The next day, Marlos talked me through on the ins and outs of the Guild's Core as we walked down the main road to the building.
Apparently the building is like a hub that connects all guilds to one central point. All new adventurers must register and be validated at the Guild's Core before joining an actual guild. You can be a solo adventurer but it's best for all new adventurers to join a guild first.
Marlos told me that the Royal Capital currently has about twenty guilds operating but only four of them are top tier. The High Flyers is currently one of the top four guilds in this city. The other three are Lockdown [Ranked: #15], Diamond Beauties [Ranked: #40] and Berserker's Ragefire [Ranked: #3]. All other guilds are either new with around ten members or mid tier with about one hundred members. The larger guilds could be seen as smaller armies with over a thousand members.
Anyone can join any tiered guilds but when it came down to raids, the top guilds has a stronghold on them. Monopolising almost all the high tiered dungeons. The top guilds will also only create raid teams comprised of a higher graded and levelled members. This is due to the quality of loot that gets dropped. Some guilds do like to add lower graded or levelled members for either power levelling or be used as cannon fodder/bait.
You could gain many benefits by joining a guild but the quality of benefits differ depending on the tier of that guild. Protection is one of the biggest perk of joining one with housing and equipment as some of the others.
As we approached the Guild's Core building, he told me one important thing to consider and that is, whether you're in a guild or not, Guild's Core is the lifeblood of all adventurers in the western region. It's the hub that not only connects all guilds in the western region but also every adventurer in the western region.
In my previous life, I had only a vague understanding of the guilds and the adventurers because the palace had kept us mostly inside like caged birds. We was taught everything from within the palace and weren't allowed to leave until we were ready for the God's Tower.
This time was different, with many allies formed within the palace walls, walking out of the palace's gate seemed normal.
Marlos and I walked through the doors of the Guild's Core and I was fairly surprised by the interior layout. It looked like the inside of M.A.C.U.S.A but with a medieval feel to it, was the only way I could describe it.
We walked through the hall that led to the main area where if you looked up, it seemed like the whole building was completely hollow. There was a centrepiece in the middle of the empty space and it looked like a replica of a mythical beast.
The whole main area was crowded. But as we moved into the main area, people started to notice Marlos and as they did, quickly moved out of the way. Some of them bowed their heads and greeted him, whilst others wondered who I was, to walk beside the prince. Others just wondered why the prince has come to the Guild's Core.
Marlos looked calm and confident as he walked through the sea of people whilst I tried to not act intimidated. I was just glad that the majority of the eyes were trained on Marlos and not me.
As we gotten closer to the reception desk, the display boards above the desk caught my attention. One of the displays showed the rankings of the top 100 ranked guilds. Another display showed a list of the 35 awakeneders and below them showed the top 100 ranked adventurers with the guild's name next to their name, if they are in one. Another one had a list of dungeons and raids that are currently opened and active. There were groups or guilds or even individuals names, displayed next to the dungeons to show which one are currently occupied or booked.
The High Flyers were one of the guild names up on the display and had a status symbol that said booked. The dungeon the High Flyers booked had a S rating and a difficulty score of 5 which Marlos explained to me that 5 is the Maximum score.
"What the fuck is Lupin thinking?" Marlos mumbled to himself. "This is completely suicide, no raid team has ever completed a S rated, 5 difficulty scored dungeon with out major casualties…"
The last display showed a map of the Royal Capital. The map was moving and displayed information of everyone and everything that's happening, guild or adventurer related.
"Well look what we have here…" said a man wearing a robe with a big red cross displayed on the front, walking towards us. Following him were others wearing the same robe with a red cross on the front.
As he approached us, his profile popped up in front of me.
Name: Alfris Holsman
Title: Light Enforcer [God's Servant] (Hidden)
[God: Ruman] (Hidden)
World's Rank: #20
Grade: Awakened (8 Stars)
Guild: Red Cross [Leader]
Guild's Rank: #19
Speciality Role: Tank
Another champion?
{Something's wrong. We need to be careful.}
Do you know any of these gods? Titania with Lupin and now Ruman with this Alfris guy.
