As soon as Nevalis reached the gate of the Adventurers' Guild, he found no guards or even adventurers standing watch. The place was quiet from the outside, but he started hearing noise coming from inside before he even opened the door. Laughter, shouts, and rapid chatter among several adventurers.
He muttered to himself, raising an eyebrow:
"Ah... it seems quite lively inside."
He then pushed the door with his hand, and it swung open, revealing a completely different world.
The main hall was full of activity, and the sounds that filled the place came from many adventurers gathering here and there, eating, discussing, or telling stories of their adventures. The magical lights flashed in various colors, adding a mystical and enigmatic touch to the atmosphere.
The first scene that caught his attention was the spacious main hall, with its high ceiling supported by massive stone pillars carefully carved. The magical torches hanging on the walls illuminated the place with a faint blue light, giving it an air of mystery and power. In the center of the hall were long wooden tables, scattered with groups of adventurers, some sipping drinks, others talking loudly, while some boasted about their achievements in an exaggerated manner.
On the walls, large boards were hung, filled with various tasks, categorized by level: monster hunting missions, caravan protection, exploration of ruins, and even some dangerous missions requiring full teams. Behind these boards was a massive glass window where guild employees sat, taking orders and handling incoming adventurers.
At the end of the hall was a wide, decorated staircase leading to the upper floors, where the top adventurers and team leaders were stationed. Behind the staircase, there were two large doors leading to an indoor training area, where adventurers could test their skills or compete with one another. From afar, the sound of metal clashing and excited shouts could be heard.
But what caught Nevalis' attention the most was a giant statue in the center of the hall, depicting an unknown swordsman holding two swords—one engulfed in flames, the other covered in ice. The statue was sculpted with incredible detail, as if its owner had been a legend in the past. That alone was enough to spark his curiosity.
Nevalis looked at the scene before him and murmured with a slight smile:
"Quite lively? More like a war market."
He approached the massive statue, already having an idea of its identity. He didn't need to read the golden inscription carved below, but he did anyway:
"Founder of the Adventurers' Guild, one of the Heroes of the Blood and Fate War, Lord of Ice and Fire, the Swordsman of Annihilation – Alexander Valerius Reinhardt."
Nevalis muttered with a faint smile:
"Oh... as I expected. He's one of the heroes from the great war 230 years ago."
The statue was indeed awe-inspiring, fitting for a man who fought for the survival of humanity. Just thinking that he had once existed on this earth made Nevalis feel excited. He had always been fascinated by those legendary figures who left their mark on history.
As he gazed at the statue, he heard footsteps approaching him. He slightly turned to see a girl in the guild's employee uniform approaching him with a friendly smile.
"It seems the statue of the guild's founder caught your attention."
Nevalis replied without taking his eyes off the statue:
"Oh, yes. I'm interested in heroic figures."
The girl laughed and said:
"Heh, everyone who comes here is drawn to this statue. It's the symbol of the guild, after all."
Then she looked at him curiously:
"So, how may I assist you?"
Nevalis answered directly:
"I want to join a team as an intern."
"Oh, then follow me, we need to fill out some paperwork."
She led him to one of the windows where she sat and brought over some papers, beginning to record his information.
"May I know your name?"
Nevalis answered without hesitation:
"Victor."
Of course, it wouldn't be wise to use his real name.
"Have you ever taken the aura or magic test before?"
Nevalis pretended to hesitate a little before saying:
"Ah... actually, I know a little about swordsmanship."
"Very good, and now..."
Before she could continue speaking, Nevalis interrupted her calmly:
"And I can also use magic."
The girl suddenly stopped writing. She looked at him again as if trying to confirm what she had heard. She stared at him intently, but he appeared to be nothing more than a handsome fifteen-year-old boy. Nevalis was tall for his age, with short black hair tied back, bright black eyes, and slightly darker skin, all thanks to the bracelet on his left wrist, which changed his appearance completely. He carried a sword on his waist, adding to his appearance of strength and discipline.
"Are you sure you can use magic? There will be penalties if you're lying."
Nevalis didn't answer verbally. Instead, he calmly raised his hand and sent a gentle breeze flowing across the girl's face, making her hair flutter slightly.
