward and slammed into a wall, sliding down like a broken tool it became.

"It's over nine thousand!" Leon jested and shook his head as no one caught the reference.