{I know of them. Ruman is an outcast god whilst Titania, I believe, is a warrior god.}
Two champions had revealed themselves to me, I wondered if they are here for me or if something else is happening in the Royal Capital that we have no knowledge of right now.
{I'll try and find out what I can on my end. Let's just hope it's a coincidence and it's only these two.}
I surely hope so. Be carful up there.
{I will.}
"Red Cross? Why are you guys here?" Marlos clicked his tongue as he confronted their leader.
"Can't we be here?"
"Did the Guild's Core director of Mayfield Kingdom kicked you guys out again?"
"What?! No, we did not get kicked out again… it's none of your business why we're here but I am curious as to why you're here."
"It's none of your business too." Marlos raised an eyebrow but had a large grin on his face.
"Prince, I warn you, you may be the prince of this kingdom but we the Red Cross belongs to princess Amorea. Don't forget that she's your fiancée."
"I'm sorry but I don't think she is. Tell your princess that the marriage has been called off."
"What?! Is your kingdom going to back out of the alliance between our two kingdoms?"
"It doesn't have to be that way, all I'm doing is calling off the marriage, not the alliance."
"Not marrying the princess is backing out of the alliance! Our king won't let you go, before he finds out, I suggest that you should reconsider."
"Why are you so adamant about this?"
"Don't you know how fierce the princess is? Please reconsider!" Alfris eyes wavered a bit with a tinge of fear in his tone.
"She's your kingdom's problem, not mine. Now if you excuse us, we have an appointment with the director."
Alfris eyes widened.
Marlos gestured for me to follow his lead.
Marlos walked up to the receptionist who greeted him promptly.
"This young man next to me here has an appointment with your director."
"His name?"
"Ryan Huang."
"Ah yes. I will notify the director now. Please wait a moment."
The receptionist only blinked a few times before she responded again.
"Mr Huang, please follow me."
"Oh, can I come too?"
"Please wait a moment."
The receptionist blinked a few more times before she responded once again.
"The director said that she would allow it. Your highness, Mr Huang, please follow me."
Marlos and I was about to follow the receptionist when Alfris stomped his way to the receptionist desk to stop us.
"Wait! What do you mean that the director will see them? She has an appointment with me first!"
"I'm sorry sir, but your appointment has been pushed back. Once she has finished with Mr Huang, she would then see you."
"Outrageous!"
"If you aren't satisfied with our service, you may leave our premise now."
"Fine… I'll wait…" Alfris said after he rubbed his temple.
Alfris stepped aside for us to move, he scowled when we walked passed him.
We followed the receptionist as she led us through the main area to a door on the other side. She opened the door with a wave of her hand and we walked through.
We walked through the corridor until we reached another door at the very end.
She opened the door and asked us to take a seat inside. The room we were in, looked like a waiting room of some sort. It looked fancy with two cushy chairs on both sides and a table in the middle.
We waited for a while until the door reopened.
Allison walked into the room, accompanied by an old man carrying a box.
The old man placed the box on the table and both him and Allison took the seats opposite of us.
"Good morning hons. Today we are here for a validation test, to find your grade, isn't that right Ryan?"
"Eh.. yes."
"Okay, allow me to introduce to you the man next to me. He is the curator of the God's Seer, Mr. Damo."
The old man nodded his head. "It's a pleasure, Mr Huang."
"Mr. Damo, please conduct the validation test. I'm very excited to see if Ryan here will be the thirty sixth awakeneder."
Mr. Damo raised an eyebrow at her enthusiasm. He reached over and opened the box on the table. He took out a crystal like the one back at the arena.
"This here is the God's Seer. Please hold out your hand."
I did as instructed. I held out my hand and like Allison, he placed the crystal vertically on my hand.
"Please relax." He then placed his hands over the crystal and closed his eyes.
When he reopened them, his eyes were completely white.
"Oh my…" The old man mumbled after a second of silence.
But before he could say the verdict, a notification popped up in front of me.
[Congratulation! You have now received the Grade of Awakened (12 stars)]
[Would you like to change your Grade?]