The next day, Blaze respectfully stood before Ozul.
"We will go to the Forest to test your capabilities."- Ozul said while sitting on the couch. Raven's ear also perked up as she listened to their conversation.
"I want to go as well."- Raven said she also wanted to spar with the new guy.
The trio went into the Forest, where Raven first wanted to have a duel with Blaze. Standing opposite to him, Raven took her stance as she spoke;
"What Rank Mage are you?"- She wouldn't go all out if this guy were only a Rank-4 Mage.
"Hm? What's that?"- Blaze curiously asked while looking towards Raven.
Raven looked towards Blaze as if she was looking at some rare piece of art.
"Don't tell me... you don't know what a Mage is."- Raven asked with a deadpan face.
Because if he really didn't know anything, then it meant that all this time, no one had taught him anything, and yet he had such abilities.
"So, how did you grow stronger all this time?"- Raven asked as her mood worsened by the minute.
"Oh, that? There is a 'Crystal Ball' inside my chest. Whenever I store the Mana inside, I would get stronger, I guess?"- Blaze confusedly replied.
No one was there to teach him to control his abilities, so he could only rely on himself. He didn't know why he got powerful whenever the 'Crystal Ball' had an additional layer on top of it, but he kept doing it.
"How many layers are on your Core?"- Raven asked.
"Core?"- Blaze tilted his head again.
"Your 'Crystal Ball' idiot! You call them Magical Core! Each layer provides a significant boost to Mage's capabilities, and the number of layers determines your Rank."
Raven couldn't endure the nonsense any longer and began to explain everything to him.
Ozul did not bother with them at all. He had already picked a tree and was lying on one of the big branches.
"Oh! Then I should be a Rank-5 Mage!"- Blaze excitedly replied. He had never heard of these terms before, but he was learning.
Raven's face darkened even further! She had spent the previous decade to reach where she currently was with the help of not only Ozul but also countless resources. She trained every day to become better than yesterday.
And here, stood the man that didn't even know what a Core was but had managed to become a Rank-5 Mage as well! And that too, without any guidance or resources!
Only now she understood Ozul's earlier words—why he said that Blaze could become stronger than the strongest on this Continent!
Raven did not wait any longer and went all out from the start. Blaze was surprised, but he also went into action.
Meanwhile, Ozul did not even glance at the ongoing duel.
The battle continued with Blaze always using Ice spears and Raven easily dodging them. However, it didn't take long for the fight to come to a conclusion.
Raven had her daggers touching the neck of Blaze as he was already sweating bullets. The duel was one-sided as Blaze did not have any Spell other than to create small stuff with Ice.
Blaze also never had fought someone else. Killing everyone that came at him in the village was also a one-sided battle.
Raven had won the battle, but there was no satisfaction in such victory. She had fought the previous decade fighting monsters and humans alike. While Blaze didn't even know what a Core is!
Furthermore, She was not only a Rank-5 Mage but also a Rank-5 Fighter. On the other hand, Blaze had not trained his body at all.
The difference in powers was clearly distinctive.
She wanted to leave Blaze on his own and go beside Ozul, but just as she was approaching him... Ozul waved his hands, shooing her away!
He was telling Raven to teach all the small stuff to Blaze herself!
She did not want to, but now that Ozul had said so, she couldn't refuse either.
Hence, they spent the rest of the day training in the Forest. Blaze absorbed everything that Raven taught him while Ozul woke up from time to time only to go back to sleep again.
He wanted both of them to get stronger, but there was nothing that he could do about it for now. It depended on themselves.
Raven also had to explain Blaze on how to become a Fighter, and it's importance.
Night fell, and the trio went back.
Blaze and Raven were having their dinner as Ozul just laid on the couch at the side. He had decided that tomorrow, they would leave to join as Mercenaries.
Ozul did not need to join as Mercenaries, but it was the best way to spend his time. He could also maybe find some other people who could 'help' him!
He also had to keep tabs on the Church and his 'Uncle'. Count Oliver always informed him of some major incidents, but it was not enough.
Ozul had to get more information for him to obtain his 'parts' back. There was not any quantitative increase in Ozul's prowess, but the qualitative change had had almost surpass the boundaries!
Just ten years ago, he had to sacrifice two of his prosthetic arms only to defeat a Rank-6 Mage. However, now Ozul's situation had changed so much that it couldn't be compared!
He had started to thin out his Ball of Purity to the point that ordinary people wouldn't be able to notice if he sent it in small amounts!
He found it no problem to defeat a Rank-7 Mage as he was right now.
According to the recent reports on his 'uncle' also called Duke Edwin, Ozul knew that Abilon Family was flourishing day after day.
No one had any idea as to what was the reason, but Ozul had a hunch that it might be about his limbs.
Ozul could only slowly work on his prowess and wait for people under him to grow as both of them were still useless to him as of now.
Azmar City did not have any branch of the Mercenary Guild. What Mercenaries do was also simple; when you become a part of them, you could accept different types of jobs that the organization would provide you.
When you complete the mission, you will obtain the appropriate rewards, and the Guild receives its commission from the person who wanted the task done.
The jobs could be anything from finding a certain thing, clearing monsters in the forest, escorts, and etc.
If Ozul joined the Guild, he could also create his own group. Which could let Ozul not do anything and make others do the work for him.
He could also collect information while doing the tasks. He spoke in a low voice, but enough for Raven and Blaze to heard him;
"Tomorrow, we will leave for the Mercenaries Guild..."