System Change

Derek looked from Judy and the Guild Master and at the voice that was coming from where the door had been shattered.

“Thomas?” Derek saw a very tired-looking Thomas. His clothes were ripped, and he was panting. He could see multiple bruises and cuts on the boy’s body. “What happened to you?” The boy was in an utterly disheveled state.

Before Thomas could answer, the Guild Master cut in. “You know the boy?” He asked Derek.

What the hell is going on? Derek swiveled his head between the man and Thomas. Derek glanced at the spear in the man’s hand, then back at Thomas. He furrowed his brows. The picture was getting clearer, but he had his doubts. Why would someone like the Guild Master train with Thomas?

Derek looked the big man in the eyes. “Of course I know him. I’m the one that brought him to Savannah.” He answered.

The man looked back at Thomas. “This is the man that helped you choose the spear?”

Thomas nodded. “That’s Derek.”

Finally, the man smiled and the tense atmosphere he created vanished. “Smart man.” He said. Then, focusing back on Judy, he began, “Why, exactly, did you tell this man to release his aura in a room full of adventurers?” He asked.

“He wanted to go from a Gold Ranked Adventurer straight to an Onyx Rank.” Judy answered matter-of-factly. “How was I supposed to know he was being serious?”

The dark-skinned man eyed Derek up and down. “You wanted to skip an entire rank? I would ask why you thought you would be able to do that, but after being able to feel your aura from the training room, I don’t doubt that you may be able to.”

“May?” Derek asked.

“Well, we would have to see if you are qualified. Unlike the other ranks, the Onyx Rank can only be tested and given out by a higher authority in the guild. Say, a Guild Master at one of the more renown locations. Diamond, however, can only be given out by the Guild Leader in the Capital.” The man answered.

“And the missions?” Derek asked. Before he was able to get his Gold Rank, he had to complete a number of Silver Ranked missions. He hoped that it wasn’t the same with the Onyx Rank. There weren’t that many Platinum Ranked missions available. Plus, he still couldn’t even accept a Platinum mission because of his current ranking.

Fortunately, the Guild Master waved his question away. “Those are only a formality given to the lesser ranks. Once you have the approval of a Guild Master, you won’t have to worry about those.”

“So, when can I get started?” Derek asked.

Judy cut in at that moment. “I’m sorry.” She said. “The Guild Master is currently busy and should be getting back to work.” She glared at the man. “If you would like to increase your ranking to Onyx, please schedule an appointment for a later date.”

Derek tilted his head as he looked from the woman to the man, then to Thomas. “Really?” He asked sarcastically. “So, the Guild Master’s business is training my…” Derek thought for a second. What would I call Thomas? He’s not my apprentice, definitely not my kid. Calling him a friend would make me sound like a weirdo… Ah, I got it. “My charge.”

Thomas’s grandparents had trusted Derek to take care of him up to a point, so considering the boy one of his charges made sense.

Derek narrowed his eyes at the man before continuing. “You were training him, I hope. Not just using him as a punching bag.”

“Of course.” The man replied.

“If he were actually harmed, we would be having an entirely different conversation. In fact, we wouldn’t even be having a conversation. You would be dead, and you wouldn’t even know it.” Derek said.

The Guild Master stepped forward.

“Shae.” Judy put her hand on top of the Guild Master’s should. “Calm down.”

“That’s not something to joke about.” Shae replied.

Derek grinned. “I wasn’t joking.”

Judy rolled her eyes. “Here we go…” She muttered.

At that time, a malicious grin appeared on Shae’s face. “You said you want to be tested for an Onyx Rank? It’s your lucky day. My schedule just cleared.”

“How kind.” Derek replied.

“You really do have work to do.” Judy said to Shae. “You’ve already wasted enough time on your new project.” She gave Thomas a glance.

“This won’t take long.” He shrugged her hand off his shoulder.

“Fine, but don’t come running to me when the Guild Leader comes asking for your report. It’s your job. I’m not doing it this time.” She said.