Her eyes widened in surprise before she whispered:
"Wind magic..."
Then she looked at him in awe before smiling excitedly:
"Impressive! You can use magic at such a young age? That's amazing! I'll make sure to assign you to an excellent team!"
She began writing quickly on the papers, but Nevalis interrupted her again with a calm voice:
"Sorry, but... I can also use fire magic."
Her hand stopped writing, then she jumped up from her chair and stared at him as though she had seen a ghost.
"A dual magician...?!"
She didn't give him a chance to respond, instead hurriedly rushing off saying:
"Sorry, please wait here for a moment!"
Then she disappeared behind one of the doors swiftly.
Nevalis had expected this. If he had only shown wind magic, with his basic swordsmanship, he would have been assigned to one of the best available teams. But he wasn't just after a good place; he wanted to reach his goal in the fastest way possible.
A few minutes later, the girl returned running, with signs of stress and excitement on her face.
"Please follow me, the current Guild Master wants to meet you."
Nevalis raised an eyebrow slightly. He had expected to meet the guild's vice-master at most, but it seemed luck was on his side today.
He smiled lightly and muttered:
"Excellent."
...
The girl led Nivalis to the second floor, where they stopped in front of a large door. Its design was elegant yet simple—evoking power more than luxury.
She knocked and waited silently.
A few seconds passed before a deep voice came from inside:
"Enter."
The girl opened the door and gestured for Nivalis to go in before quietly closing it behind him.
As soon as he stepped inside, Nivalis took in the vast room. Old and recent maps of the kingdom and surrounding regions lined the walls, some marked with lines and symbols indicating troop movements or battle plans.
To the right, wooden shelves were packed with thick books, alongside dusty scrolls that seemed untouched for years. A large weapon rack stood nearby, holding a massive spear with a darkened blade that looked like it had drunk from countless battles. A faint, oppressive aura clung to it.
At the center of the room was a grand wooden desk. Behind it sat a hulking man whose presence alone demanded respect. His broad shoulders made the chair beneath him seem too small. His face was stern, scarred from old wounds, and his eyes gleamed like burning embers—unshakable and full of authority.
This was Adam Reinhardt, the current King of Mercenaries.
Adam looked up slightly, examining Nivalis, and said in a calm yet weighty voice:
"Oh… I didn't expect you to be this young."
Nivalis nodded respectfully.
"My name is Victor," he said.
Adam paid no attention to the name, simply motioning for him to sit.
"Sit."
As soon as Nivalis sat down, the atmosphere shifted.
A suffocating aura filled the room. It was as if the walls were closing in, and the weight on his shoulders had multiplied tenfold. It was the aura of the Mercenary King—tyrannical and overwhelming—making it hard to even breathe.
An aura befitting the current Mercenary King—intimidating and majestic, like a mountain of authority crashing into the room.
Nivalis remembered a question he had once asked Edward, out of casual curiosity, not expecting a clear answer:
"Who are the three strongest people in the kingdom?"
Sitting in front of him now was one of them—Adam Reinhardt, the second strongest man in the kingdom.
This information had surprised Nivalis.
Anyone else in the kingdom, if asked to name the top three, would place the Imperial Archmage first without hesitation. He was the personal mage of the royal family and one of the few fifth-tier mages alive.
But the truth was completely different.
The real shock was that this powerful mage wasn't number one… he was third.
And the first… was Edward himself.
Of course, this ranking wasn't public knowledge. Only Nivalis knew the truth.
To the rest of the kingdom, the Imperial Archmage was unquestionably the strongest—he symbolized the empire's might.
But in reality, there was someone above him.
A man who had never fought openly, never displayed his true strength in public.
There was no official duel to decide the strongest on the continent.
Nivalis never pressed Edward on how he knew Adam's strength, or how he confidently placed him second.
Edward wasn't someone who spoke much about himself, nor did he feel the need to justify his words—so Nivalis didn't ask, out of respect.
But now…
He had to face the truth for himself.
Nivalis snapped back to the moment.
The fact that Adam Reinhardt had unleashed his aura like this meant that his next words would be of great importance.