"Hey, are you okay?"
My head never crushed against the stone tiles of the floor. As soon as my backside was torn by sudden yet bearable pain, I felt someone catching my arms and preventing me from actually causing any farm to my vital parts.
The very next moment, a few sharp stings when someone lightly slapped my face allowed me to stop acting as if I was unconscious. Opening my eyes I could see Garra leaning over my head with a worried look in her eyes.
"Yeah… I just got lightheaded for a bit. Actually focusing on the task and trying to do something properly appears to be way more draining than doing the same thing off the back on the hand."
Given the opportunity to downgrade my previous act even more, I promptly took it. After all, I wasn't naive enough to believe in the morals of the people of this world. The strange look that I once saw in Garra's eyes was enough to convince me that disregarding or underestimating the people of this world would most likely prove to be a fatal mistake.
After all, there were only three possibilities. First, my abilities could be completely useless. If that was the case, then it didn't matter how much I downgraded them since they would be worthless anyway. In the second scenario, they are just as strong and beneficial as what other people are capable of in this world, yet as much as I would love for this scenario to come true, there was a number of reasons to believe that it was nothing more but a picture of my hope.
Sadly, as strange as it might sound, I was nearly sure that my abilities were actually above what a typical person should be capable of. I was high enough in a hierarchy of oppressive organisation to understand how it would work no matter the world, no matter the place and no matter the time. That's why, if my abilities were to be in any way or for above what a normal cultivator would be capable off in this world, then if I were in the shoes of the local authority, I would be sure to catch such talent and never let it go no matter the means!
"Garra… I think you need to see this."
Just like all my previous guessed predicted, the face of the old man told me that I was currently in the most dangerous scenario out of them all. The look of awe in his eyes clearly told me that what I just achieved with that cup of stinky water was something that he didn't believe that was possible in the first place.
"Woah…"
My teacher needed only a single glance at the content of the cup for her entire body to twitch in a sudden spasm of excitement. It seemed that right now, my only option would be to play extremely nice and naive person so that they wouldn't even suspect me of thinking about yeeting out of this place at the first possible notice!
"It seems that you indeed have a rare talent. Accepting someone like you into the shared guild… No, I'm willing to raise him all the way up to the alchemist guild!"
Suddenly, the elder man made a groundbreaking statement. Not for me despite how I heard a little about the way in which those guilds worked, but for Garra. At least, judging from the look of shock that appeared in her eyes once she heard those words.
"Are you insane?!"
Spreading her eyes as wide as her facial muscles allowed, this relatively young girl placed her fists on her hips before leaning forward a bit.
"It's obvious that he will join the apothecary guild!"
At this point, I couldn't decide whether to laugh or cry. While others might consider this situation as two powerhouses trying to best each other in an attempt to poach a talented student to their groups, I couldn't see it in any way different than two vile predators jumping at each other's throats in order to secure the harmless yet tasty prey!
"Enough of that."
A sudden appearance of a new voice broke up the argument between two teachers of the sect. In one instant, what was already reaching the stages of physical violence suddenly stopped, with both of the would-be contestants obediently backing out.
"Can someone be kind enough to fill me…"
Only now walking into the still clean area of the main hall of the shared guild, an elder showed himself. Supporting his movements with a simple, wooden cane, he exuded the aura of the wise sage that just now returned from the hermitage.
Yet, as soon as his deep eyes caught sight of the cup that stood evidence as to what happened, a flash of understanding went through his pupils before he reached out his hand towards me and said.
"From now, this young man is under my protection. I will have him conduct a series of tests that will allow him to join the guild he is most suited for. Now, begone. I have my new duty to attend."
Hearing the old man's words, I instantly gathered myself up and turned around in order to escape this area of the battle that almost happened, only to be instantly stopped in my place by the same cold and emotionless voice of the old man.
"You will come with me, young man. Unless you would prefer to go with those greedy wolves…"
Sending a scolding gaze towards the two teachers, this old man achieved something that I wouldn't be privy to see so quickly in this world. Shuddering as soon as this unpleasant gaze fell on their faces, both my teacher and the man advocating for the alchemist guild backed off.
"Yes, master."
Adding this kind of honorific as the two of them backed off only reinforced me in my thought that I accidentally stirred the water around a fish too big for me to handle.
"Now, young man. Come with me. From the looks of your eyes, I can tell that you don't like to waste your time."
Turning around without even bothering to glance in my direction to confirm if I was following him as he ordered, the old man stopped in his tracks as suddenly as he started moving. Raising his head towards the open skies occasionally blocked by the huge mass of the floating islands, he rubbed his chin with slow movements of his hand.
"After all, everyone's time is limited. Isn't it?"