Shae winced at her words. “But you love paperwork.” He said, cowed. “Besides, if I get in trouble, you will too.”

Judy rolled her eyes again and stepped back from the confrontation. “Next.” She said, summoning the next person in line… well, the third person in line, as the two people directly behind Derek were still trying to stand back up.

“Shall we go conduct your ‘test?’” Shae asked Derek.

“Let’s.”

“Follow me. The room’s already ready.” Shae turned and walked back towards the entrance he had abruptly made. When he took a step by Thomas, he put his hand on his shoulder. “Let’s go, boy. I’ll show you what a real spearman can do.”

Derek snorted as he trailed behind. He was looking forward to a good fight. Bones and Ogre were interesting, but predictable. Apparently, they had assassinated some higher-level people throughout their careers, even some over level 200, but Derek doubted the actual strength of those people.

He was especially interested in the speed that the man in front of him displayed before. Derek doubted he could keep up, but that was the fun part.

Soon, the trio arrived at a room with an open door, which Shae led them into. Derek looked around. It was a typical training room that he had seen at the other Adventurer’s Guild. Well, except for the runes and the quality of the room itself.

Shae placed his hand on the wall beside the door, and it closed. “This room is capable of containing a battle between two Onyx Ranked adventurers. You don’t have to worry about holding yourself back.”

“Fine by me.” Derek placed his hand on his shirt and sent it into his storage bracelet. Then he removed his jeans and replaced them with a pair of knee-length shorts. Finally, he removed his boots. No sense in ruining my clothes when I can prevent it. Especially my jeans.

Shae gave Derek an odd look. “Are you done?” he asked.

“Yeah, why?”

“You’re not going to put any armor on? You’re going to fight half naked?”

Derek laughed. “I didn’t want to ruin my clothes. That style is hard to come by. Plus, I doubt armor will help much.”

Shae shook his head. “Whatever you say.” He commented. Then he pulled a document out of his storage ring and handed it to Derek. “Here, place your mana signature on this. I don’t want the guild to be liable in the case of an… accident happening.”

Derek looked over the document. It did just as Shae said, kept the Adventurer’s Guild from being responsible for any harm that may come during the test to rank up. Derek injected his mana into it and handed it back.

Shae stored the document back in his storage device, then looked deeply at Derek. Suddenly, he furrowed his brows. “Interesting.”

“What?”

Shae smiled. “The headache that comes with trying to use Identify on you, and what I get back in return.”

Derek smiled. He had turned on the skill he received from his Award when he walked into the Adventurer’s Guild. He still didn’t appreciate people using the skill on him, and there may actually be some people in the city that would be able to do it. Including the man in front of him.

“So, what does it say?” He was truly curious. All the description for the Lesser Enigma Award said was that the block ability was increased.

Shae snorted. “Your level is in the 100s, and you are a Human.”

Derek tilted his head. “Not my exact level?”

“You could be level 101 or 199. All I get back is a one and a bunch of nonsense. That’s why it’s interesting.” The Guild Master replied.

“That’s good.”

“How did you do that?” Shae asked.

Derek laughed. “I tell you what, if you beat me, I’ll tell you. How does that sound?” Derek rolled his shoulders, getting ready for a fight.

Shae smiled the same malicious smile he had shown in the lobby. “Sounds good to me. Let’s just hope you can still talk when we’re finished.” He spun his spear in his hand before slamming its butt on the ground.

Derek looked over at Thomas. “Stand as far back as possible.”

Thomas scurried away from the center of the room and hugged the wall beside the door.

Seeing that the kid was in the clear, Derek set his feet and launched himself at Shae. He swung his fist at Shae’s head, but the man only had to tilt it back to dodge. Then, Derek launched a blow to the other’s body, only to be sidestepped. Derek jabbed at the man a few more times, missing each punch.

Then Shae retaliated, with the blunt end of his spear. The attack was driven into Derek’s sternum, causing him to slide back five feet.

Shae looked Derek in the eyes. “Oh, come on. That can’t be all you got.”

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