Aiden looked at the dilapidated mansion for a long time digesting the words of the honest-looking brown-haired youth, Cole.

"Haunted? Huh.. Are you sure?" He mumbled mostly to himself, but Cole still answered the questions.historical

"Yes, though it's just what the people say. Nobody dares to come close, there's some weird barrier that surrounds the premises. No one can cross it."

Aiden turned his head, looking at the boy slightly behind him.

"So this is all just speculation, and nobody really knows?"

"I.. I guess? Still, there were several missions posted already and nobody could complete it, so it eventually turned into this myth. One traveling 5-star adventurer came once and accepted the mission to investigate this place. After a few days, he came back with a ghastly expression and returned the quest saying that the place is haunted, and nobody should disturb its peace." Cole explained.

Aiden raised his eyebrows hearing this. No one questioned his words ever since, and just accepted it as the absolute truth? What kind of logic was this?!

He looked at the building ahead once again with a solemn expression.

"Let me see this barrier.." He mumbled as he took a step forward, slowly striding forward towards the entrance.

"Wait! It's dangerous!" Cole shouted from behind but did not dare to take even a step forward from the street and trespass into the spooky territory.

Although the boy was sincere and kind-hearted, Aiden did not pay any attention to his warnings. From what he felt with his [Dark Sense] even as he tried infiltrating with empowered energy pulses was that it had similar warding as the underground slave-traders had in the Slums.

His pace was slow and steady, and he looked calm from the outside. Inside, however, he was focused, his mind was pacing at high speeds. He continuously tried to attack the barrier with Energy Pulses, testing its defense.

As he got closer, he could feel slight fluctuations, vibrations in the air. There were no visible distortions or blurred visage, but the slight trembling he felt was definitely not carried by the wind.

After a few more steps, he stopped in his tracks and looked at the air in front of him. He slowly reached out with his right hand. As it neared a certain point, the seemingly invisible air suddenly trembled, he could feel an increase in the pressure as he tried to push forward.

Ripples ran through the surface as it revealed a transparent energy shield surrounding the mansion. The golden light in Aiden's eyes suddenly lit up, his piercing gaze was plastered on the invisible barrier.

He removed his arm but did not place it down to rest. Instead, he slowly cocked it back, while it also slowly morphed. Golden scale rapidly grew out from his bronze skin, strengthening the surface. The end of his fingers once again changed, revealed thick, ebon claws.

Taking in a deep breath, he took a moment to gather all of his power into his arm, and in the next moment, he decisively struck forward. His whole arm blurred and left behind an afterimage in its place as it rocketed forward.

In the next instant, it collided with the barrier, releasing a massive explosive sound that resounded in the entire 'Adventurer's' Street. The massive burst of air that was released from the collision broke several windows in the two nearby stores and even flung a few unaware passersby on their backs. The powerful blow sent massive waves from the point where Aiden's clawed arm crashed into the magical surface, causing visible distortions as they rippled through the entire surface.

Still, even with this power, the barrier stood still. Eventually, the ripples died down, and the serenity returned to its transparent surface. He only managed to barely dip the tip of his claws a few millimeters into the surface, but the resistance proved too much for him to push through.

"Huh.. This is strong. I'm not sure that even if I transform completely and use all of my power, I would be able to break through.." Aiden muttered seeing the results. He wasn't mad, or dissatisfied, but had an expectant grin on his face. This place was important.. He couldn't explain how or why, but he felt that he needed to overcome this challenge! It was as if the place was calling out to him, inviting him..

His thoughts were interrupted with a trembling voice shrieking out from behind.

"J-j-just w-what are you?! W-what was that power?!" Cole exclaimed with a horrified expression looking at Aiden.

Aiden slowly removed his arm. As it returned to its resting place at the side, it rapidly changed back into his original appearance. The golden light also faded from his eyes as he turned around and gave a friendly smile to the shaking boy looking at him from the street.

As he walked back, he noticed that the previously busy street was eerily silent. All the eyes were plastered on him, the long black-haired, bronze-skinned boy in the cheap, linen, farm boy clothing.

"Yeah, there is a barrier there. Quite interesting to be honest." He spoke calmly as he arrived next to Cole.

"W-what did you do?! H-how do you have that much power?!"

Aiden didn't respond to the question. He turned towards the large wooden building with the double door and the emblem.

"So, that is the Adventurer's Hall? What is it like?" As he asked, he already started strutting towards the building.

Hearing the ridiculous question from the youth, Cole even forgot his previous fright. He looked at the back of the youth who was already a few steps ahead. He quickly rushed to his right matching his pace.

"H-how can you not know? Aren't you an adventurer yourself? Your strength is obviously not of the average citizen's." He spoke out incredulously.

Once again, Aiden did not answer the question, just gave a friendly smile. Ignoring the gazes of the people nearby, they eventually arrived in front of the big building.

"Are you an adventurer yourself?" Aiden asked. His eyes did not leave the building, it scanned the front of the building from top to bottom.

He wasn't sure of the type of wood, but the whole building radiated some sort of majestic, royal feeling. It was huge, and while it looked to be only two stores high, each of the floors was designed to not be for the average human. Even the doors could fit in a troll easily, it was humongous compared to the average human.

Even Aiden, with his relatively tall build, looked small in comparison. At around the center of each of the double doors, the sigil of the Adventurer's Hall, the Shield, and the Sword crossing each other was painted on.

"Y-yeah, I am. Rank 1 still, but I hope to qualify for the second rank soon, I just need a few more accomplishments to my name, and I will be eligible for the test." Cole answered. First, he was a bit startled, but as he went on, he gradually calmed down, and by the end, a tinge of hope could be seen sparkling in his eyes.

Looking at the mysterious strange youth, he asked.

"Are you here to register? If you want I can help you sign up! Judging by the power you exerted, you might not even need to be tested to qualify.."

"Yeah..." Aiden answered with a small smile on his face, but as soon as he heard the latter part, his expression turned to a surprise.

"Wait, what is this 'test' you are talking about? Since when did you have to go through this testing process to qualify as a new adventurer?"

"Huh?" Cole looked at Aiden with a questioning gaze. "Well, the test was always there but if you just wanted to register as a new adventurer it wasn't required. However, a few days ago, this new change was implemented by the executives. I don't know the exact reason, but it should be related to the upcoming City Lord voting."

Aiden finally looked away from the building and turned towards Cole with the same surprised expression as before.

"City Lord voting? What does that mean? What happened to the previous one?"

Cole looked at Answer with confusion written all over his face.

"How did you not know this? Where were you?" He asked but did not wait for any answer as he continued to explain.

"Approximately a week ago, during a night, the City Guards suddenly sprung to action and raided a nasty illegal establishment in the depth of the Slums. Then at the same night till dawn, they also went to several Noble Households and took them away in chains. They all had connections to that place. The City Lord was among the ones they escorted away."

"Ah, so now the city needs a new City Lord! I see.. Is one of the candidates related to the Adventurer's Hall in some way?"

A wry smile crept up on Cole's face hearing Aiden's question. He sighed heavily as he answered the question.

"You could say that.. Our top and only rank-3 adventurer, Sir Michael Sonovan is one of the candidates. They say that he has some new, powerful backing supporting him! He has a very high chance to win the elections!"